Crystal Reports 2013 can't connect to Oracle 10g

[Former Member]

I just purchased Crystal Reports 2013 and was excited to get started till I ran into a small problem, I can't connect to my data source.... So I would appreciate any help or suggestions. I will try to outline everything I did and what I have that I'm working with below:

First: Crystal Reports is installed on my Windows 7 64bit machine. Which I have installed the Oracle 10g runtime on. I have a correct copy of the TNSNAMES.ORA that I copied from another machine that hits the same datasource I need to hit.. If I run sqlplusw from my machine I connect to the datasource successfully:

When I start Crystal Reports and start the standard report creation wizard I see ODBC ... OLAP... etc... and Oracle Server which I believe the oracle runtime put there. It asks for three things..

Service: cad    

user: myuser

pass: mypass

Below is the tnsnames.ora file on my machine. I assume cad is the service that I am supposed to use.

# tnsnames.ora Network Configuration File: C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\network\admin\tnsnames.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.

RMS =
  (DESCRIPTION =
    (ADDRESS_LIST =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 10.32.1.34)(PORT = 1521))
    )
    (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SERVICE_NAME = rms)
    )
  )

CAD =
  (DESCRIPTION =
    (ADDRESS_LIST =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 10.32.1.31)(PORT = 1521))
    )
    (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SERVICE_NAME = cad)
    )
  )

when I continue I then get:

Failed to open the connection.

Details: ORA-12154:  TNS:could not resolve the connect identifier specified;

Database vendor code: 12154.

So I open a command prompt and use tnsping cad.... see below

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\ptyo>tnsping cad

TNS Ping Utility for 32-bit Windows: Version 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on 24-JAN-2
014 15:43:54

Copyright (c) 1997, 2005, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

Used parameter files:
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\network\admin\sqlnet.ora

Used TNSNAMES adapter to resolve the alias
Attempting to contact (DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS_LIST = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)
(HOST = 10.32.1.31)(PORT = 1521))) (CONNECT_DATA = (SERVICE_NAME = cad)))
OK (60 msec)

C:\Users\ptyo>

so anybody have any ideas or suggestions I'm at a loss right now.

[JWiseman · Accepted solution]

hi Pete,

if you did a full install of cr 2013, you should have the DataDirect wire protocol drivers installed. they do not require a client so perhaps this may resolve the issue. in your 32 bit odbc administrator create a new connection using CR Oracle Wire... driver to see if that helps.

-jamie

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank you Jamie I went in and setup the CR Oracle Wire driver and it worked like a champ. I now see my tables. I appreciate the help.

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Which version of the Oracle Client did you install - 32-bit or 64-bit?  Crystal will only connect to the 32-bit version.

Personally, I prefer to use the Native Oracle connection over ODBC - I think it's faster and there is more support for various functions and command that are native to Oracle.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

To my knowledge I have installed the 32bit version of the Oracle Client. I do not know how to verify that.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

I have cr 2011 and I used the 'wire' that you said, on the '32-bit Data Source Administrator'.  I was able to connect  (after hours of trying and pulling my hair).  Thanks Jamie.