Cannot insert more than 1 row

Question

The insert statement is insert as select, and select is restricted by rownum. When rownum < 2 then it works (ie. only one row is inserted). When rownum < 3 and more it doesn't work (and without rownum condition there are over 200k rows, and it doesn't work either).
Why could it be like that? The process is logged and it clearly shows for rownum < 2 that one row is inserted:
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Sat Oct 20 10:46:02 2012
Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 - 64bit Production With the Partitioning, Automatic Storage Management, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options
10:46:02 SQL> set serveroutput on
10:46:02 SQL>
10:46:02 SQL> WHENEVER SQLERROR EXIT SQL.SQLCODE
10:46:02 SQL>
10:46:02 SQL> insert into tmp2 select x,y from tmp where rownum < 2;
1 row created.
Elapsed: 00:00:00.00
10:46:02 SQL>
10:46:02 SQL> commit;
Commit complete.
Elapsed: 00:00:00.00
10:46:02 SQL>
10:46:02 SQL> exit sql.sqlcode
Disconnected from Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 - 64bit Production With the Partitioning, Automatic Storage Management, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing optionswhile for rownum < 3 it ends and doesn't insert anything:
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Sat Oct 20 10:50:03 2012
Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 - 64bit Production With the Partitioning, Automatic Storage Management, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options
10:50:03 SQL> set serveroutput on
10:50:03 SQL>
10:50:03 SQL> WHENEVER SQLERROR EXIT SQL.SQLCODE
10:50:03 SQL>
10:50:03 SQL> insert into tmp2 select x,y from tmp where rownum < 3;Any guesses about it? I don't have idea where to start.

Answer 1

Well I find that hard to believe.but this is what I can read from the log.. it ends after insert statement.
When you run scripts from a command window and the script 'ends' you get returned to the command window and you will get whatever prompt has been configured. So there has to be 'something' - it it just ended it would be hung and you would have to use ctrl-c to get out.not exactly. I tried to run it from shell as typing sqlplus user/pass @/path/script.sql, and it worked. but after reading your answer I also ran it as executing original KSH script (which calls sql script inside), and it ran successfully too.
But you say that this is the very last thing you see on the screen for the nonworking example. [..] So you now say 'thre is no more output than shown. it just ends after "insert ... where rownum < 3".yes, this is correct. the last line I see in log is just insert statement.
So explain how it can 'just end' without your system being hung, without the script exiting, without the Oracle connection being disconnected and without the command window displaying some kind prompt (either SQL or OS). You also did not indicate whether you removed the WHENEVER SQLERROR line and you appear to be piping into a log file but haven't posted that either.OK, I overlooked this. here is the detailed situation. we have a propertiary scheduling tool. you just point a KSH file in this tool and it runs it at specified time. how it actually runs it I don't know, but I don't see command window, I just see logs. and when I look into the log it shows just insert statement as last line for rownum < 3. it shows other lines like elapsed, commited etc for rownum < 2. And yes, of course, I followed your suggestion and removed whenever line. what I was reffering earlier was after this removal: no change in log.
let me summarize:
1) sql runs in 3rd party sql tool
2) sql runs from inside sqlplus
3) runs when KSH is executed directly in shell manually
4) runs from shell when sqlplus is called with user/pass and @/path/scriipt.sql
5) doesn't run when executed with scheduling tool for rownum < 3, runs for rownum < 2
You gave me quite a good hint about the cause. nothing comes to my mind except.. calling the support of this scheduling tool :)
do you see other possibilities other that you mentioned? key violation is not causing it, I can load the whole table manually.
thank you