ORA-00955: SQL Statement Not Terminated in Oracle
Introduction
When working with Oracle SQL, encountering errors can be frustrating. One such error is ORA-00955: SQL statement not terminated. This error occurs when Oracle expects a semicolon (;) to terminate an SQL statement, but it is missing. This simple yet common mistake can cause your entire SQL script to fail.
Causes of ORA-00955
The primary cause of ORA-00955 is the omission of a semicolon at the end of a SQL statement. In Oracle SQL, each statement must be terminated with a semicolon. If you forget to add it, Oracle will not know that the statement has ended, leading to the ORA-00955 error.
How to Fix ORA-00955
The solution to this error is straightforward: ensure that every SQL statement in your script is properly terminated with a semicolon. Here’s how you can do it:
-- Correctly terminated SQL statement
SELECT * FROM employees;
In this example, the semicolon at the end of the SELECT statement tells Oracle that the statement is complete, preventing the ORA-00955 error.
Examples
Let’s look at a few examples where ORA-00955 might occur and how to resolve it:
Example 1: Missing Semicolon in a Simple Query
-- Incorrect SQL statement
SELECT * FROM employees
Without the semicolon, this query will cause the ORA-00955 error. Adding the semicolon fixes the issue:
-- Correct SQL statement
SELECT * FROM employees;
Example 2: Multiple Statements Without Proper Termination
-- Incorrect SQL statements
SELECT * FROM employees
SELECT * FROM departments;
This will cause an ORA-00955 error because Oracle does not know where one statement ends and the next begins. Adding semicolons resolves the error:
-- Correct SQL statements
SELECT * FROM employees;
SELECT * FROM departments;
Conclusion
ORA-00955 is a common SQL error in Oracle that can be easily avoided by ensuring that every SQL statement in your script is terminated with a semicolon. By following this simple practice, you can prevent script failures and keep your SQL operations running smoothly.