Alternatives to connect to ORACLE database server without install the Oracle client.

Question

i am looking for an Delphi component to connect to an ORACLE database server in an direct way without install the oracle client.

i knew the Oracle Data Access (ODAC) from DevArt. there are any other component with this capability?

ODAC offers two connection modes to the Oracle server: connection through the Oracle Call Interface in Client mode and direct connection over TCP/IP in Direct mode. ODAC-based database applications are easy to deploy, do not require installation of other data provider layers.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

No, there is no other Delphi Win32 libraries allowing to connect to Oracle without the installed Oracle Client. And, IMHO, that is correct, because:

1. OCI (Oracle Call Interface) is quite complex piece of software. I will say, it is most complex closed sourced DBMS Call Level Interface in the World. And it is changing from version to version. Oracle has official rule - the Oracle Client v X supports Oracle Server v X-1 ... X+1. Because even such company as Oracle, dont want to spend resources to support and test all the protocol nuances across all possible versions. So, I dont think, that DevArt ever will implement 99.9% stable Oracle SQL*Net protocol implementation. And the INet posts proof that ...
2. AFAIK, the ODAC Net mode does not support some of the Oracle Client important features and has some important limitations. Although it works well for simple data access scenarious.
3. If you dislike to install and tune the full scale Oracle Client, then you can just use Oracle Instant Client. Which does not require install or setup procedure. And you will be in safety in case of the different data access scenarious and Oracle Server versions.

PS: Although I may be considered as a biased person :)

Answer 2

The only solution I found is ODAC, and it's working very nice, I have been using it since years without getting any problem with the direct mode.

there's some limitation with the direct mode, but most of users will not get these limitations with their application.

Answer 3

There is also Allround Automations Direct Oracle Access, it do require Oracle SQL*Net or Net8. but is a brilliant component suite.