Oracle hangs on query with multiple joins

Question

To test the sotftware from the LMS-vendor that are out partners we use virtual machines where we install Windows 2003 servers and Oracle XE
While we were testing the software I've found that a particular query with multiple unions causes the CPU of the virtual machine totally claimed by oracle
The query causes oracle to hang.
I've found that the subcomponents of the query all return 0 rows (and response all immediately) combined into a query with at least 2 unions the query hangs the system
I'm not familiar with with Database Management at all
I've read something about SGA and PGA that could be the issue and tried to increase the target for both but it doesn't seem to do anything
Some characterics
Target Current
Maximum System Global Area (SGA) Size: 380 MB 380 MB
Program Global Area (PGA) Aggregate Target: 360 MB 38 MB
Current Configuration: (SGA + PGA): 740 MB 418 MB
Tablespaces Percent Used Allocated (MB) Used (MB) Datafiles
SYSAUX 98.21% 460.00 451.75 1
SYSTEM 73.09% 510.00 372.75 1
DATA 99.13% 440.00 436.19 1
UNDO 6.48% 160.00 10.38 1
USERS 1.63% 100.00 1.63 1
sort_area_size 65536
shared_pool_reserved_size 5452595 TRUE size in bytes of reserved area of shared pool
shared_pool_size 0 TRUE size in bytes of shared pool
What other parameters are important? How could I get a good picture to see what's really going on?
Some pointers, help would be appreciated.
Regards,
Remco

Answer 1

Below is the base-query that is causing the problems
SELECT /* Public - Internal learner */ r.id reg_id, i.id order_item_id, o.id order_id, o.order_no order_number, e.id person_id, format_name(e.fname , e.lname , @@005) learner_name , c.id company_id, c.name2 , ent.id entid, ctype.id ctypeid, ctype.name , i.status , items.description item_desc, substr ( i.flags , 1 , 1 ) is_conf , r.status status1, rs.description description1 , r.wlist_priority , r.reg_no , r.flags , o.status status2, o.split, null learnerViewOnly, null statusViewOnly, i.approved_status, decode(substr(r.flags,2,1),'1','true','false') isWalkIn, oa.id offering_action_id, oa.status profile_status ,c.name2 org_name ,ctype.name audience_sub_type ,items.description description ,o.order_no order_no ,orderList.description order_status ,approvalList.description approval_status ,e.fname learner_first_name ,e.lname learner_last_name FROM tpt_registration r INNER JOIN tpt_oe_order_items i ON i.reg_id = r.id INNER JOIN tpt_oe_order o ON i.order_id = o.id INNER JOIN cmt_person e ON r.student_id = e.id INNER JOIN tpt_company c ON e.company_id = c.id INNER JOIN tpt_offering_action oa on r.offering_action_id = oa.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_roster_template_entry ent ON r.ros_temp_ent_id = ent.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_customer_type ctype ON ent.customer_type_id = ctype.id INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val rs ON to_char ( r.status ) = rs.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val items ON to_char ( i.status ) = items.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val orderList ON to_char ( o.status ) = orderList.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val approvalList ON to_char(i.approved_status) = approvalList.name WHERE e.type = 100 AND r.class_id = @@001 AND r.status = nvl ( to_number(@@002) , r.status ) AND rs.locale_id = @@005 AND rs.list_id = 'sysli000000000000100' AND items.locale_id = @@005 AND items.list_id = 'sysli000000000000131' AND orderList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000129' AND orderList.locale_id = @@005 AND approvalList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000165' AND approvalList.locale_id = @@005 AND ((@@003 is null) or (@@003 is not null and r.student_id = @@003))
UNION
