Capture error ORA-01480: trailing null missing from STR bind value when running Shareplex in a RA (4330316)

You activated a config in a RAC environment but with only one node up. The Capture stopped due to error. The following are the entries from the event_log:

04/02/08 02:08 Activate config: datasrc - o.SID; file - sc_SID_040507.conf
04/02/08 02:08 Config compilation completed: datasrc - o.SID; file - sc_SID_040507.conf
04/02/08 02:08 Process launched: sp_ocap (for o.SID) [pid = 9221]
.
04/02/08 02:08 Notice:  status = OPEN [sp_ocap(osp)/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Notice:  status = CLOSED [sp_ocap(osp)/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Notice: Setting up threads for 2 instances [sp_ocap/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Notice: Instance SID ACTIVE on host wust4108 [sp_ocap/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Notice: Instance UNNAMED_INSTANCE_2 INACTIVE [sp_ocap/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Notice: New instance SID ACTIVE on host wust4108 [sp_ocap/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Notice: New instance UNNAMED_INSTANCE_2 INACTIVE [sp_ocap/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Notice: Done setting up threads for 2 instances [sp_ocap/9221]
.
.

04/02/08 02:08 Notice: ORA-01480: trailing null missing from STR bind value. [sp_ocap(osp)/9221]
04/02/08 02:08 Error: Unexpected Oracle error: ORA-01480: trailing null missing from STR bind value. in sp_ocap.c:1465 [sp_ocap(osp)/9221]

The latest *ocap* log (located in $SP_SYS_VARDIR/log) also logs the following entries despite no Capture debug set:

8-04-02 02:08:58.250377 9221 1 active instance_count=2
08-04-02 02:08:58.331032 9221 1 after opslog setup thread, active instance = 2
08-04-02 02:08:58.331086 9221 1 log dest: /opt/oracle/shareplex/w224u_2148
08-04-02 02:08:58.647969 9221 1 Done with un_checkpoint()
08-04-02 02:08:58.729684 9221 6 a)Check active instance for thread 2 return 0
08-04-02 02:08:58.733959 9221 6 a)Check active instance for thread 2 return 0
.
.

Activation was done with some of the nodes of a RAC Oracle instance down

You should be able to do the following workaround to have Shareplex running:

1. Bring up both nodes in a RAC environment (make sure you continue to use license key for Shareplex for RAC)
2. Activate the config
3. Disable the second node if you wish

Otherwise you need to drop the second node and run it as a non-RAC Shareplex. In that event you can use the non-RAC key. Also, in that event you need to clear the existing environment by running ora_cleansp before setting up a non-RAC environment and activating again.

a. To check what are the nodes and their state:

SQL> select THREAD#, STATUS, ENABLED from v$thread;

THREAD# STATUS ENABLED
---------- ------ --------
1 OPEN PUBLIC
2 CLOSED DISABLED

b. To drop the second node (or more of the inactive nodes) altogether and verify that this is indeed done:

SQL> select group# from v$log where THREAD#=2;
GROUP#
----------
4
5
6

SQL> alter database disable thread 2;
Database altered.

SQL> alter database drop logfile group 4;
Database altered.

SQL> alter database drop logfile group 5;
Database altered.

SQL> alter database drop logfile group 6;
Database altered.

SQL> select THREAD#, STATUS, ENABLED from v$thread;
THREAD# STATUS ENABLED
---------- ------ --------
1 OPEN PUBLIC

See Solution 21350 if you encounter this error while running H/V partiioned configuration.