1. ODBC Developer's Guide
  2. Basic Connection Steps

3 Basic Connection Steps

This chapter guides you through the steps required to connect your ODBC application to an Oracle data source.

Topics:

3.1 Connecting to an Oracle Data Source

To connect to a data source, the Oracle Database ODBC driver requires that the OCI client software be installed on your computer and the corresponding listener be running on the Oracle server. Oracle Net Services for Windows is a Dynamic Linked Library (DLL) based application.

See Also:

Oracle Database Net Services Administrator's Guide and Oracle Database Net Services Reference for more information about Oracle Net Services.

As part of the connection process, an application can prompt you for information. If an application prompts you for information about an Oracle data source, do the following:

  1. In the TNS Service Name box, enter the name of the TNS service.
  2. In the User Name box, enter the name you use to access an Oracle Database.
  3. In the Password box, enter the password you use to access an Oracle Database.
  4. Click OK.

An application must connect to a data source to access the data in it. Different applications connect to data sources at different times. For example, an application might connect to a data source only at your request, or it might connect automatically when it starts. For information about when an application connects to a data source, see the documentation for that application.

For additional information, click any of these links:

Parent topic: Basic Connection Steps

3.2 Troubleshooting

Topics:

Parent topic: Basic Connection Steps

3.2.1 About Using Oracle Database ODBC Driver for the First Time

Describes useful information about using the Oracle Database ODBC driver for the first time.

See the Oracle Database ODBC driver developer home: ODBC Developer Center, where you can find additional information about the Oracle Database ODBC driver features, resources, such as where to find Oracle Instant Client ODBC installation information, the Oracle Instant Client ODBC download site, the Oracle ODBC discussion forum, and information about some related technologies.

Parent topic: Troubleshooting

3.2.2 Expired Password

This section contains information about expired passwords.

Expired Password Behavior

If you try to connect to the database and your password has expired, you are prompted to change your password. Upon making a successful password change, you are connected to the database. However, if you try to connect to the database using a SQLDriverConnect call with a SQL_DRIVER_NOPROMPT parameter value, the Oracle Database ODBC driver does not prompt you for the password change. Instead, an error condition results, producing an error message and number that indicates that the password has expired.

Parent topic: Troubleshooting