SELECT /* Public - External learner */ r.id reg_id, i.id order_item_id, o.id order_id, o.order_no , e.id person_id, format_name(e.fname , e.lname , @@005) , c.id company_id, c.name2 , ent.id entid, ctype.id ctypeid, ctype.name , i.status , items.description , substr ( i.flags , 1 , 1 ) is_conf , r.status status1, rs.description description1, r.wlist_priority , r.reg_no , r.flags , o.status status2, o.split, null learnerViewOnly, null statusViewOnly, i.approved_status, decode(substr(r.flags,2,1),'1','true','false') isWalkIn, oa.id offering_action_id, oa.status profile_status ,c.name2 org_name ,ctype.name audience_sub_type ,items.description description ,o.order_no order_no ,orderList.description order_status ,approvalList.description approval_status ,e.fname learner_first_name ,e.lname learner_last_name FROM tpt_registration r INNER JOIN tpt_oe_order_items i ON i.reg_id = r.id INNER JOIN tpt_oe_order o ON i.order_id = o.id INNER JOIN cmt_person e ON r.student_id = e.id INNER JOIN tpt_offering_action oa on r.offering_action_id = oa.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_company c ON e.company_id = c.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_roster_template_entry ent ON r.ros_temp_ent_id = ent.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_customer_type ctype ON ent.customer_type_id = ctype.id INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val rs ON to_char ( r.status ) = rs.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val items ON to_char ( i.status ) = items.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val orderList ON to_char ( o.status ) = orderList.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val approvalList ON to_char(i.approved_status) = approvalList.name WHERE e.type = 200 AND r.class_id = @@001 AND r.status = nvl ( to_number(@@002) , r.status ) AND rs.locale_id = @@005 AND rs.list_id = 'sysli000000000000100' AND items.locale_id = @@005 AND items.list_id = 'sysli000000000000131' AND orderList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000129' AND orderList.locale_id = @@005 AND approvalList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000165' AND approvalList.locale_id = @@005 AND ((@@003 is null) or (@@003 is not null and r.student_id = @@003))
UNION
SELECT /* Public - Unassigned learner */ r.id reg_id, i.id order_item_id, o.id order_id, o.order_no , null person_id, null , null company_id, null , ent.id entidd, ctype.id ctypeid, ctype.name , i.status , items.description , substr ( i.flags , 1 , 1 ) is_conf , r.status status1, rs.description description1, r.wlist_priority , r.reg_no , r.flags , o.status status2, o.split, null learnerViewOnly, null statusViewOnly, i.approved_status, decode(substr(r.flags,2,1),'1','true','false') isWalkIn, oa.id offering_action_id, oa.status profile_status ,'' org_name ,ctype.name audience_sub_type ,items.description description ,o.order_no order_no ,orderList.description order_status ,approvalList.description approval_status ,'' learner_first_name ,'' learner_last_name FROM tpt_registration r INNER JOIN tpt_oe_order_items i ON i.reg_id = r.id INNER JOIN tpt_oe_order o ON i.order_id = o.id INNER JOIN tpt_offering_action oa on oa.id = r.offering_action_id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_roster_template_entry ent ON r.ros_temp_ent_id = ent.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_customer_type ctype ON ent.customer_type_id = ctype.id INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val rs ON to_char ( r.status ) = rs.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val items ON to_char ( i.status ) = items.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val orderList ON to_char ( o.status ) = orderList.name INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val approvalList ON to_char(i.approved_status) = approvalList.name WHERE r.class_id = @@001 AND r.status = nvl ( to_number(@@002) , r.status ) AND r.student_id is null AND rs.locale_id = @@005 AND rs.list_id = 'sysli000000000000100' AND items.locale_id = @@005 AND items.list_id = 'sysli000000000000131' AND orderList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000129' AND orderList.locale_id = @@005 AND approvalList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000165' AND approvalList.locale_id = @@005 AND @@003 is null
UNION
