|  | Hello Reinhold,
We've seen it before, and typically it's one of two problems.
An INSVIRMEM error, or problem with disk quotas or disk space for
sortwork files.
Can you try a couple of things...
1st.  If you've recently upgraded your system, or have not previously done
 alot of sort activity on this system, try using $sort from the VMS command
line on a relatively large file.  See if it works.  There can be problems
with uaf and sysgen parameters that erroneously trick sort into thinking it
has more room to grow physical memory use.  This would also show any
quota or disk problems.  Also, DBI will use 4 sort work files.  Check
if there are definitions for sortwork0, sortwork1, sortwork2, and sortwork3.
2nd.  if 1 fails.  Try turning on the following trace flags...and mailing
me the output.
$ DEFINE DBI_TRACE_FLAGS "SDI_BRIEF,EXPLAIN,DCM_AP"
$ DEFINE DBI_TRACE_OUTPUT file.ext
$ sql
SQL> show table(column) *
SQL> quit
Should be a fair amount of output.  Can you also tell me what the memory
useage is for the process, the uaf params for the process, and the
sysgem values for PQL_* parameters.
Thanks,
Brian
PS - If these fail, our current devlopment stream has some options
     that would help with this problem.  Specifically, we have the
     option of turning on SORT error signalling using condition handlers
     instead of status returning.  This allows us to get at the
     underlying system service error message at least.
 | 
|  | Hello Brian,
	thanks for your quick reply.
PGFLQUOTA was the problem. 
Process Name: _FTA63:   State: LEF   Start-time: 19-APR-1996 12:58:52.0714
Image Name: SQL$61   PID: 00000AD1   CPUTIME: 158.91  seconds
Process Quota Information:
             Quota     Used    (pct.)  MAX_Used since 19-APR-1996 12:54:47.35
ASTLM          250       5       2%       6
FILLM          300      11       3%      11
DIOLM          150       0       0%       1
BIOLM          150       1       0%       1
BYTLM        88864     640       0%     640
ENQLM         4500       1       0%       1
TQLM            20       0       0%       1
PGFLQUOTA   180000  177200      98%  177200 <---------
Working Set Information:
                     Max_size
WSEXTENT     65536          VIRTPEAK    220768
WSQUOTA       4000
WSDEFAULT     2000
WSSIZE       65536   65536
PAGES        65536
FAULTS       66513
A lot of resources, which where needed to do a sho tables.
	REinhold
 |