Connection failing : ORA-12154

Question

Hello everybody,
I have a connexion via Oracle SQL Developper that works fine to an Oracle database.
I should like to write an interface via an office tool, probably Ms-Access, to that database.
I could create an ODBC connexion in the user DSN in the administration tools of Windows (XP Pro), and the test button gives me a message that says the connection is successful.
Now, when I try to create a linked table to Oracle in the Access base, I am invited to type the password (saving the password will come afterwards in the order of importance), and then an error message tells me :
ODBC -- l'appel a échoué
[Oracle][ODBC][Ora]ORA-12154: TNS : l'identificateur de connexion indiqué n'a pas pu être résolu
(#12154)[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Driver's SQLSetConnectAttr failed IM006 0 [Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Driver's SQLSetConnectAttr failed(#0)
The 2 first lines could be translated like that :
ODBC -- the call failed
ORA-12154: TNS : the connection identificator that was given could not be resolved.
So, I searched for the number of the error, and as an answer I got this :
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/dotnet/odt-faq-085407.html#ORA-12154:_TNS:could_not_resolve_the
(attempt to use the link functionnality in the forum failed)
Second attempt :
[http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/dotnet/odt-faq-085407.html#ORA-12154:_TNS:could_not_resolve_the|http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/dotnet/odt-faq-085407.html#ORA-12154:_TNS:could_not_resolve_the]
I had made two attempts to install the .Net driver (including Oracle Provider for OLE DB 11.2.0.1.0), as during the first one I saw "installation suspended", and I had time to click on abort before understanding this was normal.
So, I have copied TNSNAMES.ORA to the directory
C:\app\(my name)\product\11.2.0\client_2\Network\Admin
I deleted folder C:\app\(my name)\product\11.2.0\client_1
as this seems to be duplicated.
I am afraid I still get the same results, so if somebody has a clear idea about this, it will be welcomed.
Edited by: user13498894 on 17 déc. 2010 17:40

Answer 1

Bingo ! This was the correct thing to verify.
This morning I begun by creating a linked table to the Oracle base, and it ran without any difficulty. I was even invited to check a box to save the password.
So, this is what I guess : when SQL Developper is not used during a certain time, the connection is reinitialized, you have to close the product and reopen it. I wonder whether the account of authorized connections, at a time, would not fail to be reinitialized when doing that, thus preventing to open further connections. SQL developper can open its connection again, but other products then fail to open theirs.
It seams to be a path to explore.
I wonder whether I am supposed to close the topic : I could create my linked tables, nevertheless probably it would be interesting to have an in-depth view of how to reinitialize a connection properly when a time-out prevents it to run any more.
Anyway this seems necessary to answer user13502634's question.
Any idea about what documentation to read about it ?
Edited by: Neptune on 21 déc. 2010 15:14