Before you define the database interface and connect to an Oracle database in DataWindow Designer, follow these steps to prepare the database for use:
Install and configure the required database server, network, and client software.
Install the native Oracle database interface for the version of Oracle you want to access.
Verify that you can connect to the Oracle server and database outside DataWindow Designer.
Preparing an Oracle database for use with DataWindow Designer involves these three basic tasks.
You must install and configure the database server, network, and client software for Oracle.
To install and configure the database server,
network, and client software:
Make sure the Oracle database software is installed on your computer or on the server specified in your database profile.
For example, with the Oracle O90 interface you can access an Oracle9i or Oracle 10g database server.
You must obtain the database server software from Oracle Corporation.
For installation instructions, see your Oracle documentation.
Make sure the supported network software (such as TCP/IP) is installed and running on your computer and is properly configured so that you can connect to the Oracle database server at your site.
The Hosts and Services files must be present on your computer and properly configured for your environment.
You must obtain the network software from your network vendor or database vendor.
For installation and configuration instructions, see your network or database administrator.
Install the required Oracle client software on each client computer on which DataWindow Designer is installed.
You must obtain the client software from Oracle Corporation. Make sure the client software version you install supports all of the following:
The operating system running on the client computer
The version of the database that you want to access
The version of DataWindow Designer that you are running
Oracle 10g Instant Client is free client software that lets you run applications without installing the standard Oracle client software. It has a small footprint and can be freely redistributed.
Make sure the Oracle client software is properly configured so that you can connect to the Oracle database server at your site.
For information about setting up Oracle configuration files, see your Oracle Net documentation.
If required by your operating system, make sure the directory containing the Oracle client software is in your system path.
In the DataWindow Designer Setup program, select the Typical install or select the Custom install and select the Oracle database interfaces you require.
For a list of the Oracle database interfaces available, see “Supported versions for Oracle”.
Make sure you can connect to the Oracle database server and log in to the database you want to access from outside DataWindow Designer.
Some possible ways to verify the connection are by running the following Oracle tools:
Accessing the database server Tools such as Oracle TNSPING (or any other ping utility) check whether you can reach the database server from your computer.
Accessing the database Tools such as Oracle SQL*Plus check whether you can log in to the Oracle database you want to access and perform database operations. It is a good idea to specify the same connection parameters you plan to use in your DataWindow Designer database profile to access the database.
