ORA-1467: SORT KEY TOO LONG AFTER UPGRADE TO 12.1

Last updated on DECEMBER 06, 2016

Applies to:

Symptoms

On : 12.1.0.1 version, RDBMS

"ORA-01467: sort key too long" after upgrade from 10g to 12c

After upgrade to 12.1.0.1 one of the fairly complex queries ends up in the error "ORA-01467: sort key too long".
The same query used to run without any problems in the 10g and 11g

----- Call Stack Trace -----

skdstdst <- ksedst1 <- ksedst <- dbkedDefDump <- ksedmp
       <- dbkdaKsdActDriver <- dbgdaExecuteAction <- dbgdaRunAction <- dbgdRunActions <- dbgdProcessEventAct
        <- ions <- dbgdChkEventKgErr <- dbkdChkEventRdbmsEr <- ksfpec <- dbgePostErrorKGE
         <- 3368 <- dbkePostKGE_kgsf <- kgeade <- kgeselv <- kgesecl0
          <- qcuErroer <- erroer <- qerwnAllocate <- qknRwsAllocateTree <- qknRwsAllocateTree
           <- qknRwsAllocateTree <- qknDoRwsAllocate <- IPRA <- nDescendents <- IPRA
            <- qkadrv2Post <- qkadrv2 <- opitca <- kksFullTypeCheck <- rpiswu2
             <- kksLoadChild <- kxsGetRuntimeLock <- kksfbc <- kkspsc0 <- kksParseCursor
              <- opiosq0 <- kpooprx <- kpoal8 <- opiodr <- ttcpip
               <- opitsk <- opiino <- opiodr <- opidrv <- sou2o
                <- opimai_real <- ssthrdmain <- main <- start

Cause