[SOLVED] Numeric or value error: character string buffer too small

Numeric or value error: character string buffer too small

I am having trouble with this simple query in oracle application express and am getting this error:

Query cannot be parsed, please check the syntax of your query. (ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: character string buffer too small)"

SELECT E.EQUIPMENTID, E.EQUIPMENTDESCRIPTION
From EQUIPMENT as E
left outer join EQUIPMENT_CHECKOUT as EC 
on E.EQUIPMENTID = EC.EQUIPMENTID
WHERE EC.EQUIPMENTID is null

Solution

I think the error might be misleading in this case. You don't include AS when specifying table aliases, i.e.:

SELECT E.EQUIPMENTID, E.EQUIPMENTDESCRIPTION
From EQUIPMENT E
left outer join EQUIPMENT_CHECKOUT EC
on E.EQUIPMENTID = EC.EQUIPMENTID
WHERE EC.EQUIPMENTID is null

BTW: in Apex, you can try SQL statements in the SQL Commands window (in SQL Workshop) which usually gives better syntax error info.