Oracle linked server tables

I've successfully linked 2 Oracle 9.2 databases to my SQL Server 2005
Standard edition installation. I can construct and run queries as long as I
know the table names and schemas.
However, tables for the linked servers are not readily visible. Is there
any way to accomplish this? I'd like to be able to browse the tables within
Management Studio as if they were native. I tried Publications but got an
error saying that "heterogeneous publications are supported on Enterprise
editions." ?
Thanks for any help,
Randall Arnold"Randall Arnold" <randall.nospam.arnold@.nokia.com.> wrote in message
news:%23s768fwQGHA.336@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> I've successfully linked 2 Oracle 9.2 databases to my SQL Server 2005
> Standard edition installation. I can construct and run queries as long as
> I know the table names and schemas.
> However, tables for the linked servers are not readily visible. Is there
> any way to accomplish this? I'd like to be able to browse the tables
> within Management Studio as if they were native. I tried Publications but
> got an error saying that "heterogeneous publications are supported on
> Enterprise editions." ?
>
Not in the tree view, but these stored procedures should give you what you
want:
sp_linkedservers
sp_catalogs
sp_tables_ex
sp_columns_ex
David|||David,
Thanks for the answer, but I don't understand. Where do I find those
stored procedures? I've just skimmed the surface of SQL server up until
now so a lot of the higher functions are new to me. Microsoft
documentation is virtually useless as it says "here's what you need to
do" but consistently fails to say how.
Randall Arnold
"David Browne" <davidbaxterbrowne no potted meat@.hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:efMVTgxQGHA.5080@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> "Randall Arnold" <randall.nospam.arnold@.nokia.com.> wrote in message
> news:%23s768fwQGHA.336@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Not in the tree view, but these stored procedures should give you what you
> want:
> sp_linkedservers
> sp_catalogs
> sp_tables_ex
> sp_columns_ex
> David
>|||Randall Arnold wrote:
> David,
> Thanks for the answer, but I don't understand. Where do I find those
> stored procedures? I've just skimmed the surface of SQL server up until
> now so a lot of the higher functions are new to me. Microsoft
> documentation is virtually useless as it says "here's what you need to
> do" but consistently fails to say how.
> Randall Arnold
You find them in the MASTER table. Most of the "build in" SP's are
placed in the MASTER table (if not all..). Furthermore you can look them
up in Books On Line where you can get the syntax for executing them as well.
Regards
Steen|||Thanks Steen.
I am not exactly impressed with Books Online. As I said in the previous
post, I tend to find a lot of "what you need to do" but not very much "this
is how you do it", especially where fundamental details are concerned.
That's extremely frustrating to someone trying to learn. Too many
assumptions made on the parts of the doc guys. At the very least they could
provide links to how-to info within those high level docs. I provide that
feedback every chance I get.
Randall Arnold
"Steen Persson (DK)" <spe@.REMOVEdatea.dk> wrote in message
news:Op0hpO5QGHA.2176@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Randall Arnold wrote:
> You find them in the MASTER table. Most of the "build in" SP's are placed
> in the MASTER table (if not all..). Furthermore you can look them up in
> Books On Line where you can get the syntax for executing them as well.
> Regards
> Steen|||Well, thanks to Steen I did manage to find the system stored procedures, but
I don't see how they help me in my need. I can't see anything that gets me
to browsing the tables of linked servers.
I'd be more than willing to buy a book on this subject, and in fact I've
been looking, but I can't find one that covers this subject at the level I
need.
Bottom line, I've been using SQL Server at a basic level for a few years
(and using Access as a front end for tables and queries) and I'm having to
ramp up my level of involvement. I have to create a SQL server database
that ties together tables spanning 3 or 4 domains, at least 2 of them Oracle
9.2 databases. I want to be able to view the Oracle tables in SS Management
Studio the same way I do native tables. Importing doesn't do me any good
because I can't see a way to actually dynamically link to the tables as
opposed to a static import.
The SQL Server database is set. The linked servers are there. I just can't
get any farther with the resources at hand, and MS docs, as I said, come up
VERY short in the tutorial department.
Again, and and all guidance appreciated!
Randall Arnold
"David Browne" <davidbaxterbrowne no potted meat@.hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:efMVTgxQGHA.5080@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> "Randall Arnold" <randall.nospam.arnold@.nokia.com.> wrote in message
> news:%23s768fwQGHA.336@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Not in the tree view, but these stored procedures should give you what you
> want:
> sp_linkedservers
> sp_catalogs
> sp_tables_ex
> sp_columns_ex
> David
>|||Randall Arnold wrote:
> Thanks Steen.
> I am not exactly impressed with Books Online. As I said in the previous
> post, I tend to find a lot of "what you need to do" but not very much "thi
s
> is how you do it", especially where fundamental details are concerned.
> That's extremely frustrating to someone trying to learn. Too many
> assumptions made on the parts of the doc guys. At the very least they cou
ld
> provide links to how-to info within those high level docs. I provide that
> feedback every chance I get.
> Randall Arnold
> "Steen Persson (DK)" <spe@.REMOVEdatea.dk> wrote in message
> news:Op0hpO5QGHA.2176@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>
I've used Books On Line for so long that I don't really remember my
first impression, but today I find it an excellent ressource and I can't
do my work without it. SQL 2005 Books On Line is a bit different and I
haven't quite get used to it yet, but I'm quite sure that it's just as
good as the old version...;-).
Regards
Steen|||Randall Arnold wrote:
> Well, thanks to Steen I did manage to find the system stored procedures, b
ut
> I don't see how they help me in my need. I can't see anything that gets m
e
> to browsing the tables of linked servers.
