Outer join not working for an existing query - sql

Question

In the below query, I want all those person numbers that do not have records in pay_dir_cards_f and hence in corresponding pay_dir_card_components_f,
pay_dir_comp_details_f.
I have added the outer join below still am not getting the above required records. Instead I am getting records that are in the table pay_dir_cards_f.
How can i modify the outer join in the below query.
Also, please note yes I do know this join style is an old one and I should use the new convention instead but I have to update an existing query hence not using it.
SELECT DISTINCT papf.person_number,
PAPF.effective_start_date,
PAPF.effective_end_date ,
paam.ASSIGNMENT_NUMBER
FROM per_all_people_f papf,
per_all_assignments_m paam,
pay_pay_relationships_dn pprd,
pay_rel_groups_dn prgd,
pay_dir_cards_f pdcf,
pay_dir_card_components_f pdccf1,
pay_dir_comp_details_f pdcdf1
WHERE SYSDATE BETWEEN papf.effective_start_date AND
papf.effective_end_date
AND paam.person_id = papf.person_id
AND paam.effective_latest_change = 'Y'
AND paam.assignment_type IN ( 'E', 'C' )
AND pprd.person_id = papf.person_id
--And PPRD.LEGISLATIVE_DATA_GROUP_ID = PLDGV.LEGISLATIVE_DATA_GROUP_ID
AND pprd.payroll_stat_unit_id = paam.legal_entity_id
AND prgd.payroll_relationship_id = pprd.payroll_relationship_id
AND prgd.assignment_id = paam.assignment_id
AND prgd.group_type = 'A'
AND pdcf.payroll_relationship_id(+) =
prgd.payroll_relationship_id
AND Trunc(SYSDATE) BETWEEN paam.effective_start_date AND
paam.effective_end_date
AND Trunc(SYSDATE) BETWEEN papf.effective_start_date AND
papf.effective_end_date
AND Trunc(SYSDATE) BETWEEN pdcf.effective_start_date AND
pdcf.effective_end_date
AND pdccf1.dir_card_id(+) = pdcf.dir_card_id
AND pdcdf1.dir_card_comp_id(+) = pdccf1.dir_card_comp_id
AND Trunc(SYSDATE) BETWEEN pdcdf1.effective_start_date AND
pdcdf1.effective_end_date
AND pdcdf1.effective_start_date BETWEEN
pdccf1.effective_start_date AND pdccf1.effective_end_date
ORDER BY papf.person_number

Answer 1

I understand that you are looking to OUTER JOIN on pay_dir_cards_f and that it is not happening as you expect.
Old-style join and bad formatting make the query difficult to read... When scaning your query for the part that relate to the pay_dir_cards_f join conditions, one condition seems problematic:
AND Trunc(SYSDATE) BETWEEN pdcf.effective_start_date AND pdcf.effective_end_date
I suspect that Oracle is able to do an OUTER JOIN because of (at least) this condition. There are serious limitations and warnings againts the use of old joins, especially OUTER JOINs, which are, for example documented in the 10g manual.
I strongly recommend that you rewrite your query to use non-ancient joins. That would probably just make your problem disappear.
As a sign of good will, please find below a first attempt to rebuild (and reformat) the query. You would need to review it and probably fix a few hitches, but that should be a pretty good starting point:
SELECT DISTINCT
papf.person_number,
papf.effective_start_date,
papf.effective_end_date ,
paam.ASSIGNMENT_NUMBER
FROM
per_all_people_f papf
INNER JOIN per_all_assignments_m paam
ON paam.person_id = papf.person_id
AND paam.effective_latest_change = 'Y'
AND paam.assignment_type IN ( 'E', 'C' )
AND TRUNC(SYSDATE) BETWEEN paam.effective_start_date AND paam.effective_end_date
INNER JOIN pay_pay_relationships_dn pprd
ON pprd.person_id = papf.person_id
-- AND pprd.legislative_data_group_id = pldgv.legislative_data_group_id
AND pprd.payroll_stat_unit_id = paam.legal_entity_id
INNER JOIN pay_rel_groups_dn prgd
ON prgd.payroll_relationship_id = pprd.payroll_relationship_id
AND prgd.assignment_id = paam.assignment_id
AND prgd.group_type = 'A'
INNER JOIN pay_dir_cards_f pdcf
ON pdcf.payroll_relationship_id = prgd.payroll_relationship_id
AND TRUNC(SYSDATE) BETWEEN pdcf.effective_start_date AND pdcf.effective_end_date
LEFT JOIN pay_dir_card_components_f pdccf1
ON pdccf1.dir_card_id = pdcf.dir_card_id
AND pdccf1.dir_card_id = pdcf.dir_card_id
LEFT JOIN pay_dir_comp_details_f pdcdf1
ON TRUNC(SYSDATE) BETWEEN pdcdf1.effective_start_date AND pdcdf1.effective_end_date
AND pdcdf1.dir_card_comp_id = pdccf1.dir_card_comp_id
WHERE
SYSDATE BETWEEN papf.effective_start_date AND papf.effective_end_date
AND TRUNC(SYSDATE) BETWEEN papf.effective_start_date AND papf.effective_end_date
ORDER BY papf.person_number