Question

How to check which value is causing SQL Error ORA-01722 invalid number

Answer 1

To check which value is causing SQL Error ORA-01722, inspect the SQL code for conversion from string to number and use functions like TO_NUMBER for explicit conversion. Validate data inputs or enable SQL tracing for further investigation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The SQL Error ORA-01722 "invalid number" occurs in Oracle when a query attempts to convert a non-numeric string into a number. To troubleshoot and find the value causing the error, examine the SQL statement for parts where this conversion might be happening, typically in a WHERE or ORDER BY clause. Here are the steps to identify the problematic data:

• Look for implicit or explicit conversions in your SQL code where a string is being converted to a number.
• Employ SQL functions such as TO_NUMBER to explicitly convert strings to numbers and catch exceptions.
• Utilize data validation to ensure all inputs are correctly formatted before executing the SQL statement.
• Enable extended SQL trace (10046 event) to obtain more information about the context of the error if necessary.

By running smaller parts of the query or using conversion functions, you can pinpoint where the error is happening and identify which value is not in a correct numeric format.