Oratcl - Tcl interface to Oracle database server * Oracle interface to Tcl * * Copyright 1993 Tom Poindexter and U S WEST Advanced Technologies, Inc. * * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its * documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided * that the above copyright notice appear in all copies. * Tom Poindexter and U S WEST make no representations about the suitability * of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or * implied warranty. By use of this software the user agrees to * indemnify and hold harmless Tom Poindexter and U S WEST from any * claims or liability for loss arising out of such use. * *----------------------------------------------------------------------- * Version 1.0 July, 1993 * Tom Poindexter, Boulder Colorado * tpoind@advtech.uswest.com or tpoindex@nyx.cs.du.edu *----------------------------------------------------------------------- * Version 2.0 November, 1993 * Tom Poindexter, Boulder Colorado * tpoind@advtech.uswest.com or tpoindex@nyx.cs.du.edu *----------------------------------------------------------------------- * Version 2.1 February, 1994 * Tom Poindexter, Boulder Colorado * tpoind@advtech.uswest.com or tpoindex@nyx.cs.du.edu *----------------------------------------------------------------------- * Version 2.11 April, 1994 * Tom Poindexter, Boulder Colorado * tpoind@advtech.uswest.com or tpoindex@nyx.cs.du.edu *----------------------------------------------------------------------- * Version 2.2 October, 1994 * Tom Poindexter, Denver Colorado * tpoindex@nyx.cs.du.edu <<>>>>>> I've put oratcl-2.41.tar.gz on ftp.nesoft.com in /pub/tcl/NEW/oratcl-2.41.tar.gz The Tcl archive at ftp.neosoft.com is due for reorganization, so the path may have changed. Just keep looking in the tcl area. see the newsgroup comp.lang.tcl for general Tcl discussion and the Tcl Frequently Asked Questions. **Flash** Configure and Makefile have been tweaked to work with Tcl7.6, Tk4.2, and TclX7.6.0, as well as the versions listed above. I've built Oratcl in SunOS 4.1.2 (BSD), Solaris 2.5 (Sys 5.4), and HP-UX 10.x. Other users have reported successful compiles on: Data General DG/UX Sequent PTX 2.1 IBM AIX Dec Alpha OSF/1 SGI Irix (mail to me on a successful port on other platforms; I'll add to this list) SAMPLES Some samples are included using the Extended Tcl tcl(1) and wishx(1) interpreters. In particular, the "wosql" (Windowing Oracle SQL) program is a handy replacement for Sql*Plus for ad hoc queries. Wosql does not attempt to provide any of the report generating and formatting capabilities of Sql*Plus. Also in ./samples is iud_maker, an Oratcl that builds insert-update-delete applications for a single table. The ODDIS graphical data dictionary application is included in ./samples/oddis. Check it out! See ./samples/README.samples plus each file's comments and code. MAN PAGE You're in luck! I've written one. OTHER DOCUMENTATION The directory ./doc contains a draft of a chapter I'm writing on Oratcl for an upcoming book on Tcl extensions, to be published by O'Reilly & Associates late summer 1996 (?). BUG REPORTS Comments, suggestions, et.al., should be mailed to me at the above email address, or posted to comp.lang.tcl if general enough nature. Hell, you can even mail to me if you like Oratcl! Mail bug reports to: tpoindex@nyx.net Please *always* include: -version of Oratcl -version of Tcl, Tk, and TclX -version of Oracle server and OCI libary -version of your operating system -compiler used, stock cc or Gcc -samples of SQL or Oratcl code causing problems -relevant database table definitions, views, procedures KNOWN BUGS !!! Oracle's 7.1.4 release seems to have introduced several problems with their Oracle Call Interface (OCI) libraries that Oratcl uses. Symptoms include excessively long connect times (2+ minutes) when using Sql*Net, or possibly "fetch out of sequence" errors when retrieving rows. Use 7.0.x or 7.1.6+ OCI libraries if you experience problems with 7.1.4. Some users have reported that this bug is still in some versions after 7.1.6, possibly SunOS. I recommend calling Oracle Tech support. *Flash* it seems that some versions of Oracle 7.3 may have this bug as well :( Please call Oracle tech support, they need to fix OCI. See the file OCI714.bug for additional details. I've also received a few reports of Oratcl (OCI problems again) having some bad interaction with Tcl's 'exec' command. It sounds like OCI and the 'exec' command are battling over signals. If you're having problems using 'exec' with Oratcl, try using 'exec' with in a 'catch' command. Mail to me on this problem if you have any explanations, and again, contact Oracle tech support. ORATCL WWW PAGE I keep terse, but usually up todate information at: http://www.nyx.net/~tpoindex TCL DATABASE MAILING LIST A mailing list is available for specific discussions about using Tcl with databases, including Oratcl, Sybtcl, etc. Feel free to join and mail to the list. The list is hosted by De Clarke. To subscribe to this list send mail to tcldb-request@ucolick.org and in the body of the message write subscribe To unsubscribe... (well, you get the idea). Please remember to write to tcldb-owner with problems about the list itself, or to postmaster@ucolick.org if you have difficulties getting through to the tcldb-owner address. Please do not send subscribe and unsubscribe messages to the list itself. INSTALLATION Quickie install instructions: ./configure --prefix=/same/prefix/path/as/with/tcl/configure \ --exec-prefix=/same/exec-prefix/path/as/with/tcl/configure \ --enable-shared #optional shared library make make install Didn't work? You'll have to read the INSTALL file. Maybe you should read it anyway. If you are having problems trying to build a dynamic load library for Oratcl (--enable-shared), check the notes in the INSTALL file. OTHER Try out the Oratcl C API. It allows your C programs to access Oracle using the Oratcl model. It's experimental; please mail to me if it works for you, or if you have improvements. See ./oratcl-capi/* See the file CHANGES for changes in versions of Oratcl. -finis-