Where has my .world extension gone

OK, don't know if this has been asked before but I'm going to ask it anyway

On an Oracle 7.3.4.5.0 instance I do the following

    CREATE PUBLIC DATABASE LINK lnk
    CONNECT TO user IDENTIFIED BY pwd USING 'db_link.world';

I can then access remote tables by using either :-

    SELECT * FROM TABLE_at_lnk or SELECT * FROM TABLE_at_lnk.world

Both work just as well, even if I define the database link with a .world extension.

If I look in DBA_DB_LINKS then my DB_LINK has automatically had a .world extension added to it if I havn't used one.

Now on to Oracle 8.1.6:-

 I do exactly as above but if I don't put the .world extension on then I can only reference remote tables using @lnk, if I do put the .world extension on the I can only reference remote tables using @lnk.world.I can't use both.

DBA_DB_LINKS has or hasn't the .world extension depending on whether I have or have not used it.

Could someone please tell me what is going on. I have checked my sqlnet.ora file and NAMES.DEFAULT_DOMAIN is set to world. I can't see any init.ora parameters that I have to set.

Anyone got any ideas?? Received on Thu Mar 29 2001 - 08:18:51 CST