Not able to connect VS Web Developer Express through instant client 10

Question

I just spent 10 hours attempting to connect Web Developer Express 2010 to an Oracle 10g database. In the end the solution was beyond simple, but with the existing threads there is a lot of talking around the problem. I’m posting this in case it might help someone else.
Obtain the Oracle instant client software that will work for your database. You will only need the basic package.
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/features/instant-client/index-100365.html
Extract the contents to a temp location on your hard disk
Create a directory for the application – it could be anything, but here is what I used
C:\instantclient
Copy the extracted files into the directory you just created.
Right click on my computer and choose properties
Under advanced and environment variables you will need to add the directory you created above to the system variables PATH. You will need to create a new system variable called TNS_ADMIN and put the same c:\instantclient path in it.
Create the file tnsnames.ora under the c:\instantclient directory and put your customized entry in it. Below is an example.
tnsnams.ora file contents
<Alias for this tnsnames entry> =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = <Your Oracle Server>)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = <Your database instance>)
It’s a good idea to restart your system after this installation.
In web developer express use the .NET Framework Data Provider for OLE DB.
Here is the key piece of information!!
Under server name you need to use the alias from the tnsnames.ora file entry. If you do not do this it will not pick up the SERVICE_NAME parm and will give you some goofy error like:
ORA-12514: TNS:listener could not resolve SERVICE_NAME given in connect descriptor
or
ORA-12514: TNS:listener does not currently know of service requested in connect descriptor

Answer 1

I just spent 10 hours attempting to connect Web Developer Express 2010 to an Oracle 10g database. In the end the solution was beyond simple, but with the existing threads there is a lot of talking around the problem. I’m posting this in case it might help someone else.
Obtain the Oracle instant client software that will work for your database. You will only need the basic package.
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/features/instant-client/index-100365.html
Extract the contents to a temp location on your hard disk
Create a directory for the application – it could be anything, but here is what I used
C:\instantclient
Copy the extracted files into the directory you just created.
Right click on my computer and choose properties
Under advanced and environment variables you will need to add the directory you created above to the system variables PATH. You will need to create a new system variable called TNS_ADMIN and put the same c:\instantclient path in it.
Create the file tnsnames.ora under the c:\instantclient directory and put your customized entry in it. Below is an example.
tnsnams.ora file contents
<Alias for this tnsnames entry> =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = <Your Oracle Server>)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = <Your database instance>)
It’s a good idea to restart your system after this installation.
In web developer express use the .NET Framework Data Provider for OLE DB.
Here is the key piece of information!!
Under server name you need to use the alias from the tnsnames.ora file entry. If you do not do this it will not pick up the SERVICE_NAME parm and will give you some goofy error like:
ORA-12514: TNS:listener could not resolve SERVICE_NAME given in connect descriptor
or
ORA-12514: TNS:listener does not currently know of service requested in connect descriptor