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obrienj

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ORA-00932: inconsistent datatypes

Below is a view I have in our system.  I am trying to modify it to load one extra column in the view.  
This column is of different data type, it is a CLOB rather than a string or number.  But I can't find out why this is a problem for the code?  

The part added is:
         MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'Comments'
                   THEN b.bDescription
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS Comments    

It's basically the exact same code, but I'm returning the CLOB field b.bDescription instead of the text field b.sFieldTarget.  
I get the error message:
ORA-00932: inconsistent datatypes: expected - got CLOB

Can someone explain what the problem is, and how I might get around it??
SELECT   TRIM (a.sdmtreportid) AS sdmtreportid, TRIM (a.stitle) AS descr,
         TRIM (a.stag) AS LOOP,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Link1'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS link1,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Link2'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS link2,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Link3'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS link3,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Display'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS display,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Template'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS TEMPLATE,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Compound'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS compound,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Type'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS TYPE,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Low Scale'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS lowscale,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_High Scale'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS highscale,
         MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Eng Units'
                   THEN SUBSTR (TRIM (b.sfieldtarget), 1, 20)
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS engunits,
         MAX (CASE
                 WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Alternate input 0%'
                    THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                 ELSE NULL
              END
             ) AS altin0,
         MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Alternate input 25%'
                   THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS altin25,
         MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Alternate input 50%'
                   THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS altin50,
         MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Alternate input 75%'
                   THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS altin75,
         MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Alternate input 100%'
                   THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS altin100,
         MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'L_Alternate input Units'
                   THEN TRIM (b.sfieldtarget)
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS altinunits,   
         MAX 
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'Comments'
                   THEN b.bDescription
                ELSE NULL
             END
            ) AS Comments                                  
    FROM fcrobj a LEFT OUTER JOIN fcrfield b
         ON (a.lobjid = b.lobjid)
       AND (a.lobjclaid = b.lobjclaid)
       AND (a.sdmtreportid = b.sdmtreportid)
   WHERE TRIM (a.sclassname) = 'L_Loop' OR 
          TRIM (sfieldname) LIKE 'L_%_FBM'
GROUP BY a.sdmtreportid, a.stag, a.stitle

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Avatar of Sean Stuber
Sean Stuber

two problems....

the result of a CASE must return the same type
if one WHEN returns varchar2 then they all must return varchar2
if one WHEN returns clob then they all must return clob

your ELSE is an untyped NULL so it will default to varchar2(4000)

but another problem is the MAX aggregate can not be applied to a CLOB.
that's the main source of the error

could your substring your clob?  and only return the first 4000 characters?

MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (SUBSTR(b.sfieldname,1,4000)) = 'Comments'
                   THEN b.bDescription
                ELSE TO_CHAR(NULL)  -- or use ''  
             END
            ) AS Comments    
ooops, I substr'd  the wrong field


MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'Comments'
                   THEN SUBSTR(b.bDescription,1,4000)
                ELSE TO_CHAR(NULL)  -- or use ''  
             END
            ) AS Comments    
Avatar of obrienj

ASKER

yes, I had a feeling the max wouldn't work, but still had the problem when I removed it.  I'll try put an empty clob into the field see if that works.

hmm, your second option would normally not be a possible solution, but this may be the exception.  The data is been loaded onto a report with only a little space, so it is a stipulation that it be small.  I'll have to test it with the restriction.  
I'll try the other options first.
empty clob won't work either.  it's not the size of the clob, its the type.  CLOB, BLOB, BFILE, LONG may not be used in aggregates

MAX(any-lob) is illegal
Avatar of obrienj

ASKER

I tried that piece of code above and got another error:

ORA-00932: inconsistent datatypes: expected CLOB got CHAR
which one?  I posted 2 times, the first was a mistake
Avatar of obrienj

ASKER

The second one.... its highlighting bDescription and giving the error mentioned above.
that doesn't make sense.

is it the substr?  do you need to use dbms_lob.substr?

MAX
            (CASE
                WHEN TRIM (b.sfieldname) = 'Comments'
                   THEN dbms_lob.substr(b.bDescription,4000,1)
                ELSE TO_CHAR(NULL)  -- or use ''  
             END
            ) AS Comments    

Avatar of obrienj

ASKER

that worked all right... thanks.  It's getting a bit messy though, I would much rather do it correctly.
I'll come back to that, worst case scenario.

There must be an easy way to load the CLOB field within that view.  

Basically, any way of having a column called Comments that loads the bDescription field into it when the sFieldName = Comments (plus the other stipulations that are in the query already).
??
Avatar of obrienj

ASKER

Can someone not help me with this???  
It seems pretty standard.  I just want to select the CLOB into the view.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Sean Stuber
Sean Stuber

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ASKER

Cheers, I have managed to do it with that method.  I may still go with the varchar conversion method, but at least I have the option now. Thanks.
glad I could help