Error: PL/SQL ORA-00932 inconsistent datatype when using LONG value

Question

Good morning:
I am using a work PL/SQL script where I am using a LONG value in a cursor. When I execute it, I am receiving:
PL/SQL ORA-00932 inconsistent datatype:  expected NUMBER got LONG
set serveroutput ON SIZE 1000000
set heading off               
set feedback off               
set trimspool off              
set echo off
set term off                  
set pagesize 0        
SPOOL &so_outfile;
DECLARE
  v_data_file          varchar2(30);
--   v_sch_code            varchar2(10);
--   v_instance_name       varchar2(10);
    ws_path            payroll.pybutfl.pybutfl_utl_file_path%TYPE;
    v_data_line           VARCHAR2 (2000)                              := NULL;
    fhandle_o             UTL_FILE.file_type;
    v_line_count          NUMBER                                       := 0;
    v_selected_count      NUMBER                                       := 0;
    v_error_count         NUMBER                                       := 0;
    v_written_count       NUMBER                                       := 0;
    v_error_text          VARCHAR2 (50)       := ' AMACONF_ERR: Unable to write the line. ';
    v_errm                VARCHAR2 (255);
    v_sqlerrm             VARCHAR2 (255);
    v_payment_type        VARCHAR2(10);
CURSOR C1 IS
select RTRIM
        AMRCONF_PIDM_ERR            ||'|'||
        AMRCONF_IDEN_CODE_ERR       ||'|'||
        AMRCONF_ENTRY_DATE_ERR      ||'|'||
        AMRCONF_CONFID_IND_ERR      ||'|'||
       *AMRCONF_COMMENT_ERR        ||'|'||*
        AMRSUBJ_SUBJ_CODE_ERR       ||'|'||
        ERROR_CODE                  ||'|'||
        ERROR_CODE_TEXT                 ) data_line
        from WSUALUMNI.AMRCONF_ERR;
BEGIN
DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('Program Generating AMACOMT Mass Update Error File ');
IF UTL_FILE.is_open (fhandle_o)
    THEN  
   UTL_FILE.fclose (fhandle_o);
END IF;
/* Name The File Here */
v_data_file := ('Amaconf_error.txt');
SELECT RTRIM (pybutfl_utl_file_path)
      INTO ws_path
      FROM payroll.pybutfl;
      fhandle_o := UTL_FILE.fopen (ws_path, v_data_file, 'w');
      DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('UTLFILE file for this run is: ' || ws_path||'/'||v_data_file);
      v_written_count := 0;  
FOR c1_rec IN C1 LOOP
      BEGIN
        v_selected_count := v_selected_count + 1;
        v_data_line := rtrim(c1_rec.data_line);
        UTL_FILE.put_line (fhandle_o, v_data_line);
        v_written_count := v_written_count + 1;
    EXCEPTION
     WHEN OTHERS
      THEN
       DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (v_error_text);
       v_error_count := v_error_count + 1;
    END;
END LOOP;
     DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('Number of Records Selected: ' || v_selected_count);
     DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('Number of Records Written: ' || v_written_count);
      IF UTL_FILE.is_open (fhandle_o)
      THEN
         UTL_FILE.fclose (fhandle_o);
      END IF;
END;
SPOOL OFF;If I comment out the "AMRCONF_COMMENT_ERR ||'|'||" line, then the script works fine. The table was created as:
Create Table WSUALUMNI.AMRCONF_ERR
    AMRCONF_PIDM_ERR             NUMBER (8)    NOT NULL,
    AMRCONF_IDEN_CODE_ERR        VARCHAR2(5)   NOT NULL,
    AMRCONF_ENTRY_DATE_ERR       DATE          NOT NULL,
    AMRCONF_CONFID_IND_ERR       VARCHAR2(1),
    AMRCONF_COMMENT_ERR          LONG,         
    AMRSUBJ_SUBJ_CODE_ERR        VARCHAR2(5)   NOT NULL,
    ERROR_CODE                   VARCHAR2(12)  NOT NULL,
    ERROR_CODE_TEXT              VARCHAR2(50)  NOT NULL
); I don't get what is the problem here in the script.

Answer 1

Hi,
Feew suggestions
1) LONG is a deprecated type hence if possible start working on changing that column
2) CLOB will your preferred datatype over LONG.
3) you cannot use RTRIM on long.
here is a very quick example
drop table h
create table h (x long,y varchar2(100))
select rtrim(x) from h
select rtrim(y) from hSolution:
[http://www.oracle.com/technology/oramag/code/tips2003/052503.html]
need a better solution change the datatype to clob and
drop table h
create table h (x clob,y varchar2(100))
select  dbms_lob.substr( x, 4000, 1 ) from h
select rtrim(y) from hCheers!!!
Bhushan