Re: InStr and Length Problem, ora-01460

Ashley, please do not cross-post.

It is difficult to tell from the posted statement but are string1 and string2 column variables or pl/sql variables. Being that the statement is an SQL statement then the instr function is the SQL instr function and is different from the pl/sql instr function.

You would reference the pl/sql instr function something like this: If instr(v_string1, v_string2 ) > 0 then .....

A database varchar2 datatype used as a table column can be up to 4,000 bytes in length and no more. A pl/sql varchar2 variable can be 32K. You usually read table character column values into pl/sql variables when you need to work with char strings over 4,000 bytes and you are not using CLOB datatypes.

Your Oracle version is also important information for post since with version 9.2 and up the instr function can be used on CLOB's while in 8.1 it cannot.

HTH -- Mark D Powell -- Received on Mon Nov 14 2005 - 19:10:11 CST