How do Apps Know Which Oracle to Run?

Went to install an Oracle Application on a client.

Oracle was on the D:\ORANT (Oracle 8)

There was already 2 Oracle Applications on the PC.

I installed the Application with an Install Shield Kit that created a D:\ORA805 (Oracle 8)
It created an ORACLE_HOME_805

Ran new App and it worked.

Ran the old Apps and got something about "no protocol adapter." Ran Oracle HOME selector and it said there was only one home. Ran easy config and it defaulted to C:\ORANT !!! I changed it to D:\ORANT and confirmed TNSNAMES.ORA
Ran the old Apps and got something about "no protocol adapter." Ran SQL plus and got something about "no protocol adapter."

I installed Oracle 8 from an Oracle CD onto C:\ORANT and gave it a different HOME.
Ran old Apps and they worked!!!! I had copied the TNSNAMES.ORA I had used earlier so it wasn't that or missing parentheses, protocol = TCP missing ar anything like that.

I think the old C:\ORANT was from an old install long since removed.

MY QUESTION - Where in the world was the C:\ being remembered? It wasn't in HOME. It wasn't in the registery. It wasn't in TNSNAMES.ORA or SEQUEL.ORA.
Where???

--
Chuck Mabrey
Webmaster and Historian
North Texas HOG
http://www.flash.net/~cmabrey Received on Mon May 24 1999 - 23:20:44 CDT