First, you should be make sure your question is appropriate for this site. We will not accept or answer any questions relating to:

• Oracle products other than the database, SQL & PL/SQL
• Installing or configuring Oracle products
• ORA-600, ORA-3113, ORA-7445 errors, and similar errors. These are questions for Oracle Support.

If you want us to look at code, make sure that you provide the smallest, self-contained and correct (executes without error or reproduces the error in question) script. That way we and others can reproduce your issue, and thereby respond to it in a sensible and productive way. And we've got a great facility for that. Head over to freesql.com and you can save your testcase there, and send us a link to the script.

For example, if you include a CREATE TABLE statement and sample data, keep it simple: no tablespaces, no storage parameters, etc. If you are providing PL/SQL code, don't give us a 10,000 line package, and point to line 7,455. Isolate the problem and express it in a small, easily understood piece of code. Let's look at an example.

We need code to work with. So do not give us a data dump like this

I have a table with columns A, B, and C.  Here is some data that is in it:

SQL> select * from t;

 B         C
---------- --------- ------------------------------
1 01-JAN-04 hello
2 15-JAN-04 world

Instead, give us a working script so that we can get to work on question:

I have a table: 

create table t ( a int, b date, c varchar2(30) );

with this data in it:

insert into t values ( 1, to_date( '01-jan-2004'), 'hello' );
insert into t values ( 2, to_date( '15-jan-2004'), 'world' );

Include the version of Oracle Database you’re using. If you’re not sure, paste the output of the following query in your question:

select * from v$version;

Don't be vague about your error, as in "My code doesn't work." Instead, be specific as possible. Include any error messages and examples of your desired output if relevant. Without this information we cannot answer your question.

Keep the number of distinct questions in your submission to no more than two. Packing your submission with multiple questions, asking for advice on different topics makes it harder for us to answer, harder for visitors to find answers to their similar questions, and isn't fair to others who are queueing up with a question of their own.