KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub
Q130247: How to Set Up and Use Oracle7 Data Sources with ODBC

Article: Q130247
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 2.50 2.50a 2.50b 2.60 2.60a 3.00
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb3rdparty kbnetwork kbvfp300 kbvfp600
Last Modified: 30-JUL-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6, 2.6a 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

NOTE: Some products mentioned in this article are manufactured by vendors
independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding
these products' performance or reliability.

This article discusses how to use Oracle7 data sources with ODBC. Information is
this article is available in DRVORA7.HLP in the DISTRIB.SRC\SYSTEM\SYSTEM16
directory under the Visual FoxPro directory, Professional version.

Microsoft does not support, endorse, or recommend any of these products. We
provide this information only as a convenience for our customers and do not
provide warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not
limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a
particular purpose.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Overview of Oracle RDBMS
------------------------

Oracle RDBMS is a multiuser relational database management system (DBMS) that
runs on a variety of workstation and minicomputer operating systems. Structured
Query Language (SQL) is used to access data in Oracle RDBMS. IBM PCs and
compatibles running Microsoft Windows communicate with Oracle7 database servers
across a network such as Microsoft LAN Manager, Novell NetWare, Banyan VINES,
DECnet, or any TCP/IP network.

The Oracle7 driver enables applications to access data in an Oracle7 database
through the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) interface. It communicates with
the network through SQL*Net.

Application/Driver Architecture
-------------------------------

1. Application

2. ODBC Driver Manager (ODBC.DLL)

3. Oracle7 Driver (SQORA7.DLL)

4. OCI Layer (ORA7WIN.DLL)

5. SQL*Net Driver

6. Network Software (Microsoft LAN Manager, Novell NetWare, etc.

7. SQL*Net Listener

8. Oracle7 RDBMS

Driver Conformance Levels
-------------------------

The Oracle7 driver has the following conformance levels:

- API Conformance Level: Level 1
- SQL Conformance Level: Minimum

NOTE: The Oracle7 driver also supports some of the functions in the level 2 API
conformance level and almost all of the grammar in the core and extended SQL
conformance levels.

To determine the minimum conformance levels (if any), you must use drivers with
your application, see your application's documentation.

Hardware and Software Requirements
----------------------------------

What You Must Have to Be Able to Access Oracle7 Data
----------------------------------------------------

- The Oracle7 driver.
- An Oracle7 RDBMS database.
- A network connecting the computers on which these reside and a SQL*Net
  connection across that network.

Hardware Requirements for the Oracle7 Driver
--------------------------------------------

The Oracle7 driver requires the following hardware:

- An Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) computer, such as the IBM PC/AT or
  compatible.

  -or-

- A Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) computer, such as an IBM PS/2 or
  compatible.

  -or-

- An Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) computer with an 80286,
  80386, or 80486 microprocessor.

Plus:

- At least two megabytes of random-access memory (RAM) - four megabytes
  recommended.
- A hard disk drive and approximately 350 kilobytes of hard disk space for the
  Oracle7 driver.

Software Requirements for the Oracle7 Driver
--------------------------------------------

- MS-DOS version 3.3 or later.
- Microsoft Windows version 3.0a or later.
- ODBC Driver Manager version 1.0 (ODBC.DLL).
- Oracle7 Call Interface (OCI) dynamic-link library (ORA7WIN.DLL).

NOTE: The Oracle7 driver requires ORA7WIN.DLL, regardless of whether a later
version of OCI has been installed. ORA7WIN.DLL is shipped with SQL*Net for
Windows.

Oracle7 RDBMS
-------------

To access data in an Oracle7 database with the Oracle7 driver, you must have
Oracle RDBMS version 7 or later. For information about the hardware and software
required by Oracle7 RDBMS, see the Oracle documentation.

Network Software
----------------

A network is required to connect the platforms on which Oracle7 RDBMS and the
Oracle7 driver reside. For information about the hardware and software required
by each network, see that network's documentation.

NOTE: If you are using Microsoft LAN Manager with the named pipes protocol, it
must be version 2.0 or later. If you are using Microsoft LAN Manager with the
TCP/IP protocol, it must be version 2.2 or later.

SQL*Net
-------

The Oracle7 driver and Oracle7 RDBMS use SQL*Net as a common network interface.
You should be able to use the Oracle7 driver on any SQL*Net connection from a
computer running Windows to an Oracle7 database server. For complete information
about SQL*Net, see the SQL*Net documentation.

NOTE: SQL*Net components are available only from Oracle Corporation.

How to Set Up the Oracle7 ODBC Driver
-------------------------------------

1. If you have not already done so, install the ORACLE SQL*Net client components
  on your computer. If you want to test your ORACLE SQL*Net connection, set up
  your computer as an Oracle7 client workstation, and run SQL*Plus or NetTest.
  For information on how to do this, see the SQL*Net documentation.

