Re: newbie again... Completely puzzled

writer_at_writemaster.com wrote:
>
> Okay, okay, I probably need to take a course or three on Oracle. Or
> even go to graduate school. On the other hand, I am a computer
> literate person, with some background in programming (C++, MFC, VB,
> Access), so you would think I could figure this out, but I am stumped.
> Maybe someone will be kind enough to answer a few basic questions, at
> least to get me oriented.
>
> I have a Win98 system, and I ordered the trial version of Oracle 8i
> Enterprise Edition, release 3 (8.1.7). I've installed it. I can't
> get anything to happen. Now what follows is admittedly long, but if
> you are bored at work and looking to amuse yourself by humoring an
> idiot, perhaps you can address my questions...
>
> What I'm expecting (based on Access and DBase experience) is to find
> an Oracle application that lets me create a brand new database, place
> it in a desired directory on my personal computer, and start building
> and playing with tables. I cannot find any such application. What I
> do find is this:
>
> I purchased Oracle 8i for Dummies, which tells me to start with an
> application called DBA Studio. So I start DBA Studio, and enter the
> stand-alone mode of operation. In the book, there is already some
> kind of database tree displayed at the left. In real life, Oracle
> displays a dialog box asking me to either Add A Database Manually, or
> add selected databases from the local tsnnames.ora file in the
> directory c:\Oracle8i\Network\Admin.
>
> To add a database manually, I would have to identify Hostname, Port
> Number, SID, and Net Service Name. I assume these have something to
> do with locating a database over a network connection, but I don't
> have access to any database on a network, and if I did, I wouldn't
> know any of these parameters anyway. Besides, I don't want a database
> over the network, I want it on my own computer.
>
> Moreover, there are no databases listed in the tnsnames.ora file.
> Actually, there IS NO tnsnames.ora file in the indicated (\Admin)
> directory. In other words, if some kind of default database was
> supposed to be installed with this software, it has not been
> installed.
>
> So, I go hunting around for an application that will let me create a
> database. I try:
> * Everything under the Application Development folder. None of these
> apps seem relevant, except perhaps SQL Plus. When I try SQL Plus, it
> asks me for a User, Password, and Host String. When I can't supply
> and of these, it bails on me. Remember, I've just installed this, so
> I haven't had any opportunity to create a user, password, or host
> string. In fact, at this point, I don't know how to create them or
> what they are for.
> * SQL Plus Worksheet. This wants a Username, Password, and Service.
> How is it that this application (Oracle) asks for passwords and
> usernames all over the place, when it didn't ask me to create a user
> name or passwork during installation, and I haven't created any
> databases?
> * Enterprise Manager Console (this seems like a logical place to
> specify a database...). I am immediately alerted that I must have at
> least one management server in place, and I am prompted to enter a
> name. Obviously this is a non-starter.
> * I skipped all the apps in the Extended Administration Folder, since
> that looked too scary.
> * Tried the Enterprise Login Assistant and was spurned for not having
> a wallet. My problem is actually that I do have a wallet, but I
> apparently don't have an Oracle database...
> * Tried Net8 Assistant and didn't get very far with that.
> * Aha! Found the Wallet Manager, and was able to create a wallet.
> Whatever that is.
> * Went back to the Enterprise Login Assistant. Nope. No DEFAULT
> wallet exists. I guess my wallet wasn't good enough.
>
> Basically, how the hell does one find an application here which lets
> me create a database, and stuff some tables into it, and then create
> some kind of pretty front end if I want to!? All this other stuff
> seems related to managing a database and database connections over a
> network, and to my mind that's a secondary task to just creating the
> d**n database in the first place.
>
> I get the feeling that all I've acquired is some software for setting
> up network connections between databases that I can't even create.
> Can someone help a confused soul out here?
>
> Thanks
> Steve O.
>
> P.S. I have an Athlon 1200 processor in my system. Even with that,
> some of these apps seem to respond awfully slowly when I click on menu
> options. Is Oracle really this slow?

Have you read the concepts manual? If not, read it. Oracle is not like access, xbase, etc. It is the Ferrari of RDBMS engines. In order to get things running, you need to know exactly what to do. That being said...

1. To create an instance, you can use an app called the dbca (I have never used dba studio). When you create the database instance, you will have several default users created, sys and system, among others. You will also identify the instance by a SID (System IDentifier). This is important, because this will be used in tnsnames.ora.
2. After the instance is created, use the Net8 assistant. You must know the hostname where the instance lives, even if you are using it as a standalone database. The port can be defaulted to 1521.

Now you have an empty starter database and a TNS listener configured. Make sure the Oracle services are started, and you are off to the races. The hard part will be creating app you are interested in, but you should be able to figure that out.

Good luck.

-- 
Ron Reidy
Oracle DBA
Reidy Consulting, L.L.C.