B
Modifying and Adding Configuration Parameters

This appendix describes how to edit and add Oracle-related settings.

Specific topics discussed are:

• Understanding Net8 Registry Parameter and Subkeys
• Modifying a Registry Value
• Understanding Optional Configuration Parameters
• Adding Optional Configuration Parameters

Understanding Net8 Registry Parameter and Subkeys

Net8 contains the following registry entries:

• Net80 Parameter
• Net8 Service Subkeys

Net80 Parameter

Description	Default Value Entry
Specifies the location of the Net8 directory.	ORACLE_HOME\NET80

 

NET80 is Located in...	If You Have...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE	One home directory
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE\ HOMEID   where ID is incremented for each additional Oracle home directory on your machine (for example, HOME1 is for a second directory, HOME2 is for a third directory, etc.).	Two or more home directories

 

Net8 Service Subkeys

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES contains subkeys that correspond to services. Depending upon what is installed, possible Net8 services are:

• OracleHOME_NAMEClientCache80
• OracleHOME_NAMECMAdminService80
• OracleHOME_NAMECManService80
• OracleHOME_NAMENames80
• OracleHOME_NAMETNSListener80

Each service subkey contains the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
DisplayName	Specifies the service name.
ImagePath	Specifies the fully-qualified path name of the executable invoked by the service and any command line arguments passed to the executable at runtime.
ObjectName	Specifies the logon user account and machine to which the service should log on.

 

Modifying a Registry Value

Caution:   Do not edit your registry unless it is absolutely necessary. If there is an error in your registry, your Oracle8 database may become nonfunctional.

   

To edit the Oracle-related settings:

1. Start the registry in one of the following ways:

On Windows NT:	From the command prompt, enter:  C:\>REGEDT32  Choose Start > Run, enter REGEDT32 in the Open field, and click OK.
On Windows 95:	From the command prompt, enter:  C:\>REGEDIT  Choose Start > Run, enter REGEDIT in the Open field, and click OK.

 

The Registry Editor window appears:


2. Navigate to the values you want to view or modify by double-clicking keys.

The left-hand side of the windows shows the hierarchy of registry keys, and the right-hand side of the window shows various values associated with a key:


3. Double-click the parameter you want to edit.

An editor dialog box appears:


4. Make any necessary edits, and click OK.
5. Choose Exit from the Registry menu.

Understanding Optional Configuration Parameters

You can use the following parameters on Windows NT and Windows 95:

• LOCAL
• REMOTE
• TNS_ADMIN
• USE_SHARED_SOCKET

Net8 first checks for the parameters as environment variables, and uses the values defined. If environment variables are not defined, these parameters are searched for in the registry.

LOCAL

You can add the LOCAL parameter to make a connection without specifying a connect string service name. The value for LOCAL is the service name in the TNSNAMES.ORA file located in the ORACLE_HOME\NET80\ADMIN directory.

For example, if the LOCAL parameter is specified as finance, you connect to a database from Server Manager with the following:

SVRMGR> CONNECT SCOTT/TIGER

Net8 checks if LOCAL is defined as an environment variable or as a parameter the registry, and uses finance as the service name. If it exists, Net8 connects.

REMOTE

You can add the REMOTE parameter to make a remote connection without specifying a connect string service string. The value for REMOTE is the connect descriptor parameter in the TNSNAMES.ORA file located at the ORACLE_HOME\NET80\ADMIN directory. For example, if the REMOTE parameter is specified, you connect to a remote database from Server Manager with the following:

SVRMGR> CONNECT SCOTT/TIGER@REMOTE

Net8 checks if REMOTE is defined as an environment variable or as a parameter in the registry. If it exists, Net8 connects.

TNS_ADMIN

You can add the TNS_ADMIN parameter to change the directory name for configuration files from the default location. For example, if you set TNS_ADMIN to ORACLE_HOME\TEST\ADMIN, the configuration files are used from ORACLE_HOME\TEST\ADMIN.

USE_SHARED_SOCKET

You can set the USE_SHARED_SOCKET parameter to TRUE to enable the use of shared sockets. It this parameter is set to TRUE, the network listener passes the socket descriptor for a client connections to the database thread. The result is the client does not need to establish a new connection to the database thread, and database connection time improves. Also, all database connections share the port number used by the network listener, and this may be useful if you are setting up third-party proxy servers.

Enabling this option, however, does not allows you to bring the network listener up and down if any database connection spawned by the network listener is active. You may need to shut down all the databases serviced by a network listener before you can bring down and restart a network listener. This is because shared sockets implementation in WINSOCK2 does not allow a thread to a network listener on a port number reliably if some other connections are active on the port.

This parameter only works in a dedicated server mode in a TCP/IP environment.

Adding Optional Configuration Parameters

You can add these optional configuration parameters in three ways:

• Using the Registry
• Using the Control Panel on Windows NT
• Using the command line with the SET command:

C:\>SET LOCAL=SERVICE_NAME

This method only lasts for the current login session.

Using the Registry

The parameters must have a value class of REG_EXPAND_SZ and be located:

Parameter is Located in...	If You Have...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE	One Oracle home directory
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE\ HOMEID   where ID is incremented for each additional Oracle home directory on your machine.	Two or more Oracle home directories

 

The instructions below explain how to add a parameter entry to the registry.

To add a parameter to the  registry:

1. Start the registry in one of the following ways:

On Windows NT:	From the command prompt, enter:  C:\>REGEDT32  Choose Start > Run, enter REGEDT32 in the Open field, and click OK.
On Windows 95:	From the command prompt, enter:  C:\>REGEDIT  Choose Start > Run, enter REGEDIT in the Open field, and click OK.

 

The Registry Editor window appears.

2. Navigate to the proper key.
3. Choose the Add Value option in the Edit menu.

The Add Value dialog box appears:


4. In the Value Name field, enter the name that you want to assign to the currently selected key.
5. In the Data Type box, select the REG_EXPAND_SZ value class.
6. Click OK.

The String Editor dialog box appropriate for the data type appears:


7. Enter the value for the parameter, and click OK.

The Registry Editor adds the parameter.

8. Choose Exit from the Registry menu.

The registry exits.

Using the Control Panel on Windows NT

The instructions below explain how to add a parameter entry to the Control Panel System Properties window. This functionality is only available on Windows NT.

To add a parameter:

1. From the Control Panel window, double-click System.

The System Properties window appears.

2. Choose the Environment tab.

The Environment view appears:


3. Click in the System Variables list box.
4. Enter the parameter name in the Variable field and its value in the Value field.
5. Click Set.

The parameter is added to the System Variables list box.

6. Click OK.
7. Log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.

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