Question regarding Oracle backup

Hi,

Hv two databases production and test each having its own directory structure for database files. The production database backup is done daily by using the tar command and saving all the database data, index, system and redo log files.
In order to restore a production backup into the test database, I restore all the production files into the test databases directory structure and rename all the files appropriately. I then recreate the control file for the test database. All this works fine if the production database is down when I recreate the test databases' control file. If however the production database is up at the time I get an error saying that a datafile is in use.

Does anybody know why this happens and if so whats a good work around ? Does anybody know of a quick way to take a backup of one database and restore it into another database

I have to often restore a production backup into a test database to fix a bug and I wouldn't want to bring down the production database at that time.

Any help would be apprecitated,

Thanks,
Tony Fernandes Received on Tue Feb 18 1997 - 00:00:00 CST