Invalid Number Error for Decimal Field While Loading Data

Question

I am loading a delimited text file using the SQL* loader however I am reciving an error in my decimal fields. When a decimal field only has leading zeros before the decimal point I receive invalid number error. Below will clarify:
i.e.) 00000000.30 [*Invalid number*]
i.e.) 00046567.45 [*Valid number*]
i.e.) 00000001.00 [*Valid number*]
I've tried setting the precision/scale in the table, tried declaring it a decimal field instead of number, none of these methods fixed the issue. Any help I would really appreciate.
  POLICY_NUMBER             NUMBER,
  EFFECTIVE_DATE     DATE "YYYYMMDD"          NULLIF EFFECTIVE_DATE = '',
  TRANSACTION_DATE     DATE "YYYYMMDD",
  TRANSACTION_AMOUNT     DECIMAL EXTERNAL,   -- Tried TRANSACTION_AMOUNT DECIMAL EXTERNAL (10)  & TRANSACTION_AMOUNT NUMBER
  MF_TRX_CODE          NUMBER,
  USER_ID          CHAR,
  GROUP_NUMBER          NUMBER,
  EXPIRATION_DATE     DATE "YYYYMMDD"          NULLIF EXPIRATION_DATE = '',
  BILL_NUMBER          NUMBER,Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks before hand.

Answer 1

Hi,
Connected to Oracle Database 10g Express Edition Release 10.2.0.1.0
Connected as hr
SQL> SELECT * FROM TEST;
TRANSACTION_AMOUNT
SQL> SELECT * FROM TEST;
TRANSACTION_AMOUNT
          11000,00
            293,37
           2000,00
           1134,32
              0,30
SQL>Between the selects I loaded the table with sql*loader using...
Load Data
INFILE *
APPEND
INTO TABLE TEST
FIELDS TERMINATED BY '|'
TRAILING NULLCOLS
  TRANSACTION_AMOUNT     DECIMAL EXTERNAL
BEGINDATA
00011000.00
00000293.37
00002000.00
00001134.32
00000000.30The log is
SQL*Loader: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Tue Dec 23 17:23:47 2008
Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Control File:   test.ctl
Data File:      test.ctl
  Bad File:     test.bad
  Discard File:  none specified
(Allow all discards)
Number to load: ALL
Number to skip: 0
Errors allowed: 50
Bind array:     64 rows, maximum of 256000 bytes
Continuation:    none specified
Path used:      Conventional
Table TEST, loaded from every logical record.
Insert option in effect for this table: APPEND
TRAILING NULLCOLS option in effect
   Column Name                  Position   Len  Term Encl Datatype
TRANSACTION_AMOUNT                  FIRST     *   |       CHARACTER           
Table TEST:
  5 Rows successfully loaded.
  0 Rows not loaded due to data errors.
  0 Rows not loaded because all WHEN clauses were failed.
  0 Rows not loaded because all fields were null.
Space allocated for bind array:                  16512 bytes(64 rows)
Read   buffer bytes: 1048576
Total logical records skipped:          0
Total logical records read:             5
Total logical records rejected:         0
Total logical records discarded:        0
Run began on Tue Dec 23 17:23:47 2008
Run ended on Tue Dec 23 17:23:50 2008
Elapsed time was:     00:00:02.86
CPU time was:         00:00:00.06Regards,