> I'd be more than willing to buy a book on this subject, and in fact I've
> been looking, but I can't find one that covers this subject at the level I
> need.
> Bottom line, I've been using SQL Server at a basic level for a few years
> (and using Access as a front end for tables and queries) and I'm having to
> ramp up my level of involvement. I have to create a SQL server database
> that ties together tables spanning 3 or 4 domains, at least 2 of them Orac
le
> 9.2 databases. I want to be able to view the Oracle tables in SS Manageme
nt
> Studio the same way I do native tables. Importing doesn't do me any good
> because I can't see a way to actually dynamically link to the tables as
> opposed to a static import.
> The SQL Server database is set. The linked servers are there. I just can
't
> get any farther with the resources at hand, and MS docs, as I said, come u
p
> VERY short in the tutorial department.
> Again, and and all guidance appreciated!
> Randall Arnold
Hi
I don't know what it is that fails for you when using the SP's but they
actually do work. The result may not be as simple as you want though.
I have an ORACLE server that are set up as a linked server on one of my
SQL servers, and the following works for me.
1. Run sp_tables_ex 'YourOracleLinkedserverName'. The result will be a
number of rows showing TABLE_CAT, TABLE_SCHEM, TABLE_NAME, TABLE_TYPE,
REMARKS. Here you can find the table/view you want to get the info for.
In my case the TABLE_CAT column are NULL in all cases, but I have values
in the TABLE_SCHEM,TABLE_NAME and TABLE_TYPE column.
2. If I want to get the details of a specific table, I look up the table
by using sp_tables_ex as above, and then find the TABLE_SCHEM and
TABLE_NAME in the result. In my case, I have a table called ATTRIBUTE$
belonging to the TABLE_SHEM "SYS".
If I want to see the details of this table, I run:
sp_columns_ex 'YourOracleLinkedServerName', 'ATTRIBUTE$', 'SYS'
This will then show you the fields in the table.
I don't know if this will suit your needs, but honestly I don't think
you can expect to get a "full blown" and easy overwiev of the table
structure of a linked server. If you need more than this, I think you'll
have to use the administration interface for the ORACLE server.
Regards
Steen|||I'm sure Books Online is great for people who have more experience than I do
with SQL Server. What I need are more tutorials, and I can't find them.
I still can't get this to work, and that's the source of my frustration. My
job is at stake.
Randall Arnold
"Steen Persson (DK)" <spe@.REMOVEdatea.dk> wrote in message
news:Ojw%23dSBRGHA.5092@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Randall Arnold wrote:
> I've used Books On Line for so long that I don't really remember my first
> impression, but today I find it an excellent ressource and I can't do my
> work without it. SQL 2005 Books On Line is a bit different and I haven't
> quite get used to it yet, but I'm quite sure that it's just as good as the
> old version...;-).
> Regards
> Steen|||Steen,
The problem is, as I said in another post, that I don't know what to do with
these stored procedures. I can't see how to execute them. I'm used to
running SQL Server stored procedures from an Access data project, and that's
really straight-forward. I see no way to run an sp in Management Studio.
The Help was no help whatsoever. Again: the docs say what to do, or what
something is, but not how I go about using it.
Very, very exasperating for someone trying to learn.
I also don't have direct access to the Oracle server. IT was reluctant to
even allow the read-only access I have. We are very bureaucratic here, and
developers are frowned upon.
I've determined, though, that I don't actually need to view the tables in SS
Management Studio-- I just need to link them into a new Access Data Project.
However, there is a known bug in Access that keeps DSNs from working, so
Microsoft recommends using an ODC. Well, that doesn't work, either: SQL
server fails to save the connection information for the linked Oracle server
into its properties sheet. And for reasons I absolutely cannot fathom, MS
refuses to allow those property sheets to be edited once they're created!
So, due to this simple act of stupidity, I am just flat stuck in a catch-22.
I am supposed to create and deploy this aggregated database, and the usual
MS nonsense keeps it from happening. I'm just a wee bit irritated about
that situation...
I really appreciate your efforts, though. Thanks to MS, I guess I'm doomed.
Randall Arnold
"Steen Persson (DK)" <spe@.REMOVEdatea.dk> wrote in message
news:u$Rjr0BRGHA.4956@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Randall Arnold wrote:
> Hi
> I don't know what it is that fails for you when using the SP's but they
> actually do work. The result may not be as simple as you want though.
> I have an ORACLE server that are set up as a linked server on one of my
> SQL servers, and the following works for me.
> 1. Run sp_tables_ex 'YourOracleLinkedserverName'. The result will be a
> number of rows showing TABLE_CAT, TABLE_SCHEM, TABLE_NAME, TABLE_TYPE,
> REMARKS. Here you can find the table/view you want to get the info for.
> In my case the TABLE_CAT column are NULL in all cases, but I have values
> in the TABLE_SCHEM,TABLE_NAME and TABLE_TYPE column.
> 2. If I want to get the details of a specific table, I look up the table
> by using sp_tables_ex as above, and then find the TABLE_SCHEM and
> TABLE_NAME in the result. In my case, I have a table called ATTRIBUTE$
> belonging to the TABLE_SHEM "SYS".
> If I want to see the details of this table, I run:
> sp_columns_ex 'YourOracleLinkedServerName', 'ATTRIBUTE$', 'SYS'
> This will then show you the fields in the table.
> I don't know if this will suit your needs, but honestly I don't think you
> can expect to get a "full blown" and easy overwiev of the table structure
> of a linked server. If you need more than this, I think you'll have to use
> the administration interface for the ORACLE server.
> Regards
> Steen
>