What I do is (belt and suspenders approach) a) Set the system environment variable TNS_ADMIN b) In each %ORACLE_HOME%/netxxx/admin directory, have a {config_file_name}.ora file that only includes the one line "ifile = c:\my_directory\{config_file_name}.ora". I've never had a problem doing it this way. > -----Original Message----- > Niall Litchfield > > The separate directory thing does make sense. I have had > nothing but grief with system environment variables. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: JohnF@xxxxxxxx > > > > I was just reading a metalink article yesterday that suggests > > that you forget > > trying to set TNS_ADMIN in the registry, and set it as an > > environment variable > > instead. In my Win2000 system, that means go to control > > panel, system, choose > > the Advanced tab, press the environment variables button. > > The article also > > recommends that you create a directory outside of any of your > > Oracle_Homes and > > put the network configuration files there, with the > > appropriate setting of > > TNS_ADMIN. That way, if you reinstall, upgrade, delete, or > > otherwise hose an > > Oracle Home, your network settings will be unharmed. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. -- Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html -----------------------------------------------------------------