Error received when connecting to a database:
"Catastrophic failure, make sure connection parameters...".
Generally SQL NAVIGATOR will look for your LAST_HOME entry in the registry to find your oci.dll, and then look to your system path next if it doesn't find it there:
1. Launch the SQL*Plus tool and try connecting via SQL*Plus. If you cannot connect via SQL*Plus, then you will not be able to connect with SQL Navigator.
2. Make sure that you can tnsping/tnsping80 your instance. If you cannot tnsping/tnsping80 your instance successfully then you will not be able to connect with SQL NAVIGATOR.
3. Search for multiple tnsnames.ora files and verify that they all have the connection alias you want to connect with. Take note of the path to that tnsnames.ora file.
CHECK REGISTRY SETTINGS (Start icon | Run | Regedit) NOTE: Making changes incorrectly to the registry can seriously affect your system. If you do not feel comfortable modifying the registry settings please consult with your System Administrator before doing so.
4. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | Software | Oracle | ALL_HOMES.
5. Click on ALL_HOMES and look to the right window
- HOME_COUNTER
- LAST_HOME
Make sure the LAST_HOME value is less than the HOME_COUNTER.
6. Expanding the ALL_HOMES folder and look for the ID# | Path string (where # = 0,1,2...). The ID<LAST_HOME value> should have the same path as the location of the Oracle client you are trying to use. For example, your client path is D:\oracle\ora92. You find this path under ID0, so your LAST_HOME values should be 0.
You can change this if you need to by double clicking on the LAST_HOME string and entering the correct value.
7. What version of Oracle Client are you using?
If you are not sure what Oracle client you are trying to use you can check which one you've selected from the connection window in SQL Nav | Oracle Home/Client | ellipse [...] (this option is in SQL Nav 5.1 and up) or do a system search for your client dll. Go to Window's Start | Search | "for files or folders" | "ora*.dll". Take note of the path to the dll. Look for the file and note the complete path of the most recent client.
Below is the list of dll files that listed in the order of oldest to newest.
ora73.dll
ora803.dll
ora804.dll
ora805.dll
oraclient8.dll
oraclient9.dll
oraclient10.dll
Check that the dll of the client you mean to use is in your Oracle directory | Bin folder and that the path is the same as the one specified in the registry. SQL Navigator will use the highest number DLL that it finds in the bin that it is directed to (from registry settings). If you have multiple Dlls in that specific bin directory and you don't want to use the highest one you need to rename it so that the one you want to use the is the highest dll.
CHECK SYSTEM PATH(My Computer, right click | Properties | Advanced | Environment Variables | System Variables):
8. Under System Variables find the PATH , and check that the first path noted in that value is the path to your to your oraclient*.dll. If it is not, you will need to take not of the correct path to your Oracle client bin with the correct dll version you wish to use and add that to the front of whatever value is currently in the System Variable PATH.
9. If you are still getting error you can add the following line one space after the end quote in your Target statement of the SQL Navigator desktop shortcut.
Go to your product shortcut icon on your Desktop | right click | Properties, and enter: ocidll=<path>\<ora#.dll>
Where <path> is the actual path for the DLL and <ora#.dll> is whichever DLL you wish to use, (i.e. ora806.dll, oraclient9.dll, etc.)
Example: "C:\Program Files\Quest Software\SQL NAVIGATOR\SQLNav4.exe" ocidll=d:\orant\bin\ora73.dll
Note: It is advisable to restart your computer at least once after installing/upgrading anything in Oracle.
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