# Oracle client

This document will explain how to install the Oracle database client under Arch Linux. The client is used to connect to Oracle databases running on other machines. If you want to host Oracle databases for others to use, see the instructions for setting up an Oracle database server.

## Method 1: Unofficial repository

By far the easiest method is to use the unofficial Arch packages, as this allows the Oracle client to be installed and upgraded like any other program in the Arch repositories.

In order to use this method, you must agree to the Oracle Technology Network Development and Distribution License Terms for Instant Client and also trust the person who created these unofficial packages.

Add the following lines to `/etc/pacman.conf`:

    [oracle]
    SigLevel = Optional TrustAll
    Server = http://linux.shikadi.net/arch/$repo/$arch/

Upgrade your system. The newly available packages will be prefixed with `oracle`. Then, install oracle-instantclient-basic; then you will need to re-source the profile script in any open shells, in order to pick up the newly added environment variables. Without this, some programs will complain that they cannot find the Oracle client.

    source /etc/profile

This sets `$ORACLE_HOME` to `/usr`. You should place your `tnsnames.ora` into `/etc`.

## Method 2: AUR

An alternative is to use the build scripts in the AUR. Due to the way Oracle provides downloads of their software, the files cannot be retrieved automatically. You must download the necessary .zip files manually and place them in the same directory as the PKGBUILD from AUR, before running `makepkg`. You will need an Oracle account before you can log in and download the .zip files.

### Relevant packages

The packages required from the AUR are:

- oracle-instantclient-basicAUR - core Oracle client, required by all the other packages and any precompiled binaries using the native Oracle API
- oracle-instantclient-sdkAUR - C header files, required to compile software that accesses Oracle using the native API
- oracle-instantclient-sqlplusAUR - SQL*Plus command line utility
- oracle-instantclient-odbcAUR - UnixODBC connectivity
- oracle-instantclient-jdbcAUR - Java connectivity

### Installing each package

Download the tarball from the AUR.

    $ wget https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/snapshot/oracle-instantclient-basic.tar.gz
    $ tar zxvf oracle-instantclient-basic.tar.gz
    $ cd oracle-instantclient-basic

Download the relevant .zip file from Oracle. You can run `makepkg` to find out what file you need and where to get it from.

    $ makepkg
    ==> ERROR: You need to download instantclient-basic-linux.x64-11.2.0.3.0.zip

      -> This software cannot be downloaded automatically.  You will need to sign up
      -> for an Oracle account and download the software from Oracle directly.  Place
      -> the downloaded file in the same directory as the PKGBUILD and re-run makepkg.
      ->
      -> The source .zip files can be downloaded from:
      ->
      -> i686   - http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/linuxsoft-082809.html
      -> x86_64 - http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/linuxx86-64soft-092277.html

Once the file has been downloaded from Oracle and placed in the same directory as the `PKGBUILD`, run `makepkg` again.

    $ makepkg -ic

This will create the package and install it via sudo. After installing `oracle-instantclient-basic` you will need to re-source the profile script in any open shells, in order to pick up the newly added environment variables.

    source /etc/profile

Without this, some programs will complain that they cannot find the Oracle client.

### Installation paths

When using the packages in the AUR, the TNSNAMES file should be saved as `/etc/tnsnames.ora`. `ORACLE_HOME` should be set automatically to `/usr` in any new shells opened after the install, courtesy of `/etc/profile.d/oracle.sh`.

Category:

- Database management systems