Hello,

I have inherited an Access 97 database that needs updating and I'm trying to
understand what my predecessor has put into place. Basically it accepts
criteria on a form to import data into a SQL (2000) table from our Oracle
back end.  The code builds a SQL statement from the user's criteria and it is
put in a text file that a DTS job picks up for the import.  Part of the
statement up through the (+) is static. My question is why is there a (+) in
the SQL?  Here is the statement that was written into the text file:

SELECT UNITS.UNIT_ID, UNITS.CONTRACT_ID, UNITS.COLL_DATE,
UNITS.RECEIVED_DATE, UNIT_INTERDICTIONS.INTER_CODE FROM UNITS,
UNIT_INTERDICTIONS WHERE UNITS.UNIT_ID = UNIT_INTERDICTIONS.UNIT_ID(+) AND
CONTRACT_ID = 'BSTRG0012'

I believe the "WHERE UNITS.UNIT_ID = UNIT_INTERDICTIONS.UNIT_ID(+) " is the
old way to join tables in SQL statements.  Is the (+) a kind of outer join?  
Seems that the (+) would not be desirable.  Not sure I'm getting this right.

Thanks for any help