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ORA-00936 Error Missing Expression Tips

  • November 8, 2021
  • Posted by: Ankush Thavali
  • Category: Oracle DBA
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ORA-00936 error

Question: When trying to use the SQL below, I keep getting the ORA-00936 error. What is the problem?

select from customer where cust_name = 'IBM';

How do I address this ORA-00936 error?

Answer: The Oracle oerr utility notes this about the ORA-00936 error:

ORA-00936 missing expression

Cause:

A required part of a clause or expression has been omitted. For example, a SELECT statement may have been entered without a list of columns or expressions or with an incomplete expression. This message is also issued in cases where a reserved word is misused, as in SELECT TABLE.

Action:

Check the statement syntax and specify the missing component.

The ORA-00936 happens most frequently:

1 - When you forget list of the column names in your SELECT statement.

2. When you omit the FROM clause of the SQL statement.

ORA-00936