Invoking SQL Loader with a DSN

Question

I'm trying to load some data to an Oracle database using SQL Loader. Is it possible to invoke it with specifying the server to load the data into using a DSN instead of a TNS?

Right now my command line looks like this: sqlldr uesr/password@tns_id..., I'd like to replace tns_id with a DSN that points to tns_id. Can SQL Loader figure out the TNS from the DSN by itself?

Answer 1

A database can be identified (in Oracle terms) by a hostname, port (generally 1521) and service/sid.

SQL Loader won't be able to work with a DSN itself, but if you can use Windows scripting or similar to worm the host/port/service information out, you'll be most of the way there.

---

With a full client installed and a tnsnames.ora do a

tnsping dbname

You should get something like

Attempting to contact 
(DESCRIPTION = (ENABLE=BROKEN) (ADDRESS_LIST = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = hostname)(PORT = 1521))) (CONNECT_DATA = (SERVICE_NAME = servname)))
OK (30 msec)

You should then be able to do

sqlplus user/pass@hostname:1521/servname