Terry,
An alternative to a direct connect syntax to register a database is to use Easy Connect syntax which uses easy connect drivers in Oracle to connect to the database.
Below are the steps that you may carry out to register an Oracle database using an easy connect syntax :
1) Set “path” in the system variables in environment variable beginning from 64 bit client.
(e.g.- D:\app\NiteshJa\product\11.2.0\dbhome_1\bin;D:\app\Oracle_Client\bin;).
D:\app\NiteshJa\product\11.2.0\dbhome_1\bin – 64 bit client path.
D:\app\Oracle_Client\bin - 32 bit client path.
2) Now from Arc Catalog use easy connect syntax to connect to the geodatabase and provide in instance name.
easy connect syntax is "server_machine_name/database_name"
3) Once connected from Arc Catalog, go to Manager page >> Site >> Data Store >>Register Database and provide the sde connection file.
For easy connect syntax, you should have an entry of “EZCONNECT” in NAMES.DIRECTORY_PATH in Oracle Client sqlnet file. The path for sqlnet file is “D:\app\Oracle_Client\network\admin”.
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Example for sqlnet file :
Regards,
Nitesh J.