Re: Newbie Question: Trying to Start SQLPlus, Error

"Patrick Altman" <junk_at_pataltman.com> writes:

> This is what I get after logging on as the 'oracle' user and executing
> ./sqlplus from the shell:

When you say "shell" I guess this means you are using UNIX???

> Error 6 initializing SQL*Plus
> Message file sp1<lang>.msb not found
> SP2-0750: You may need to set ORACLE_HOME to your Oracle software
> directory

Because the SP2-750 was not displayed until SQL*Plus 9.0 I guess this means you are using SQL*Plus 9.0 or 9.2???

> Does all this message mean is that the ORACLE_HOME shell variable is not
> getting set?

This is the most common, but not the only cause. Check other reasons out in the SP2 error chapter in the SQL*Plus User's Guide and Reference, see http://otn.oracle.com/docs/products/oracle9i/doc_library/release2/server.920/a90842/ch14.htm#1005595

This documentation also occurs in Cause/Action comments near message 750 in $ORACLE_HOME/sqlplus/mesg/sp2us.msg, where $ORACLE_HOME is the directory the Oracle software is installed in.

> If this is the case, how would I set it and what could I do to
> automatially set it every time I log in?

Setting it manually and automatically depends on which shell you are using.

Once you know what value to set ORACLE_HOME to, try these two commands

  ORACLE_HOME=whatever
  export ORACLE_HOME

or this one command

  setenv ORACLE_HOME whatever

at the prompt. These cover the two common shell syntaxes. I suspect only one of the command sequences will work.

To have ORACLE_HOME set every time you log in, you need to add the appropriate command to a startup file. If the first commands work, try putting them in the .profile file in your home directory. If the setenv command works, try putting it in the .login file in your home directory.

Chris

-- 
Christopher Jones, Oracle Corporation, Australia.