The data are inconsistent

Use following SQL to find inconsistent data

select distinct (FOREIGN KEY) from CHILD_TABLE
minus
select distinct (PRIMARY KEY) from PARENT_TABLE

If you have several FKs you would have to try this operation with all parent tables

The result of the query would be the data which is missing in parent table and this means that your data are INCONSISTENT

To solve this you either
Add the missing data in parent table or delete from child table

One example

you have emp and dept table (tipical) and assuming you had FK disabled

you inserted an employees who works in deptno 50 but deptno 50 does NOT exist in dept table however these two tables are related through deptno column, in order to establish again the relationship you would have to add deptno 50 in dept table or delete the employee who works in deptno 50 from emp table

HTH

[Edited by pando on 03-22-2001 at 06:01 AM]