Common Questions and Answers

• Q. If I need only extract (dump) data from Oracle into flat ASCII files without loading into target database, what should I provide for target database?
  
• A. FastReader Manger does not require defining the destination data source. Use the same connection data for target database (Destination DB) as for Source database. If you are using FastReader Manager (GUI), in 'DestinationDB' tab click 'From SourceDB' button, which will copy connection data from the source database.
  
• Q. I want to download evaluation of FastReader for platform that is not available on download page.
• A. In case a FastReader version for the required platform is not in the list below please send a request to info@wisdomforce.com to receive a FastReader version for the required platform by email.
  
• Q. I registered to download a trial and provided my valid email during registration. However still did not receive the valid trial license key.
• A. Some email service providers inadvertently block your permission-based emails in an attempt to cut back on the amount of unwanted spam. You may need to add "@wisdomforce.com" domain to your email account safe list to ensure timely delivery of email from WisdomForce.
  Or simply send a request to support@wisdomforce.com to receive the evaluation key.
  
• Q. Does FastReader supports direct path unload on Oracle ASM?
• A. Absolutely, FastReader supports Direct Path data unload on Automatic Storage Management (ASM)
  
• Q. Does FastReader supports direct path unload from Oracle Compressed Tables?
• A. Absolutely, FastReader supports both Direct Path and Conventional data unload from Oracle compressed tables and enables the high performance extract and load
  
• Q. Does FastReader support Oracle RAC?
• A. Absolutely, FastReader supports Direct and Conventional Path data unload from Oracle RAC(Real Application Clusters) enabled systems. Additional configuration settings have to be provided. See User Guide for more options
  
• Q. Which file should I execute?
• A. FastReader software has a FastReader Manager with the GUI and the actual high-performance engine. In order to configure the extract process or create a DDL schema creation, please use a FastReader Manager that started using gui.sh in Unix/Linux and gui.cmd in Windows.
  FastReader engine can be started either from the GUI (green arrow menu button) or from the command line by executing unload.cmd in Windows and xunload.sh in Unix/Linux. There is another script for UNIX/Linux unload.sh that will run silently in background.
  Please use check cm_unload_example.cmd (or cm_unload_example.cmd on Unix) when you would like to provide command line parameters or from your own scripts.
  The environment has to be set on Unix and Linux prior to calling ./FastReader directly. FastReader has a rich command line support. For more details, please check FastReader User Guide.
  
  
• Q. Does FastReader supports unload into EBCDIC or COMP-3?
• A. Absolutely, in addition to ASCII and fixed length FastReader supports Direct and Conventional Path data unload into EBCDIC character set and COMP-3 format.
  You can specify the required output format when configuring FastReader:
  - Output into EBCDIC in addition to ASCII ( when required the output in the IBM EBCDIC format and plain ASCII text is expected)
  - Convert Oracle numbers into the packed decimal comp3 format (when there is a requirement to read the output file with COBOL or other language that has built-in COMP3 support)
  - Convert UTF16 CLOBs into UTF8 (could be used when default NLS character set is one of the UTF16 variants)
  
• Q. Do you support log based change data capture to manage only the transactional changes (delta)?
• A. WisdomForce Database Sync (DBSync) is a WisdomForce product that supports transactional log based Change Data Capture (CDC).
  Database Sync enables high-performance extract and load of just transactional changes (inserts, updates and deletes) in heterogeneous environment.
  

Common Errors and Answers

• Q. While executing FastReader engine, I am getting a following error: 'TNS:listener could not resolve SERVICE_NAME given in connect descriptor.'
  However there is no issues when connecting in FastReader Manager (GUI).
• A. FastReader Manager (executed by gui.cmd or gui.sh) uses jdbc connection driver. FastReader engine uses the SERVICE_NAME to make the connection by default. FastReader engine is using the connection string as shown below:
  (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=hostname)
  (PORT=port)))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME=instancename)))
  You can try resolving the issue by connecting using ORACLE_SID in FastReader, please set the following parameter in the unload.ini file or in the GUI: use_sid_instead_of_service=true . Another option is to set FastReader to perform a direct (bequeath) connection by setting the parameter: instance=/ in the unload.ini file or choosing 'connect direct' in the GUI.


• Q. While executing FastReader Manager (GUI), I am getting a following error: 'I/O Exception: Connection refused(DESCRIPTION=(TMP=)(VSNNUM=135290880)(ERR=12505)(ERROR_STACK=(ERROR =(CODE=12505)(EMFI=4)))).'
• A. FastReader Manager (executed by gui.cmd or gui.sh) uses jdbc connection driver. The error's meaning that the instance (database) name in the JDBC URL is invalid.
  Please check with your Oracle DBA or look in tnsnames.ora for valid instance (database) name.


• Q. While executing FastReader Manager (GUI), I am getting a following error: 'I/O Exception: The Network Adapter could not establish the connection'
• A. FastReader Manager (executed by gui.cmd or gui.sh) uses jdbc connection driver. The error's meaning that the IP address, machine name or Oracle listener port is incorrect in the JDBC URL.
  Please check with your Oracle DBA or look in tnsnames.ora for valid values.


• Q. I am running FastReader with ASM using direct path unload. During execution there is an error ORA-12528 occurs
• A. If you encounter the error ORA-12528 while running FastReader on an Oracle Database which uses Automatic Storage Management (ASM) you need to add the ASM instance to your listener.ora configuration file (or equivalent) and restart the oracle listener.
  (SID_DESC = (SID_NAME = +ASM) (ORACLE_HOME = YOUR_ORACLE_HOME) )
  *Note: Replace YOUR_ORACLE_HOME with your own ORACLE HOME path. (For example: E:oracleproduct10.2.0) Please perform a one time operation. Edit your listener.ora configuration file (or equivalent) and add the ASM instance to the SID_LIST. Restart the oracle listener and run FastReader again. From now the ASM instance will be accessible via the listener.
  For example:

  SID_LIST_LISTENER =
    (SID_LIST =
  ...
  OTHER INSTANCES HERE
  ....
      (SID_DESC =
       (SID_NAME = +ASM)
       (ORACLE_HOME = E:oracleproduct10.2.0)
      )
    )
  

  *Note: Replace E:oracleproduct10.2.0 with your own ORACLE HOME path.
• Q. While starting FastReader Manager (GUI) on Linux, sometimes it hangs:
• A. Unlike FastReader engine, FastReader Manager (executed by gui.sh on Linux) uses Java Runtime. When it hangs please try to use the Java included with the Oracle Software instead of GCJ Java which is probably being used
  the following example path bellow is for Oracle 10g: before starting the GUI set the JAVA_HOME environment variable

  For tcsh shell
  setenv JAVA_HOME $ORACLE_HOME/jre/1.4.2/
  
  for bash shell
  export JAVA_HOME=$ORACLE_HOME/jre/1.4.2/
  

  or edit the gui.sh file and add the full path to the java execution call.