Steps for getting an ODBC connection to the YourDbName database on a local machine:
Get an Oracle client on your machine:
- First, go to the Oracle instant client download page (Instant Client downloads for Microsoft Windows (x64)) and download the ‘Instant Client Package – Basic’ – it’s the first one.
- Extract the contents of the downloaded zip file to C:\Oracle
Create a TNS names file:
- Copy the following text into a blank text file:
TNS Name=
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = )(PORT = 1800))
)
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVICE_NAME = )
)
)
- Save this text file into the C:/Oracle/network/admin folder (create it if it doesn’t exist already), and name it tnsnames.ora (if you have a tnsnames.ora file already, add the copied text to the end of it.
- Go to ‘My Computer’ -> Properties -> Advanced -> Environment Variables, and under ‘User variables’, add a new variable with name TNS_ADMIN, and value ‘C:/Oracle/network/admin’ (or wherever your tnsnames.ora file is)
Create an ODBC Data Source:
- Go to Control Panel -> Data Sources (ODBC) -> System DSN, and click Add..
- Scroll to the bottom of the list and select ‘Oracle in instantclient_11_2’
- Create a data source
