How do you install cx_Oracle for Python on RHEL?

Question

I'm using Active Python since I don't want to be stuck with an old version of Python. I installed the instant client, and added the exports to my bash profile, but I'm getting this cryptic error:

# apy setup.py install --no-compile --root=/tmp/tmpz0JuWASA/cx_Oracle-5.1/_pypminstroot
running install
running build
running build_ext
building 'cx_Oracle' extension
gcc -pthread -fno-strict-aliasing -fPIC -g -O2 -DNDEBUG -g -fwrapv -O3 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -fPIC -I/usr/lib/oracle/11.2/sdk/include -I/opt/ActivePython-2.7/include/python2.7 -c cx_Oracle.c -o build/temp.linux-x86_64-2.7-11g/cx_Oracle.o -DBUILD_VERSION=5.0.4
In file included from /opt/ActivePython-2.7/include/python2.7/Python.h:58,
                 from cx_Oracle.c:6:
/opt/ActivePython-2.7/include/python2.7/pyport.h:849:2: error: #error "LONG_BIT definition appears wrong for platform (bad gcc/glibc config?)."
In file included from /usr/lib/oracle/11.2/sdk/include/oci.h:3029,
                 from cx_Oracle.c:10:
/usr/lib/oracle/11.2/sdk/include/ociap.h:10788: warning: function declaration isn’t a prototype
/usr/lib/oracle/11.2/sdk/include/ociap.h:10794: warning: function declaration isn’t a prototype
error: command 'gcc' failed with exit status 1

Ben Ben · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-21T23:26:49

I took all of this from this blog here if you need more details.

I did this and it worked perfectly. Here is the quick summary. First go get the oracle client stuff for your version of oracle (link is in blog)

Then download to your /tmp/ folder and run the install

rpm -ivh oracle-instantclient-basic-10.2.0.4-1.x86_64.rpm

Now this was the part I struggled with, make sure ALL of your environmental variables are right. Also don't just copy these, go and confirm where your oracle stuff was installed.

echo export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/oracle/10.2.0.4/client64/lib/ >> ~/.bashrc
echo export ORACLE_HOME=/usr/lib/oracle/10.2.0.4/client64 >> ~/.bashrc
echo export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH >> ~/.bashrc

Now you can go to the ox_Oracle site, make sure to download the version that matches your version of python (if you are not sure run python -V) and your version of the oracle driver.

Download to your TMP folder, install and test with

python -c "import cx_Oracle"

If that doesn't work check that blog, maybe I missed something. It worked for me on a fresh install. Thank goodness.

Sorry... not enough reputation points to give more live links... so you have to copy and paste or go to the blog.

How do you install cx_Oracle for Python on RHEL?

3 Answers