Re: Incomplete/Broken Oracle 8i Client Connection?

"Kathy Frisk" <friskk_at_dor.state.fl.us> wrote in message news:<56768a894e6ec92fd59e18a5ec2f352f.46814_at_mygate.mailgate.org>...
> Hi All,
>
> Hi All,
> I am trying to install a delphi application that uses a native Oracle
> driver(sqlora32.dll) on a user's win98 machine. The problem is that I'm
> trying to verify that the Oracle Client installed on the machine is
> making a connection to the database before I go to all the trouble of
> troubleshooting the Delphi App end.
>
> The sys dba tnsping'ed the SERVICE NAME listed in the tnsnames.ora file
> and received an "ok". There are no utilities to check the connection in
> the oracle bin directory(I was looking for sqlplus)except tnsping so I
> installed "Toad" and received this message in an "OCI.DLL" window(This
> is also the same message I am receiving in the BDE when I try to
> connect):
>
> A missing dll is required to run this application.
>
> That is the approximate message. When I try to tnsping the global
> service name in the tnsnames.ora file(the name with the = after it for
> the connection info), tnsping fails with an unrecognized db error. For
> example:
>
> tnsnames.ora
>
> payroll.world =
> (DESCRIPTION =
> (ADDRESS =
> (PROTOCOL = TCP)
> (HOST = 197.155.100.3)
> (PORT = 1521)
> )
> (CONNECT_DATA = (SERVICE_NAME = payroll)
> )
> )
>
> if I "tnsping payroll" ---------> ok
> if I "tnsping payroll.world" -------------fail
>
> The sqlnet.ora file contains the correct notation for the 'world'
> domain. When I try to tnsping these two names on a working connection
> machine, I get an "ok" using either name.
>
> TWO QUESTIONS:
>
> 1.) Since the same error message is showing up in two applications(Toad
> and the BDE) and in the same labeled window(OCI.DLL). Isn't this an
> Oracle connection issue. Is this error coming from the Oracle Call
> Interface and not a Toad error or a BDE app error?
>
> 2.) Does a successful(ok) tnsping on the service name and not the global
> name in the tnsnames.ora file mean that it is a valid connection?
>
> 3.) Are there any other utilities that I can use in the oracle client
> that will tell me beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a successful
> oracle connection using the global service name(I must reference this in
> the BDE).
>
> Thanks in advance for any Oracle/OCI expertise you can offer!
>
> Kathy

There are few things here.

1. Use Net8 assistant to configure your connection. Better to do it this way if you are not familiar with tnsnames.ora and sqlnet.ora files.
2. Make sure you have <<ORACLE_HOME>>\bin folder in the beginning of your system path. You should have set PATH=<<ORACLE_HOME>>\bin;%PATH%; somewhere at the end of clients autoexec.bat file. If not alreay there, add and reboot the machine.
3. You should have sqlplus.exe in <<ORACLE_HOME>>\bin folder to absolutely test your connection. If you don't, then that means you may have done "Application user" install only.

HTH
//Rauf Sarwar Received on Fri Jul 26 2002 - 17:25:42 CDT