APEX

we have just started receiving this error though we have not changed any of our logic for creating collections.

ORA-20102: Application collection C_PORTS_FAV does not exist

the logic for all processes creating collections always starts with the following:

apex_collection.create_or_truncate_collection
(p_collection_name => 'C_PORTS_FAV');


my understanding is that if the collection does not exist, it will be created...and if it does exist, it will be truncated....so why the error?

any ideas appreciated. thanks
Karen