Prefernces OCI DLL seems to be ignored?

[Philippe]

Hello,
I had a hardware issue on my regular workstation (Win2003) and my SysAdmin gave me a replacement one while a new one is ordered.
I put my old disk (C: => G, I installed (fresh install) the Oracle client in C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1
Did set up the Net Manager.
Connecting with PLD raises a
"Could not locate OCI dll".

After checking on the forums I tried following:
New install of oracle instant client
in C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2

Adding OracleHome=C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2 in the
"My Computer"/properties/Advanced/Environment variables"
did not help.

--- Info ---

PL/SQL Developer
Version 7.0.3.1123 (MBCS)
01.27502 - 1 user license
Windows XP version 5.5 (build 3790) Service Pack 2

Physical memory : 523,028 kB (165,848 available)
Paging file : 1,631,048 kB (996,696 available)
Virtual memory : 2,097,024 kB (2,009,528 available)

Parameters
G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PLSQLDev.exe
/nologon

Preferences
Session mode: Multi
OCI Library: C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\oci.dll
Use OCI7: False

Preference Files
G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\Preferences\Default\Default.ini
G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\Preferences\philippe.e\default.ini

Plug-Ins
*Active Query Builder (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\ActiveQueryBuilder.dll)
*Browser Extender version 2.0 by Joachim Rupik (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\be.dll)
*Comment lines v1.1 (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\commentline.dll)
*PL/SQL Developer CompareSource Plug-In version 2003/12/03 (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\CompareSource.dll)
*Favorites v1.3 (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\Favorites.dll)
*PL/SQL Documentation (plsqldoc) (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\plsqldoc.dll)
*Quick/ER - Gotterup.Net (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\QuickERPlugin.dll)
*StartupOptions 1.1 (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\StartupOptions.dll)
*User-defined Export 1.1 (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\TextExport.dll)
*External Tools 1.0 (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\Tools.dll)
*Version Control Interface 1.2 (G:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\PlugIns\VCS.dll)
(* is Active)

Aliases

Homes
OraClient10g_home1 (C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1)

DLLs

TNS File

Using
Home:
DLL:
OCI: not initialized

--- Registry ---

SOFTWARE\ORACLE
inst_loc = C:\Program Files\Oracle\Inventory

SOFTWARE\ORACLE\KEY_OraClient10g_home1
ORACLE_HOME = C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1
ORACLE_HOME_NAME = OraClient10g_home1
ORACLE_GROUP_NAME = Oracle - OraClient10g_home1
ORACLE_BUNDLE_NAME = Enterprise
NLS_LANG = AMERICAN_AMERICA.WE8MSWIN1252
SQLPATH = C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\dbs
ORACLE_HOME_KEY = SOFTWARE\ORACLE\KEY_OraClient10g_home1

SOFTWARE\ORACLE\KEY_OraClient10g_home2
ORACLE_HOME = C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2
ORACLE_HOME_NAME = OraClient10g_home2
ORACLE_GROUP_NAME = Oracle - OraClient10g_home2

--- Path ---

C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1
C:\WINDOWS\system32
C:\WINDOWS
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\binn\
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\DTS\Binn\
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE\
D:\Program Files\GTK2-Runtime\bin
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\

--- TNS names ---

 

[Marco Kalter]

Does this file exist?

C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll

 

[Philippe]

Yes, sir
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1>dir oci.dll
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 70F1-12FC

Directory of C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1

29-Aug-05 20:47 344,064 oci.dll
1 File(s) 344,064 bytes
--------------
The Oracle client used was:
10201_client_win32
----------------
---------- SUCCESSFULL TNSPING
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1>tnsping iform64

TNS Ping Utility for 32-bit Windows: Version 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on 30-MAR-2009 12:14:44

Copyright (c) 1997, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Used parameter files:
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\network\admin\sqlnet.ora

Used TNSNAMES adapter to resolve the alias
Attempting to contact (DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS_LIST = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)
(HOST = espritdb)(PORT = 1521))) (CONNECT_DATA = (SID = iform64)))
OK (250 msec)
--------------------
-------- FAILURE:
Trying SQL PLUS from the Start/Programs it cannot resolve the TNS.
even after removing the *client_2 from the PATH.

--------------------
--------- SUCCESS FROM CMD LINE:
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1>sqlplus

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Mon Mar 30 12:21:14 2009

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Enter user-name: dalimadm@iform64
Enter password:

Connected to:
Oracle Database 10g Release 10.2.0.3.0 - 64bit Production

SQL>
-----------------------------------

I am really puzzled,
I am removing the oracle_client2 install, and try again.

 

[Philippe]

Just re-read,
the oci.dll is not in
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\BIN\
but in
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\

I copied it to BIN.
Now PLD shows "ORA-12154: TNS: Could not resolve the connect identifier specified"

--------------- extracted from support info
...
Preferences
Session mode: Multi
OCI Library:
Use OCI7: False
...
Aliases
IFORM64

Homes
OraClient10g_home1 (C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1)

DLLs
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll

TNS File
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\Network\Admin\tnsnames.ora

Using
Home: OraClient10g_home1
DLL: C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll
OCI: version 9.2

-----------

# tnsnames.ora Network Configuration File: C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\NETWORK\ADMIN\tnsnames.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.

IFORM64 =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = espritdb)(PORT = 1521))
)
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SID = iform64)
)
)
-----------------------

Hmph?

 

[Marco Kalter]

What happens if you enter c:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\oci.dll in the "OCI Library" preference?

 

[Philippe]

Set Preferences, exited PLD, restarted and same TNS error.
------- extract from support info
...
Preferences
Session mode: Multi
OCI Library: c:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\oci.dll
Use OCI7: False
...
Aliases
IFORM64

Homes
OraClient10g_home1 (C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1)

DLLs
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll

TNS File
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\Network\Admin\tnsnames.ora

Using
Home: OraClient10g_home1
DLL: C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll
OCI: version 9.2

----------------------
I have compared with previous oracle client install
and I got OCI.dll + ocijdbc10.dll + ociw32.dll and others in the BIN directory of the working install !
It seems that the Oracle Installer does not put the oci support files
in the same directories depending on the option you choose when installing the Oracle client.
()InstantClient (498KB)
()Administrator (533MD)
()RunTime (213 MB)
()Custom

I have now installed the Administrator pack, and have a difference of 10 files in the BIN directory.

I will yet uninstall everything and try to install only the Administrator pack.

I keep you informed of my findings.

 

[Philippe]

Hello Marko,

I do confirm what I suspected.
When you install the "(o) Administration" option from the 10201_client_win32 Oracle install CD, it places the oci.dll and such into the BIN subdirectory.
When you install the "(o) InstantClient", it does not, and a subsequent install of the "Administration" option (without deinstall) does not add those files.

As a possible workaround I would suggest copying OCI.dll + ocijdbc10.dll + ociw32.dll into BIN.

I think that PLD did not ignore my preference, but since it couldn't use it, it tried to use the one pointed by the registry.

Thank you for your help.
Philippe