Re: Connecting to a remote database with SQL*Plus

"Steve Mazerski" <smazerski_at_yahoo.co.jp> wrote in message news:296c8e2b.0211300124.1f9c127_at_posting.google.com...
> damorgan <damorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message
news:<3DE7EBCA.C5FC8E4E_at_exesolutions.com>...
> > Steve Mazerski wrote:
> > > Is it possible to connect to connect to the server from the
> > > workstation using the workstation's local SQL*Plus, and if
> > > so how?
>
> > I can't imagine how not to do it. That is the entire purpose of
> > SQL*Plus.
> >
> > Assuming you have tried and failed please post the error message you are
> > getting along with version, edition, operating system, etc. information.
> >
> > Were I to assume you asked this question without ever trying I would
> > have to bang my head against a wall and that would hurt.
>
> Ah, that is my job (i.e. banging my head, not yours), I have
> in my haste ignored one of the basic rules of posting to
> technical groups ;-).
>
> Anyway I am surrounded by books with titles like "Oracle
> for Idiots", "The Complete Loser's Guide To Kidding Yourself
> You Have A Chance of Understanding Oracle" and the
> information I have says to add a specified database name
> to the connection string, e.g.
>
> sqlplus user/password_at_name_of_remote_database
>
> but SQL*PLUS says
>
> ERROR:
> ORA-12154: TNS:could not resolve service name
>
> which doesn't surprise me, but I can't find how to provide the
> information about which server the database is on. I tried
>
> sqlplus user/password_at_remote.server
>
> but got
>
> ERROR:
> ORA-12514: TNS:listener could not resolve SERVICE_NAME given in connect
> descriptor
>
> I would just ssh to the server and use SQL*PLUS there, but something in
> my local setup (NOT an Oracle problem) means the backspace key doesn't
> work in SQL*PLUS when I do that. (Mind you, took me a while to remember
> SQL*PLUS does actually support character deletion. <rant>I live in the
> hope that one day it will support advanced features such as being able
> to move the cursor back and forth on the current line, though that
> will be the day Oracle releases middleware for the porcine aviation
industry
> </rant>. Disclaimer: Yes, I do know knowing SQL*PLUS is a Good Thing and
> I am a CLI type person; vi is my editor of choice.).
>
> Oh yes, workstation and server are both Linux, if that plays a role.
>
>
> Steve Mazerski

You didn't configure net8 using the net8 assistant on the client, so the service name you specified couldn't be found in your local tnsnames.ora (usually in $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin)
Thousands of people have been able to live with sql*plus. It strikes me that those people who rather point and shoot, should better spend their energy reading installation manuals (or manuals at all) instead of ranting against sql*plus. Sql*plus *works*, getting to know Oracle without reading manuals will *never work*, and it bores the small lot here responding to questions like this one.
You do know about stty erase ^H, do you, or are you a Unix newbie also?

--
Sybrand Bakker
Senior Oracle DBA

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