About orabasetab

The orabasetab file is used to define fundamental directories based on $ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_BASE, ORACLE_BASE_HOME and ORACLE_BASE_CONFIG.

The orabasetab file resides in ORACLE_HOME/install/orabasetab. To determine if an ORACLE_HOME is read-only or read/write, check for the presence of the orabasetab file. The orabasetab file also defines the ORACLE_BASE and the HOME_NAME of the Oracle home. HOME_NAME is the internal name for ORACLE_HOME.

The last line in the orabasetab file, which starts with $ORACLE_HOME, defines the directories for $ORACLE_HOME. The last line consists of four fields, each separate by a colon delimiter(:).

  1. The first field matches the current $ORACLE_HOME.

  2. The second field defines the ORACLE_BASE for the current ORACLE_HOME.

  3. The third field defines the HOME_NAME which is used in constructing the ORACLE_BASE_HOME path in a read-only ORACLE_HOME.

  4. The fourth field displays Y in a read-only ORACLE_HOME and N in a read/write ORACLE_HOME.

In a read-only ORACLE_HOME, the ORACLE_BASE_HOME path is ORACLE_BASE/homes/HOME_NAME and ORACLE_BASE_CONFIG is the same as ORACLE_BASE.

In a read/write ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_BASE_HOME and ORACLE_BASE_CONFIG are all the same.

Viewing an orabasetab File

  1. Log in as the Oracle installation owner user account (oracle).

  2. Go to the $ORACLE_HOME/install directory. 

    $ cd /u01/app/oracle/product/23.0.0/dbhome_1/install

  3. View the contents of the orabasetab file. 

    $ cat orabasetab
/u01/app/oracle/product/23.0.0/dbhome_1:/u01/app/oracle:OraDB23Home1:Y:

    In this example, a Y in the fourth field at the end of the line indicates you have a read-only Oracle home.

Parent topic: Evolution of Oracle Homes