Connecting to a Sybase DB from 10g on Fedora FC5

Question

Hey all,
I have in the past used HS to connect to a Sybase db to pull data over with a script I have devised. However, we have entertained the idea of moving to a linux OS for the server and I am trying to replicate this part of the process with no luck. The previous connection was all parties running strictly on WinX machines.
Right now I am stuck on setting up ODBC on Fedora, but I have been at a loss for a proper driver. The FreeTDS distribution does appear to have a generic driver and I have mananged one connection with tsql but I cannot seem to create a DSN connection so HS has something to connect with.
The driver unixODBC says should be there: libtdsodbc.so, isn't. After going into the noob install instructions and doing particular environment settings, etc...I cannot get a make to compile. The straight up config/make/install does not appear to create the driver file above.
So....has anyone else configured this, is there another way I can go about connecting these two systems or is there no sane way to do this?
Thanks
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Answer 1

Lets call the machine that runs Oracle, 'O'; the machine that runs your Sybase, 'S'; and the machine that you have Sybase ODBC drivers and a working DSN, 'G' ('G' for 'Gateway'). Any of these could be the same physical machine.
On machine 'G', once you have a working DSN, you need to install an Oracle Listener and the 'hsodbc' binary and support files. If 'G' happens to be the same machine as 'O', then you will already have these components installed. If 'G' is not the same machine as 'O', you can install Oracle XE, which includes an Oracle listener; hsodbc; all the required support files; and a database. You can disable the database service and delete the database files to save disk space; memory and cpu cycles. Still on machine 'G', configure a '$ORACLE_HOME/hs/admin/initHSSID.ora' file to point to your DSN on that same machine. Configure the 'listener.ora' to server up that HSSID.
On machine 'O', configure a service ('tnsnames.ora') to point to the HSSID on machine 'G', and create a database link to use service.
Example.
1. Machine 'G':
1a. DSN 'Sponge' points to, well, any ODBC source.
1b. File '$ORACLE_HOME/hs/admin/initFruit.ora' contains the following 2 lines:
HS_FDS_CONNECT_INFO = SPONGE
HS_FDS_TRACE_LEVEL = 01c. File '$ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/listener.ora' contains the following fragment in the SID LIST:
(SID_DESC=
  (SID_NAME=FRUIT)
  (ORACLE_HOME=C:\Oracle\Ora92)  # change this to YOUR oracle home
  (PROGRAM=hsodbc)
)1c. Stop and restart the listener.
2. Machine 'O'
2a. File '$ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora' contains the following fragment . . . (replace 'machine_g_ip_address' with the real IP address or DNS name of machine 'G'):
JELLY =        # you may need to add a domain name suffix - ask your DBA
  (DESCRIPTION=
    (ADDRESS_LIST=
      (ADDRESS=
        (PROTOCOL=TCP)
        (HOST= machine_g_ip_address )   # Put DNS or IP address of Machine 'G' in here
        (PORT=1521)
    (CONNECT_DATA=(SID=FRUIT))
    (HS=OK)
)2b. Create a database link
CREATE DATABASE LINK custard
CONNECT TO "home\tangt"
IDENTIFIED BY taktangspassword
USING 'jelly';I'm not sure whether you need specify the CONNECT TO and IDENTIFIED BY clauses.
2c. Get a listing
SELECT table_name
FROM all_tables@custard;At this point, the Oracle database on machine 'G' will see the '@custard' and consult its list of database links for one called 'custard'. It sees the one created in step 2b and uses the USING clause 'jelly' as a service name.
It looks up this service name 'jelly' in its local tnsnames.ora, and find the one created in step 2a. From this it extracts the SID 'Fruit' and the address (host/port). It opens a connection to that host/port, which happens to be machine 'G', and asks for a connection to the 'Fruit' SID.
The listener on machine 'G' consults its local listener.ora list for an entry for the 'Fruit' SID, and finds the one created in step 1c. It looks in the ORACLE_HOME for the 'hsodbc' binary (listed as PROGRAM= ), and runs it, passing it the SID 'Fruit' as a parameter.
The hsodbc program starts up and looks for an initialisation file 'initFruit.ora' set up in step 1b, for the Data Source Name specified by 'HS_FDS_CONNECT_INFO=' ('SPONGE'). Then the hsodbc binary opens up an ODBC connection to the DSN 'SPONGE'.
My general 'Getting Started with Generic Connectivity' is here : http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/ask/f?p=4950:8:::::F4950_P8_DISPLAYID:4406709207206#18830681837358
Tak