ORA-24334 no descriptor for this position - How do I fix this error?

Question

I suddenly started seeing this error message when some of the queries execute on our website but I cannot find any information about what causes this error.
ORA-24334 no descriptor for this position
I can copy and paste the SQL query in SQL*PLUS and it executes fine. There is nothing unusual about these queries.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Vidhya Rao

Answer 1

Thanks to both of you for responding. Here are the details.
The application is written in ColdFusion and the database is Oracle 8.1.7. The SQL that causes the error is random. The same SQL works at a different time. So it is not reproducable with any specific steps.
Can anyone explain what that error message means? The Oracle page does not have much of an explanation.
Please let me know if more info is required.
The first SQL looked like this:
     Oracle Error Code = 24334<P>ORA-24334: no descriptor for this position
<P> <P>SQL = "select pa.pcl_assessment_id, pa.name assessment_name,
     pc.credit_amt, pct.description credit_type,
     ppx.promo_id, id.price as assessment_cost,
     plx.level_type || '-' || plx.level_id pcl_level,
     r.role_desc,
     pa.status,
     pkg_common.Fn_Get_PCL_Mbr_Count(pa.pcl_assessment_id) test_no,
     pkg_common.Fn_Get_PCL_Mbr_PassCount(pa.pcl_assessment_id) passed_no,
     pkg_common.Fn_Get_PCL_Avg_Attempt(pa.pcl_assessment_id) Avg_Attempt
     from pcl_assessment pa, pcl_credit pc, pcl_credit_type pct,
     pcl_promo_xref ppx, item_promo ip, item_ds id, pcl_level_xref plx,
          role r
     where pa.pcl_assessment_id = pc.pcl_assessment_id
     and pc.pcl_credit_type_id = pct.pcl_credit_type_id
     and pc.pcl_credit_id = ppx.pcl_credit_id
     and pa.pcl_assessment_id = ppx.pcl_assessment_id
     and ppx.promo_id = ip.promo_id
     and ip.item_id = id.item_id
     and pa.pcl_assessment_id = plx.pcl_assessment_id
     and plx.pcl_assessment_id IN (select pcl_assessment_id from v_rpt_all_level_pcl
                                        WHERE association_id = '59')
     and pc.role_id = r.role_id(+)
     order by pcl_assessment_id asc
The second is:
Oracle Error Code = 24334<P>ORA-24334: no descriptor for this position
<P> <P>SQL = "SELECT media.name medname,
          media.type medtype,
          media.id medid,
          association_media.type type,
          media_id_xref xref,
          media_member.sequence mms,
          association.name aname,
          media.start_date msd,
          member.prefix prefix,
          member.first_name first_name,
          member.middle_initial middle_initial,
          member.last_name last_name,
          member.suffix suffix,
          member.credentials credentials,
          member.company_name company
     FROM media, member, media_member, association_media, association, meeting, event
     WHERE member.id = media_member.member_id
               and media_member.media_id = media.id
               and media.id =association_media.media_id
               and association_media.association_id = '123'
               and association_media.type = 'FEATURE'
               and association.id = meeting.association_id
               and meeting.id = event.meeting_id
               and event.id = media.event_id
               and media.id = media_member.media_id
               and media.id not in
               select media_id
               from association_media
               where type = 'OMIT-F'
                    and association_id = '174'                    
UNION
     SELECT media.name medname,
          media.type medtype,
          media.id medid,
          association_media.type type,
          media_id_xref xref,
          media_member.sequence mms,
          association.name aname,
          media.start_date msd,
          member.prefix prefix,
          member.first_name first_name,
          member.middle_initial middle_initial,
          member.last_name last_name,
          member.suffix suffix,
          member.credentials credentials,
          member.company_name company
     FROM media, member, media_member, association_media, association, meeting, event
     WHERE member.id = media_member.member_id
                    and media_member.media_id = media.id
                    and media.id =association_media.media_id
                    and association_media.association_id = '174'
                    and association_media.type = 'FEATURESUB'
                    and association.id = meeting.association_id
                    and meeting.id = event.meeting_id
                    and event.id = media.event_id
                    and media.id = media_member.media_id
                    and media.id in
                    select media_id
                    from association_media
                    where type = 'FEATURESUB'
                         and association_id = '174'                    
ORDER BY msd desc, medname, mms