Most ASP developers are familiar with data connections using ActiveX Data Objects (ADO). However, Oracle provides the OraSession object to manage collections of OraConnection, OraDatabase, and OraDynaset objects used within your application.

You must first create a data control using Oracle's SQL*Net Easy Configuration. Select SQL*Net Easy Configuration from your Program menu.

Select the radio button to "Add Database Alias." Then select "OK."

Type in the name of the alias to identify the database you wish to access. This can be any name you wish to give it.

Select the Protocol.

Type in either the Host Name or IP address of the server and the Database Instance.

Then confirm the addition of this instance:

Now you are ready to use this connection in your ASP pages. I create include files (with an .asp extension) to open and close my data connections. In the database.asp include file I would include functions to open and close the data connections. The include file would be included at the top of the asp page which utilizes data connections. Then, the open and close functions could be called as needed:

<%
' Declare OLE object variables
Dim ses As Object	
Dim db As Object

Sub DataOpen
   ' Create the OraSession Object

set ses = CreateObject("OracleInProcServer.XOraSession")
   ' Open a connection to Oracle
   set db = ses.OpenDatabase("DemoDB","Username/Password",0)      
End Sub

Sub DataClose
   ' Close the connection
   db.Close
   Set db = Nothing
End Sub
%>

<!--#include virtual="/include/database.asp"-->