Trouble With Left Outer Join

Question

I'm kind of new to using left outer joins, so I don't know if I'm doing it quite right. Right now there's only one table that may or may not have a corresponding record, so I'm only using left outer join on it. I get the error ORA-00904: "A"."SGBSTDN_PIDM": invalid identifier right now when I try to run my query. This gives me the impression that I need to use left outer join on all the tables in my FROM clause. Any suggestions on what I need to do?
/*Get those students not awarded ACG1 yet with an entry in shrlgpa*/
SELECT spriden_id id, spriden_last_name||', '||spriden_first_name name, sgbstdn_styp_code student_type,
sorhsch_graduation_date hsch_grad_date,shrlgpa_hours_earned hours_earned,rorenrl_finaid_adj_hr hours_enrolled,
0 AS disbursement_to_date, 0 AS offer_amt, 0 AS current_disbursement,
rnvand0_unmet_need unmet_need, 'N' AS awarded
FROM RCRESAR,RCRAPP1,SORHSCH,RORHSDT,SGBSTDN A,SORLCUR, shrlgpa, rorstat, ROBINST, spriden
,rnvand0
LEFT OUTER JOIN rorenrl ON (A.sgbstdn_pidm = rorenrl_pidm)
WHERE (RCRESAR_PELL_ELGBL = 'Y')
    AND  SORHSCH_GRADUATION_DATE>'01-JAN-2006'
    AND  RCRAPP1_CITZ_IND IN ('1','2')
    AND  RCRAPP1_CURR_REC_IND='Y'
    /*Possible change once rigorous curr. decided AND (RORHSDT_AP_IB_COURSES = 'Y' OR RORHSDT_REQ_COURSES='Y')*/
    AND RORHSDT_REQ_COURSES='Y'
    AND sgbstdn_stst_code = 'AS'
    AND  SGBSTDN_STYP_CODE IN ('F','H','T')
    AND (SORLCUR_DEGC_CODE LIKE 'B%' OR SORLCUR_DEGC_CODE LIKE 'A%'
    OR SORLCUR_DEGC_CODE = 'UND')
    AND sorlcur_seqno = (SELECT MAX(sorlcur_seqno)
                          FROM sorlcur
                          WHERE sorlcur_pidm = A.sgbstdn_pidm
                          AND sorlcur_term_code = &enrollment_term)
    AND  SORLCUR_CACT_CODE='ACTIVE' 
    AND rorenrl_term_code = &enrollment_term
    AND shrlgpa_hours_earned BETWEEN 0 AND 29
    AND shrlgpa_gpa_type_ind = 'O'
    AND rorstat_pckg_comp_date IS NOT NULL
    AND  A.SGBSTDN_TERM_CODE_EFF = (SELECT MAX(B.SGBSTDN_TERM_CODE_EFF)
                                                                        FROM SGBSTDN B
                                                                         WHERE B.SGBSTDN_PIDM = A.SGBSTDN_PIDM
                                                                         AND sgbstdn_term_code_eff <= &enrollment_term
    AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 'X'
                                    FROM RPRAWRD
                                  WHERE RCRESAR_PIDM = RPRAWRD_PIDM
                                      AND RCRESAR_AIDY_CODE = RPRAWRD_AIDY_CODE
                                      AND RPRAWRD_FUND_CODE = 'ACG1')
     AND rorstat_pidm = rcresar_pidm
    AND spriden_pidm = rcresar_pidm
    AND  RCRAPP1_PIDM    = RCRESAR_PIDM 
    AND shrlgpa_pidm = rcresar_pidm
    AND  SORHSCH_PIDM   = RCRESAR_PIDM 
    AND  RORHSDT_PIDM   = RCRESAR_PIDM 
    AND  SGBSTDN_PIDM   = RCRESAR_PIDM    
    AND  SORLCUR_PIDM   = RCRESAR_PIDM 
    AND rnvand0_pidm = rorstat_pidm
    AND  RCRESAR_INFC_CODE = RCRAPP1_INFC_CODE 
    AND  RCRESAR_SEQ_NO      = RCRAPP1_SEQ_NO  
    AND  RCRAPP1_AIDY_CODE = RCRESAR_AIDY_CODE
    AND ROBINST_AIDY_CODE = RCRESAR_AIDY_CODE
    AND  RCRESAR_AIDY_CODE = '&AIDY_CODE'
    AND rorstat_aidy_code = rcresar_aidy_code
    AND rnvand0_aidy_code = rcresar_aidy_code
    AND spriden_change_ind IS NULL
    ORDER BY name

Answer 1

Frank Kulash wrote:
Hi
blackhole82 wrote:
Yeah I realized that I was probably mixing styles after it wouldn't work. What you suggested does execute, so I assume it's right even though I'm not getting any rows at the moment. Don't assume it's correct: verify it
I suggest re-writing the query using all ANSI syntax.
Start with just two tables. Make sure that join is working.
When you have something that works perfectly with just those tables, then add one more table.
So if I wanted to left outer join onto shrlgpa too I would just need to add that underneath the join for rorenrl before the , and SORLCUR?In your existing query, it looks like shrlgpa is only connected to rcresar, using an inner join. Do you want to change that?At any rate, the order of tables using the old doesn't matter. Using ANSI notation, however, a join condition can only reference tables that have already been named in the same group of ANSI-joined tables.
So you would probably would have to re-arrange the FROM clause.
Sorry, I don't understand exactly what you want to do, so I can't tell you exactly how to do it.
Make you best guess, and try it.
If it doesn't produce the results you want, and you can't figure out how to fix it, then post the query, some sample data, and the desired results. If you post just the revised query, and a description of the problem, I'll try to answer, but without the sample data and desired results I can't guarantee that I can.Well I'm getting rows and the data seems to go with the query I had before using the outer join except for the records that have no record on shrlgpa. It appears that by having the clauses
AND shrlgpa_hours_earned BETWEEN 0 AND 29
AND shrlgpa_gpa_type_ind = 'O'that those I'm trying to pull in with the left outer join are being eliminated. Is it possible to still limit the hours earned while pulling in those who do not have a record on shrlgpa? Before I was just using a UNION to accomplish this, but I thought that I might be able to fine tune the query to eliminate the need for another UNION.