Crystal Reports 2008 Unknown Database Connection Error to Oracle server

Question

I'm having some problems here with Crystal reports 2008 SP3 installed on Windows 7 64bit with Oracle 10g client. Whenever I try to run a report or do a Database verify or Logon to the database I get the quite unhelpful "Unknown Database Connection Error " error message. The only option from here is to click OK.

Oracle 10g is installed as Runtime and has 10.2.04 patch applied. Oracle path setting is correct and Oracle is working with an bespoke Oracle Application as well as SQLPlus TNSPing etc...

There is some evidence of people having this problem around the web but no definite resolution. Does anyone here have any good suggestions? Thanks

sqlnet.ora settings

trace_level_client = 16 
trace_file_client = cli 
trace_directory_client = c:\trace 
trace_unique_client = on 
trace_timestamp_client = on 
trace_filelen_client = 100 
trace_fileno_client = 2 
log_file_client = cli 
log_directory_client = c:\trace\log 
tnsping.trace_directory = c:\trace\trace 
tnsping.trace_level = admin

This error is being raised by Crystal, right? Have you turned on sqlnet client-side connection logging (in sqlnet.ora as I recall) to see if a connection attempt is being made? — David Aldridge
hi, you are correct the error is raised by Crystal. I have added the following to my sqlnet.ora file (shown in main question for clarity) but it doesn't create any trace info. Should I be adding some more lines — Purplemonkey
Sounds like Crystal isn't even finding the SQLNet installation. Crystal wouldn't be installed as a different user to the account you tested with, would it? No tricky spaces in the path at all? — David Aldridge
Crystal annoyingly insists on installing into \program files (x86)\... I've tried forcing to \program files\ but it simply ignores me and goes to the former folder. — Purplemonkey
What's the path to sqlnet like? Crystal always struck me as the kind of software that could not take a sqlnet path with a space in it. — David Aldridge

Flapper Flapper · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-15T11:12:31

I've just encountered a similar error but with SQL server. In my case it was because the database name had a "." in it. This link http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/itanswers/cr-xi-period-in-database-name/ indicated that it doesnt appear to work and a database rename is needed.

Crystal Reports 2008 Unknown Database Connection Error to Oracle server

1 Answers