From: hforbric@yahoo.net   
      
   Adam Ruth wrote:   
   >   
   > I'm using OCI on Mac OS X and I've run into a strange problem with my   
   > TNSNAMES.ORA file.   
   >   
   > My TNSNAMES.ORA file has one entry INV4II and it works fine.  However,   
   > it will only work if that is the name of the entry.  If I use any   
   > other name for that entry I get the dreaded ORA-12154.  For example:   
   >   
   > TNSNAMES.ORA -> INV4II Application -> INV4II :: works fine   
   > TNSNAMES.ORA -> INV4DEV Application -> INV4DEV :: ORA-12154   
   > TNSNAMES.ORA -> INV4DEV Application -> INV4II :: ORA-12154   
   > TNSNAMES.ORA -> INV4II Application -> INV4DEV :: ORA-12154   
   >   
   > It's almost like that name is referenced somewhere else and so   
   > changing tnsnames.ora isn't sufficient.  But I cannot find any other   
   > file anywhere (client or server) that that contains INV4II.   
   >   
   > I'm a bit confused, and any help would be appreciated.   
   >   
   > Adam Ruth   
      
   My way of looking at the TNSNAMES (and other SQLNet) stuff   
      
   TNSNAMES.ora = client file to help find the server.   
   - should be on any client machine that wants to find a database using   
   "local naming"   
   - may be eliminated if using 'host', 'ldap' or 'Oracle Names' naming.   
   - effectively says 'when user requests this "alias", ask the following   
   host for the following service'   
      
   LISTENER.ora = server file to listen for client requests.   
   - should be on any server machine that wants to listen for DB requests   
   - needs to have a match between a service (db-instance) and the   
   requested service in the client's TNSNAMES.ora file   
      
   (Latest versions of Oracle permit the database to self-register with the   
   listener, so it doesn't need to be listed in LISTENER.ora.  I find this   
   causes a LOT of headache - it's assumptions and mine almost never   
   match.)   
      
   My suspicion - your LISTENER.ora is not set up and you are assuming   
   self-registering databases.   
      
   HTH   
   /Hans   
      
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