SELECT /* Private - Internal learner */ r.id reg_id, i.id order_item_id, o.id order_id, o.order_no , e.id person_id, format_name(e.fname , e.lname , @@005) , c.id company_id, c.name2 , ent.id entid, ctype.id ctypeid, ctype.name , i.status , items.description , substr ( i.flags , 1 , 1 ) is_conf , r.status status1, rs.description description1 , r.wlist_priority , r.reg_no , r.flags , o.status status2, o.split, null learnerViewOnly, null statusViewOnly, i.approved_status, decode(substr(r.flags,2,1),'1','true','false') isWalkIn, oa.id offering_action_id, oa.status profile_status ,c.name2 org_name ,ctype.name audience_sub_type ,items.description description ,o.order_no order_no ,orderList.description order_status ,approvalList.description approval_status ,e.fname learner_first_name ,e.lname learner_last_name FROM tpt_registration r INNER JOIN let_pvt_offering_request pvt_offreq ON pvt_offreq.class_id = r.class_id INNER JOIN tpt_offering_action oa on oa.id = r.offering_action_id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_oe_order_items i ON i.part_id = pvt_offreq.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_oe_order o ON i.order_id = o.id INNER JOIN cmt_person e ON r.student_id = e.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_company c ON e.company_id = c.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_roster_template_entry ent ON r.ros_temp_ent_id = ent.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_customer_type ctype ON ent.customer_type_id = ctype.id INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val rs ON to_char ( r.status ) = rs.name LEFT OUTER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val items ON to_char ( i.status ) = items.name AND items.locale_id = @@005 AND items.list_id = 'sysli000000000000131' LEFT OUTER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val orderList ON to_char ( o.status ) = orderList.name AND orderList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000129' AND orderList.locale_id = @@005 LEFT OUTER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val approvalList ON to_char(i.approved_status) = approvalList.name AND approvalList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000165' AND approvalList.locale_id = @@005 WHERE e.type = 100 AND r.class_id = @@001 AND r.status = nvl ( to_number(@@002) , r.status ) AND rs.locale_id = @@005 AND rs.list_id = 'sysli000000000000100' AND ((@@003 is null) or (@@003 is not null and r.student_id = @@003))
UNION
SELECT /* Private - External learner */ r.id reg_id, i.id order_item_id, o.id order_id, o.order_no , e.id person_id, format_name(e.fname , e.lname , @@005) , c.id company_id, c.name2 , ent.id entid, ctype.id ctypeid, ctype.name , i.status , items.description , substr ( i.flags , 1 , 1 ) is_conf , r.status status1, rs.description description1 , r.wlist_priority , r.reg_no , r.flags , o.status status2, o.split, null learnerViewOnly, null statusViewOnly, i.approved_status, decode(substr(r.flags,2,1),'1','true','false') isWalkIn, oa.id offering_action_id, oa.status profile_status ,c.name2 org_name ,ctype.name audience_sub_type ,items.description description ,o.order_no order_no ,orderList.description order_status ,approvalList.description approval_status ,e.fname learner_first_name ,e.lname learner_last_name FROM tpt_registration r INNER JOIN let_pvt_offering_request pvt_offreq ON pvt_offreq.class_id = r.class_id INNER JOIN tpt_offering_action oa on r.offering_action_id = oa.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_oe_order_items i ON i.part_id = pvt_offreq.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_oe_order o ON i.order_id = o.id INNER JOIN cmt_person e ON r.student_id = e.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_company c ON e.company_id = c.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_roster_template_entry ent ON r.ros_temp_ent_id = ent.id LEFT OUTER JOIN tpt_customer_type ctype ON ent.customer_type_id = ctype.id INNER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val rs ON to_char ( r.status ) = rs.name LEFT OUTER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val items ON to_char ( i.status ) = items.name AND items.locale_id = @@005 AND items.list_id = 'sysli000000000000131' LEFT OUTER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val orderList ON to_char ( o.status ) = orderList.name AND orderList.locale_id = @@005 AND orderList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000129' LEFT OUTER JOIN fgt_ext_sys_list_of_val approvalList ON to_char(i.approved_status) = approvalList.name AND approvalList.locale_id = @@005 AND approvalList.list_id = 'sysli000000000000165' WHERE e.type = 200 AND r.class_id = @@001 AND r.status = nvl ( to_number(@@002) , r.status ) AND rs.locale_id = @@005 AND rs.list_id = 'sysli000000000000100' AND ((@@003 is null) or (@@003 is not null and r.student_id = @@003)) ORDER BY 34,35,28,29,31,30,33,32