How to Obtain Index Hints from the Test Database

To obtain index hints from the test database:

1.	In the USoft BenchMark toolbox, double-click Index Hints in the Test Database list.

The Index Hints window appears.

2.	Perform a query that retrieves the data of the appropriate profile.

The first info box has four fields: Profile ID, Hint No, Table Name, and Available Index (of which the last one is the most important).

The Available Index field contains the value 1, 2 etc., if USoft Developer has auto-generated an index on the table's primary, secondary key etc. The field contains a name if an additional index was created manually with the Definer. The field is empty if USoft Developer knows NO index.

3.	Scroll through the records, and look for those combinations in which the Available Index field is empty, and the related SQL statements (displayed in the "SQL Statements that Generate this Index Hint" info box) take up much time.

The Column Name field lists the columns on which you COULD put an index (see the note below).

NOTE:

Once you have obtained the index hints, you will have to use a trial-and-error method to find out whether performance really increases. It may turn out, for example, that performance increases for this aspect of your application's functionality but decreases for some other aspect.