9i OO4O/OLEDB connections randomly failing when using Oracle Names

So, we've finally upgraded from the 8.0.5 client to 9.2.0.7.0. During testing, I had used a TNSNAMES.ORA file on the test boxes in order to be able to redirect production DB connections to test. But I had upgraded my PC first and still used our production ONAMES 8.1.7 server, and all was well. And the Guinea Pig initial limited deployment of about 30-40 users using the production ONAMES server also showed no issues.

Of course once we went live (last Thursday), all heckfire broke loose. Some OO4O/OLEDB VB apps would randomly break. Sometimes a program would error out with an ACCVIO at 0x00000000619156bd (sometimes 0x00000000619156b4). And sometimes the app would just silently disappear. And sometimes the apps would work. One user had a different error box popup that had the same error, but also noted the module was orantcp9.dll.

I see MetaLink has a few bugs listed with orantcp9.dll and ONAMES. One says to upgrade ONAMES to 9i. So I installed a test ONAMES 9.2.0.7.0 server on my Linux box and point a test machine's SQLNET.ORA to look at it for ONAMES resolution. Errors disappear! But as my PC isn't production- or backup-ready (in fact the power supply toasted yesterday!) I installed ONAMES 9.2.0.7.0 on a Solaris box and pointed the test box's SQLNET.ORA at it. The apps fail again. What???!?? I toggle the SQLNET.ORA back to my Linux box and all's well again. Huh???

The temporary fix is to replace ONAMES on the Windohs (Citrix) servers with a hardcoded TNSNAMES.ORA, but this is hardly a solution. I don't need the hassle of pushing out 500+ TNSNAMES.ORA files worldwide everytime there's a change to the list of available DBs.

Anyone else experienced this? I've also seen mention that LDAP/OID resolution is affected, but there's no concrete anything on MetaLink. I've opened a TAR also, but thought I'd splatter the issue here. Also, my apologies, but as I'm not a Winders programmer, I don't know what the difference is between the several different methods of connecting a VB or .NET app to Oracle or if I'm even using "OO4O/OLEDB" correctly.

Thoughts???

TIA,
Rich

Rich Jesse                        System/Database Administrator
rich.jesse_at_quadtechworld.com      QuadTech, Sussex, WI USA

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