Oracle to Visual FoxPro? 2

[DanEvansJr]

I'm a Visual FoxPro Developer. We have a process here (Visual FoxPro version 9) that uses a FoxPro free table to export data into a text file that is then sent to a mainframe location. Later, an Oracle process picks this file up and imports the records into an Oracle database. We would like to eliminate the middle/mainframe process and simply have Oracle pick up the data directly from FoxPro. I know this is possible, but since it is outside the area of my expertise, I figured I would ask.

From the Oracle end, how difficult is it to connect to a FoxPro free table and do the data manipulation necessary to get the records? Has anyone done this?

We have some DBA's on staff, but my Oracle knowledge is nil, so feel free to dumb it down for me. I won't be offended. Thanks in advance to anyone that can offer assistance.

 

[LKBrwnDBA]

a) Oracle can 'pick up' the text file using either the sql*loader utility or external tables functionality.
or
b) Oracle could connect directly to foxpro using "Heterogeneous Connectivity" (Oracle Database Gateway for ODBC).



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The person who says it can't be done should not interrupt the person doing it. -- Chinese proverb

 

[DanEvansJr]

Thank you for your quick reply. Turns out the DBA's were way ahead of me on this one. I will write a process that exports the file and they're going to use SQL Loader to import.

 

[Beilstwh]

I would use an external table definition instead of sql_loader, its faster and much more flexible.

Bill
Lead Application Developer
New York State, USA

 

[DanEvansJr]

I have NO IDEA what that means. Would the DBA's have a clue?

 

[Beilstwh]

They should. External tables were introduced in Oracle 9.

Bill
Lead Application Developer
New York State, USA

 

[DanEvansJr]

Thx. I'll ask them about it. Whatever is easiest for them is what I'm shooting for.