====== Using Oracle ======

The CS Department and the University System no longer support Oracle Database. The CS Department has switched to PostgreSQL.

<del>The CS Dept Oracle database is located on the server at **asuka.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu**.</del> <del>The CS Department uses an Oracle server provided by ITS.</del>  <del>There is no need to log in directly to this server, as you can access it from a client installed in the CSCI 244 Linux lab.
</del>
===== sqlplus =====
----
==== Logging in ====

There is a command-line client installed in the CSCI Linux lab (in IACC 244) called sqlplus. This is the Oracle Instant Client and is used like other command-line database clients. When connecting using sqlplus, your username includes the database name as part of it, for instance
'adenton@cs'. 

The oracle schema is named as the unix username ( id, uid ), e.g., my own schema is adenton.  The oracle password is based on the emplid ( student id ) and date of birth.

Your initial oracle password is XxxEEYYYY
                   Xxx = first three letters of your birth month
                           (first letter is capitalized)
                   EE = last two numbers of your EMPLID (Student ID)
                   YYYY = your birth year

  If your birthday were August 28, 1983
  and your EMPLID number were 9976713,
  your initial password would be Aug131983


You should use the sqlplus password command to change the oracle password.

Below is a sample sqlplus session:

<code>
adenton@lab07:~$ sqlplus adenton@cs

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.2.0 Production on Thu Sep 29 10:07:52 2011

Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

Enter password: 

Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0 - 64bit Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options

SQL> create table testtable (col1 int, col2 varchar(32));

Table created.

SQL> exit
Disconnected from Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0 - 64bit Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options

</code>

==== Changing your password ====
The password can be changed by simply typing
<code>
password
</code>
You should not use punctuation in your password.

===== Tora =====
----
Tora (Toolkit for Oracle) is a graphical program installed in the CSCI Linux lab. It can be used to connect to a variety of databases, including Oracle. 

Tora as it is installed may have a few quirks and bugs, and is in place as a supplement to sqlplus, not to replace it. If your assignment requires you to use sqlplus, use sqlplus instead.