Re: TNS: Unable to connect to destination (still a problem)

Dave Emmith <demmith_at_mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<3C5A12E7.F0E30F65_at_mindspring.com>...
> I am about at wits end with this problem.
>
> Setup:
> (1) Windows 98 SE on Quantex Pentium-II 400 MHz
> (2) Oracle 8i in d:\oracle\ora81 (installed last)
> (3) Dev 6i in d:\oracle\ora61 (installed first)
> (4) Oracle default home is ora81
> (5) tnsnames.ora is the same in both homes
> (6) ** listener works **
> (7) I can tnsping the SID (which is 'o8ibegin')
> (8) Created registry entry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Oracle
> The string value for the new key (TNS_NAMES) is
> "d:\oracle\ora81\network\admin"
> (9) Contents of tnsnames.ora follows:
> ==========================================================
> # TNSNAMES.ORA Network Configuration File:
> D:\Oracle\Ora81\network\admin\tnsnames.ora
> # Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
>
> O8IBEGIN =
> (DESCRIPTION =
> (ADDRESS_LIST =
> (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = qp6-400)(PORT = 1521))
> )
> (CONNECT_DATA =
> (SERVICE_NAME = o8ibegin)
> )
> )
>
> EXTPROC_CONNECTION_DATA =
> (DESCRIPTION =
> (ADDRESS_LIST =
> (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1))
> )
> (CONNECT_DATA =
> (SID = PLSExtProc)
> (PRESENTATION = RO)
> )
> )
> ==========================================================
> (10) Contents of listener.ora follows:
>
> ==========================================================
> # LISTENER.ORA Network Configuration File:
> D:\Oracle\Ora81\network\admin\listener.ora
> # Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
>
> LISTENER =
> (ADDRESS_LIST =
> (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = qp6-400)(PORT = 1521)
> )
> )
>
> STARTUP_WAIT_TIME_LISTENER = 0
> CONNECT_TIMEOUT_LISTENER = 10
> TRACE_LEVEL_LISTENER = ADMIN
>
> SID_LIST_LISTENER =
> (SID_LIST =
> (SID_DESC =
> (SID_NAME = PLSExtProc)
> (ORACLE_HOME = D:\Oracle\Ora81)
> (PROGRAM = extproc)
> )
> (SID_DESC =
> (GLOBAL_DBNAME = o8ibegin)
> (ORACLE_HOME = D:\Oracle\Ora81)
> (SID_NAME = o8ibegin)
> )
> )
> ==========================================================
>
> (11) According to the Identification tab in the Network dialog of
> Control Panel my system name is QP6_400 but everything in tnsnames.ora
> and listener.ora refers to the host as qp6-400 (a dash, no underscore);
> however listener and tnsping do not complain. Confusing.
>
>
> I have read so many posts in the OTN forums to make the tnsnames.ora
> file the same in both homes and I have read so many responses that that
> doesn't work. What is the deal with this? I have literally spent days
> working on this trying the suggestions that people have given me. The
> OTN forums about Forms is absolutely loaded with complaints about this
> same error. Should I just say the hell with Oracle and go to Microsoft?
> I really have had it. But, if someone has one last suggestion or sees
> something screwed up in what I have shown here please tell me.
>
> Thanks much.
>
> Dave

1 Oracle doesn't allow underscores in DNS names, it strictly follows the standard as outlined in the RFC. So who is to blame? Oracle or Microsux?
You might try to resolve this by adding an entry in your hosts file (in c:\windows) or change your system name of course. Try it! I've seen this situation before. Alternatively I know replacing the system name by localhost and including 127.0.0.1 localhost in the hosts file always work.
2 Your registry key tns_names is incorrect, it should be TNS_ADMIN

Regards

-- 
Sybrand Bakker
Senior Oracle DBA