Re: Client library compatibility

I <andrewm_at_chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
>I'd assume "No, don't even go there", but developers are asking, since
>it happens to work well with AIX 9.0.1 to 9.2. However, it doesn't
>seem to work on other platforms.

[...] after a bit of searching, Chapter 6 of the "Oracle9i Database Migration" manual says:

"
If You Do Not Change the Client Environment, Then You Do Not Need to Relink.

If your client and server are on different computers or are in different Oracle home directories on the same computer, and you upgrade the Oracle server software without changing the client software, then you do not need to precompile, compile, or relink your applications. In these cases, the client software is separate from the server software and will continue to function against the server.

However, if your applications are using the same Oracle home as the Oracle database server, then your server upgrade also upgrades your client software, and you must follow the rules in "Upgrading the Oracle Client Software".
"

Which just leaves me with the rant :

>There's also the follow-up question, if it's not meant to be compatible,
>then why doesn't Oracle give libraries a different version number?
>Both 9.0.1 and 9.2.0 have libraries called "libclntsh.so.9.0". The whole
>point of the version number in the library name is to indicate link-time
>compatibility, not to match some marketing release number.

-- 
Andrew Mobbs - http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~andrewm/