Oracle Network Products Getting Started for Windows Platforms

Preface

This user guide provides operating system-specific information on use Oracle Network Products for Windows platforms. This preface provides information about:

Intended Audience

This user guide is for both end-users and network administrators who install, configure, and use Oracle network products. Use this user guide in conjunction with a machine running:

Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0
Windows 95
Windows 3.1
Windows for Workgroups 3.11

Note Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 are referred to as Windows 3.1x when features work for both operating systems.

Prerequisites

This user guide assumes the following:

you have installed and tested your network
you are familiar with your operating system (commands for deleting and copying files; concepts of search path, configuration files, and directory structure) and concepts such as server and client
you know how to use a text editor to make changes to an ASCII text file

Structure

This manual contains five chapters and six appendices:

Chapter 1	Describes the connectivity architecture of Oracle Network Products.
Chapter 2	Describes Oracle Network Products.
Chapter 3	Describes how to configure Oracle Network Products.
Chapter 4	Describes how to connect to a database.
Chapter 5	Describes how to use the Advanced Networking Option.
Appendix A	Shows the directory structure and DLL files for installed products.
Appendix B	Explains how to verify correct Oracle Protocol Adapter setup for Windows 3.1x.
Appendix C	Describes how to modify Oracle parameters using the ORACLE.INI file in Windows 3.1.
Appendix D	Describes how to modify the Oracle configuration using the Registry for Windows NT and Windows 95.
Appendix E	Describes the contents of the configuration files.
Appendix F	Describes resolving common error messages and diagnosing an Oracle Network Products' problems.

Related Documents

For more information, see the following user guides:

Oracle Advanced Networking Option Administrator's Guide

Oracle Names Administrator's Guide

Oracle Network Manager Administrator's Guide

Oracle Network Products Messages Manual

Oracle Network Products Troubleshooting Guide

Oracle7 Server Administrator's Guide

Oracle7 Server Getting Started for Windows NT

Conventions Used in this Guide

Oracle home directories

The Oracle Installer creates a top-level directory on your hard disk called Oracle home. The default Oracle home directory is described below:

Operating System	Oracle home directory
Windows NT	ORANT
Windows 95	ORAWIN95
Windows 3.1x	ORAWIN

These directories are referred to as ORACLE_HOME throughout this document.

In examples, an implied carriage return occurs at the end of each line, unless otherwise noted. You must press the Return key at the end of a line of input.

Typographical Conventions

Note these typographical conventions when reading this Guide:

Convention	Meaning
Monospace text	Indicates text that must be typed exactly as shown. `set echo off`
All uppercase plain	Indicates command names, SQL reserved words, and keywords, as in ALTER DATABASE. All uppercase plain is also used for directory names and file names. ORANT\DATABASE\INITORCL.ORA
Italics	Indicates a value that you must provide. For example, if a command asks you to type filename, you must type the actual name of the file. Italics are also used for emphasis in the text and to indicate the titles of other manuals.
Horizontal ellipsis . .	Indicate that parts of the statement or command not directly related to the example have been omitted: `CHKVAL fieldname value 1 value 2... valueN`
Vertical bar \|	Represents an `or' option between several options. You must enter only one of the options. Do not enter the vertical bar. The set of alternative choices is enclosed by curly braces if one of the items is required, or by square brackets if the item is an optional alternative.
Curly braces {}	Enclose required items. You must choose one of the alternatives: `..DEFINE {macro1 \| macro2}`
Square brackets [ ]	Enclosed optional items. You can choose one or none of the alternatives: `cvtcrt termname [outfile]` Square brackets also indicate a function key, for example [Enter].
`C:\>`	Represents the Windows NT command prompt of the current hard disk drive. Your prompt may differ and may, at times, reflect the subdirectory in which you are working.
Backslash (\) before a directory name	Indicates that the directory is a subdirectory. For example, \DATABASE.

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