2. Add a data source for each copy of Oracle7 RDBMS in which you want to access
  data.

How to Set Up a New Version of the Oracle7 Driver
-------------------------------------------------

1. In the Main group in Program Manager, double-click the Control Panel icon. In
  the Control Panel window, double-click the ODBC icon. The Data Sources dialog
  box is displayed.

2. In the Data Sources dialog box, choose the Drivers button. The Drivers dialog
  box is displayed.

3. In the Drivers dialog box, choose the Add button. The Add Driver dialog box
  is displayed.

4. In the text box, type the name of the drive and directory containing the
  Oracle7 driver in the text box. Or choose the Browse button to select a drive
  and directory name.

5. In the Add Driver dialog box, choose the OK button. The Install Drivers
  dialog box is displayed.

6. In the Available ODBC Drivers list, select Oracle7.

7. Choose the OK button. The Oracle7 driver is installed.

How to Delete the Oracle7 Driver
--------------------------------

1. In the Main group in the Program Manager window, double-click the Control
  Panel icon. In the Control Panel window, double-click the ODBC icon. The Data
  Sources dialog box is displayed.

2. In the Data Sources dialog box, choose the Drivers button. The Drivers dialog
  is displayed.

3. In the Installed ODBC Drivers list, select Oracle7.

4. Choose the Delete button. A message asks you to confirm that you want to
  remove the driver and all of the data sources that use the driver.

5. Choose the Yes button.

How to Add, Modify, and Delete Oracle7 Data Sources
---------------------------------------------------

Before you can access data with the Oracle7 driver, you must add a data source
for each of your copies of Oracle7 RDBMS. The Oracle7 driver uses the
information you enter when you add the data source to access the data. You can
change or delete a data source at any time.

How to Add an Oracle7 Data Source
---------------------------------

1. In the Main group in the Program Manager window, double-click the Control
  Panel icon. In the Control Panel window, double-click the ODBC icon.

2. In the Data Sources dialog box, choose the Add button. The Add Data Source
  dialog box is displayed.

3. In the Installed ODBC Drivers list, select Oracle7 and choose the OK button.
  The Oracle7 ODBC Driver dialog box is displayed.

4. In the Oracle7 ODBC Driver dialog box, enter the Data Source Name and the
  SQL*NET Connect String information, which should be made available by the
  Network Administrator. The Description can be set to whatever you want. For
  more information about these options, press the Help button in the dialog
  box.

NOTE: To modify or delete the Oracle7 data source, highlight it in the Data
Sources dialog box, and then select the Setup or Delete options respectively.
For more information, select the Help option in the dialog box.

How to Connect to an Oracle7 Data Source
----------------------------------------

To connect to a data source, the Oracle7 ODBC Driver requires that an ORACLE
SQL*Net driver be installed on your computer and the corresponding ORACLE
SQL*Net listener be running on the Oracle7 database server. ORACLE SQL*Net for
Windows is a Dynamic Linked Library (DLL)-based application. For more
information about ORACLE SQL*Net, see the ORACLE SQL*Net documentation.

As part of the connection process, an application can prompt you for information.
If an application prompts you for information about an Oracle data source, do
the following:

1. In the User Name box, type the name you use on Oracle7 RDBMS.

2. In the Password box, type the password you use on Oracle7 RDBMS.

3. Choose OK.

An application must connect to a data source to access data in it. Different
applications connect to data sources at different times. For example, an
application might connect to a data source only at your request or it might
connect automatically when it starts. For information about when an application
connects to a data source, see the documentation for that application.

Troubleshooting "Message send failure"
--------------------------------------

The "Message send failure" error may occur when you're using Oracle7 with
Microsoft LAN Manager using TCP/IP protocol. On Microsoft LAN Manager using the
TCP/IP protocol, the number of bytes of data that can be sent to or retrieved
from Oracle7 RDBMS at one time is controlled by the MAXSENDSIZE keyword in the
[sockets] section of TCPUTILS.INI. If you receive a "Message send failure"
error, try increasing this value. This error is most likely to occur when
SQL_LONGVARCHAR or SQL_LONGVARBINARY data is being sent. For more information,
see the Oracle documentation.

REFERENCES
==========

More information on installing Oracle6 and Oracle7 is available in the
DRVORA7.HLP, DRVORACL.HLP, and ORACLE.TXT files, which are located in the
DISTRIB.SRC\SYSTEM\SYSTEM16 directory under the Professional Edition of the
Visual FoxPro directory.

Additional query words: 2.50 VFoxWin FoxWin Fax Issues

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb3rdparty kbnetwork kbvfp300 kbvfp600 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbFoxPro250b kbFoxPro260a kbVFP300 kbVFP600
Version           : 2.50 2.50a 2.50b 2.60 2.60a 3.00

=============================================================================
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.