Adding a TNSnames.ora File

When the Oracle client is installed for the first time, it does not come with a TNSnames.ora file. That's okay, though: a default file from Oracle would not have the server information we want to connect to since the information in the file is server-specific.

Here are the steps to add a TNSnames.ora file ot your Oracle client installation.

1. Download the file here. When the Oracle client is installed for the first time, it does not come with a TNSnames.ora file. That's okay, though: a default file from Oracle would not have the server information we want to connect to since the information in the file is server-specific.

2. Add the file to your Oracle driver's home directory; you may need administrative access on your machine to access these folders. The Oracle home directory will have a path similar to this:

   32-bit and 64-bit: C:\app\product\12.2.0\client_1\network\admin

   Your Oracle client installation may be in a different root folder, but the folder path will always* contain \product\12.2.0\client_1\network\admin. If you have both 32- and 64-bit Oracle clients installed, be sure to add the TNSnames.ora file to each of the directories.

   Note: you can find the path to your Oracle client's root folder by searching your C:\ drive for *\network\admin\* in Windows Explorer. This will list all of the files in the folder from which you can determine the path.

   *Your installation may have a different numbered client_1 folder, e.g. client_0, but it will always begin with client.

3. Verify the connection works by pinging the database: Testing an Oracle Database Connection to InfoAccess.

Replacing a TNSnames.ora File

In some situations, your machine may have an out-of-date TNSnames.ora file and will be unable to connect to InfoAccess. If you're unable to connect and wish to replace the file, follow the instructions above but overwrite the existing TNSnames.ora file with the updated version. If you do this and connect to Oracle databases which are not in the new file, make sure you create a backup copy of your preexisting TNSnames.ora file so you can retrieve the database connection information and add it to the new TNSnames.ora file.

Editing a TNSnames.ora File

If you have a TNSnames.ora file but you're unable to access InfoAccess because the entry is out-of-date (or missing), you can edit the TNSnames.ora file to include the correct TNS information for InfoAccess instead of replacing the file. You will need administrator access on your machine to follow the instructions below:

1. Navigate to your TNSnames.ora file as detailed in the "Adding a TNSnames.ora file" section above.

2. Open your TNSnames.ora file in a text editor.

3. Search the file for INFOACCESS. Edit the entry with the details you received for connecting to InfoAccess or copy the details from the above linked TNSnames.ora file.

4. Search the file for DWHP. Edit the entry with the details you received for connecting to InfoAccess or copy the details from the above linked TNSnames.ora file.

5. Verify the connection works by pinging the server: Testing an Oracle Database Connection to InfoAccess.

Need More Information?

If you have questions about this document, please contact Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research (DAPIR, https://data.wisc.edu/) at info@data.wisc.edu.