EXCEL to Oracle via ODBC via SQL*Net??

I am having trouble connecting to a remote Oracle database from EXCEL through ODBC via SQL*NET on DECNet. I run SQLDNT at the end of my autoexec.bat to load sql*net prior to starting windows.

I could connect either through SQL*PLUS for wiindows or through MS Query or MS Excel using an ODBC connect via SQL*Net. However, if I ran another application or in Excel changed any code in the VBA module I would fail to connect, getting an ORA-03112 error "Host String Syntax Error". Sometimes quitting Excel and restarting Excel would be sufficient to allow another connect. If that didn't work leaving Windows and returning would allow me to connect again.

Suspecting the problem was SQL*NET getting its memory "taken away" by the Window apps, I did some reading and created a PIF for SQL*NET and turned on the EMS Memory Locked, Uses High Memory Area, XMS Memory Locked and Lock Application Memory options.

Now I can alway connect via SQLPLUS or via MS Query via ODBC, no matter what other applications I launch or other activities. However, I can never connect from MS Excel. I always get the ORA-03112 error even though I am using the same ODBC data source that always works in MS-Query. I can successfully connect to a local Oracle for Windows database using ODBC from MS Excel.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

If there is a FAQ that might address this, I would appreciate someone pointing me to it.

I have heard of something called NetInit.EXE, is this something that may help or is it only for SQL*NET for Windows?

Client Software:
- Windows 3.11

• DOS 6.0
• Intersolv's ODBC drivers for Windows for Oracle: Ver 2.10
• SQL*NET DECNET for DOS: Ver 1.2.10.6
• Microsoft Excel 5.0c

Network Protocol
- DECNET version 4.1 on an ethernet network

Server Software:
DEC VAX 4000-500A running VMS vers: 5.5-2h4 Oracle RDBMS version: 7.0.16.6.2
SQL*NET version: 1.2

Joe DeLateur
"My opinions don't express those of my employer" Received on Thu Oct 19 1995 - 00:00:00 CET