Unix Sql -- Updating One table from a 2nd table -- null value issue - sql

Question

I have been looking at the web for hours trying to determine what is wrong with my code. I keep receiving the ORA-01407: cannot update ("AMIOWN"."MEMBER"."LANGUAGE_X") to NULL. I need to update the language in the member table when the language in the contract table is not null. The 3rd table is required in order to drill down to specific members. Below is the code:
update member m
set language_x =
(select language_x
from contract c
where m.contract_nbr = c.contract_nbr and
c.language_x is not null and
m.member_nbr =
(select member_nbr
from member_span ms
where m.member_nbr = ms.member_nbr and
ms.void = ' ' and
ms.carrier = 'PM' and
ms.prog_nbr = 'GP' and
ms.region = 'TR' and
(ms.ymdeff <= 20160218 or ms.ymdeff > 20160218) and
ms.ymdend > 20160218
)
);
Some of the postings also suggested adding another line after the last parenthesis checking for:
where exists (select 1 from contract c where m.contract_nbr = c.contract_nbr and c.language_x is not null);
I am working in a unix environment, tables are contained in an amisys database.
Thank you for any suggestions.

Answer 1

you need to add the where condition to your update statement
update member m
set language_x = (select language_x
from contract c
where m.contract_nbr = c.contract_nbr
and c.language_x is not null
and m.member_nbr = (select member_nbr
from member_span ms
where m.member_nbr = ms.member_nbr
and ms.void = ' '
and ms.carrier = 'PM'
and ms.prog_nbr = 'GP'
and ms.region = 'TR'
and (ms.ymdeff <= 20160218 or ms.ymdeff > 20160218)
and ms.ymdend > 20160218)
)
where exists (select language_x
from contract c
where m.contract_nbr = c.contract_nbr
and c.language_x is not null
and m.member_nbr = (select member_nbr
from member_span ms
where m.member_nbr = ms.member_nbr
and ms.void = ' '
and ms.carrier = 'PM'
and ms.prog_nbr = 'GP'
and ms.region = 'TR'
and (ms.ymdeff <= 20160218 or ms.ymdeff > 20160218)
and ms.ymdend > 20160218)
);
Below is a more elegant solution, but depending on your datamodel it might or might not work
Update
(
select m.language_x as oldval
c.language_x as newval
from member m
,contract c
where m.contract_nbr = c.contract_nbr
and c.language_x is not null
and m.member_nbr = (select member_nbr
from member_span ms
where m.member_nbr = ms.member_nbr
and ms.void = ' '
and ms.carrier = 'PM'
and ms.prog_nbr = 'GP'
and ms.region = 'TR'
and (ms.ymdeff <= 20160218 or ms.ymdeff > 20160218)
and ms.ymdend > 20160218)
) t
set t.oldval =t.newval