Unable to get parameter values from a remote database

Question

I am linking to a remote database view via a synonym in Oracle and trying to retrieve parameter values from it.  The username and password are the same for the local and remote database and I can run the SQL query using SQL plus against the database and values are returned.  However, when I try and run the same query in Crystal Reports (XI) I receive an Oracle error:
"An attempt was made to connect or log in to a remote database using a connection description that could not be found.
Action: 
Specify an existing database link. Query the data dictionary to see all existing database links. See your operating system-specific Net8 documentation for valid connection descriptors. "
How can it be that Crystal cannot run the query when it is valid in SQL plus?
Any tips/info would be appreciated.
many thanks
Claire
Oracle is version 10

Answer 1

When running one of the reports in VS.Net this is the error I receive:
"A first chance exception of type 'System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException' occurred in crystaldecisions.crystalreports.engine.dll
Additional information: Failed to retrieve data from the database.
Details:  [Database Vendor Code: 2019 ]
Failed to retrieve data from the database.
Error in File C:\DOCUME1\CLAIRE1.REE\LOCALS~1\Temp\{0C6C6DD5-B958-4E10-A2AA-928C58E1B7CE}.rpt:
Failed to retrieve data from the database.
Details:  [Database Vendor Code: 2019 ]"
When running the same report in Crystal Reports designer I receive this error message:
"Prompting failed with the following error message: 'List of Values failure: fail to get values. [Cause of error: Failed to retrieve data from the database.  Details: [Database Vendor Code: 2019].  Failure to retrieve data from the database.  Error in File UNKNOWN.RPT.  Failure to retrieve data from the database.  Details: [Database Vendor Code: 2019]]'.
Error source: prompt.dll Error code: 0x8004380D"
So this one is also failing in the designer.
All the parameters in the main report are static and the ones in the subreport are passed in from the main report.