What does this (+) mean in a query?

[ttrinh]

Hi
I want to ask,
what does this (+) mean when it is placed in the where clause of a query ?

eg
SELECT bin.binID, bin.PCDate, bin.reference, bin.completeDate, bin.description, userDetail.firstName, userDetail.lastName, bin.altActionee, binTypes.typeName, Status.status, bin.dateClosed, BusUnit.bUnitName, Department.deptName
FROM status, binTypes, bin, userDetail, busUnit, Department
WHERE (binTypes.typeID = bin.binType AND Status.statusID = bin.status AND bin.actionee = userDetail.userKey (+) AND Department.deptID = BusUnit.bUnitDept AND
bin.mngUnit = BusUnit.bUnitID AND bin.status <> 6 AND bin.status <>5

Thanks

 

[edP123]

In Oracle 7, (+) means about outer joins. Which must immediately follow the join column of the table, as saying add an extra(null) row anytime there's no match.

 

[ttrinh]

sorry could you elaborate a little?
this query is a query in a CF application which has a datasource sitting in oracle 8.1.7
Does it mean that its still an outer join?
thanks

 

[123edp]

I think it still an outer join, cause your datasource is in oracle base.