Oracle error ORA-00980 signifies that a previously valid translation for a synonym has become unusable. This situation arises when the underlying object that the synonym references is either dropped, altered in a way that invalidates the synonym’s definition, or becomes inaccessible due to privilege changes. For instance, if a synonym points to a table, and that table is subsequently dropped, any attempt to use the synonym will result in this error.
The occurrence of this error highlights the importance of maintaining database object dependencies. Synonyms provide abstraction and flexibility but are inherently reliant on the existence and structure of the base objects they represent. Identifying and addressing this error typically involves re-creating or re-validating the affected synonym to reflect the current state of the referenced object. Historically, this type of issue has been a common challenge in database administration, necessitating careful change management procedures and dependency tracking mechanisms.
