Install Oracle (cx_Oracle) module for Python

Oracle Database connector module for Python

I came across several (CodingNaked WebSite & Pedro Emanuel de Castro Faria Blog ) howTo's on the internet explaining how to compile and install previous versions of this connector. I decided to write my own howTo describing the latest version of the module (as of writing cx_Oracle 5.0).

(I am assuming you have the Xcode developers tools already installed since you will need the GCC compiler)

You need the follwing software:

Oracle Instant Client
cx_Oracle Module 5.0

Download the following packages from the Oracle Instant client site:

Instant Client Package - Basic
Instant Client Package - SQL*Plus
Instant Client Package - SDK

Extact all of these, then place their contents into a single directory

In my case I created a director called /opt/oracle/instantclient_10_2, and place all of the contents from all three archives in this directory.

Then run the following commands (assuming you created the same directory)

cd /opt/oracle/instantclient_10_2
ln -s libclntsh.dylib.10.1 libclntsh.dylib

Now you need to edit you profile:

sudo nano -w /etc/profile

Copy and paste the below (Please note the paths and adjust accordingly)

ORACLE_HOME="/opt/oracle"
export ORACLE_HOME

DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH="$ORACLE_HOME/instantclient_10_2"
export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH

SQLPATH="$ORACLE_HOME/instantclient_10_2"
export SQLPATH

export PATH="$PATH:$ORACLE_HOME/instantclient_10_2"

now run the following commands (you need to do this or the build will fail).

cd /opt/oracle/
ln -s libclntsh.dylib.10.1 libclntsh.dylib

I extracted the cx_Oracle module to /opt/oracle/cx_Oracle-5.0. All you have to do now is run these commands at the module will be built and installed.

cd /opt/oracle/cx_Oracle-5.0
sudo python setup.py build
sudo python setup.py install