SQL query throws not understandable error

Question

Hi everybody,
I am suffering from an issue where I query Oracle database 11g with this query:
SELECT AUDIT_EVENT.EVENT_ID, USER_NAME, START_TIMESTAMP, AUDIT_EVENT.DURATION, AUDIT_EVENT.EVENT_TYPE_ID, AUDIT_EVENT.SERVER_CUID, OBJECT_CUID, OBJECT_TYPE, ERROR_CODE, OBJECT_ID, DETAIL_ID, AUDIT_DETAIL.SERVER_CUID, AUDIT_DETAIL.DETAIL_TYPE_ID, DETAIL_TYPE_DESCRIPTION, EVENT_TYPE.EVENT_TYPE_DESCRIPTION, SUBSTR(DETAIL_TEXT,0,200) as DETAIL_TEXT FROM (audit_detail join detail_type on audit_detail.detail_type_id=detail_type.detail_type_id) join (audit_event join event_type on audit_event.event_type_id=event_type.event_type_id) on audit_event.event_id=audit_detail.event_id WHERE to_char(START_TIMESTAMP,'YYYYMMDD') > '20110307' AND to_char(START_TIMESTAMP,'YYYYMMDD')<='20110309' ORDER BY START_TIMESTAMP
which throws this error:
ORA-01652: unable to extend temp segment by 128 in tablespace TEMP
01652. 00000 - "unable to extend temp segment by %s in tablespace %s"
*Cause:    Failed to allocate an extent of the required number of blocks for
a temporary segment in the tablespace indicated.
*Action:   Use ALTER TABLESPACE ADD DATAFILE statement to add one or more
files to the tablespace indicated.
Can anybody explain why this can happen? Are we somehow limited with temporary space or whatever? Because when I put the same query withou condition placed after WHERE clause it seems to work correctly...
Appreciate any help..
Thank You
Miro

Answer 1

Temp space can be used for SORTS and HASH joins, for example.
See documentation for further details:
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E11882_01/server.112/e17120/tspaces002.htm#i1013552
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E11882_01/server.112/e16638/memory.htm#PFGRF01401
Please review the execution plans for both queries that you mention.
e.g.
explain plan for...
select * from table(dbms_xplan.display);The output of dbms_xplan should display expected/estimated temp space usage.
Please see the following thread for more detail:
How to post a SQL tuning request - HOW TO: Post a SQL statement tuning request - template posting
I see that you using a TO_CHAR on your START_TIMESTAMP column.
This is a classic way of preventing index usage which may lead to inefficient plans which might cause unexpected temp space usage.
See execution plans for further detail.
If START_TIMESTAMP is indexed, then doing the following may result in a more efficient plan which might lead to reduced temp space usage, any sort operation ing might even be eliminated:
WHERE START_TIMESTAMP >= TO_DATE('20110307','YYYYMMDD')
AND    START_TIMESTAMP < TO_DATE('20110309' ,'YYYYMMDD') + 1