How to fix the Oracle error SQL*Loader-00296: Bind variable string for column string is ambiguous.?

In this post, you’ll learn more about the Oracle ErrorSQL*Loader-00296: Bind variable string for column string is ambiguous. with the details on why you receive this error and the possible solution to fix it.

Oracle Error Description

SQL*Loader-00296: Bind variable string for column string is ambiguous.

Reason for the Error SQL*Loader-00296: Bind variable string for column string is ambiguous.

A bind variable can only refer to one column in the control file. Current load could not continue due to ambiguous column references.

How to fix the Error SQL*Loader-00296: Bind variable string for column string is ambiguous. ?

You can fix this error in Oracle by following the below steps

Fix the bind variable. If this bind variable consists of quotes, check that the quotes are used correctly. For example, the old quoting rule of bind variables consisting of full object attribute names was incorrect because it can lead to ambiguous column references. Let’s say we have an expression “LTRIM(:”A.B.C”)”. Using the old quoting rule, this bind variable can refer to object attribute columns ‘”A”.”B”.”C”‘, ‘”A.B”.C’, and ‘”A”.”B.C”‘. To avoid this confusion, use the new quoting rule for object attribute bind variables, which is to quote each attribute name independently as needed. In the preceding example, if the intended object attribute column is ‘A.B.C’, then the expression rewritten as “LTRIM(:A.B.C)” or “LTRIM(:”A”.”B”.”C”) will not lead to ambiguities.