Be careful installing cumulative patches

I can't stress the importance of making sure you read all of the instructions in the readme files that come with the cumulative patches. For example, the readme for cumulative patch 8 on Windows has the following statement concerning OPatch:

2. It is always recommended to have the lastest 1.0.0.0.xx opatch version.
Minimum opatch version is 1.0.0.0.57
Opatch version can be checked following the below steps:
- set ORACLE_HOME=
- set OPatch in the PATH
- opatch version

However, the same readme for the Linux install has this statement:

2. It is always recommended to have the lastest 1.0.0.0.xx opatch version.
Minimum opatch version is 1.0.0.0.58
Opatch version can be checked following the below steps:
- set ORACLE_HOME=
- set OPatch in the PATH
- opatch version

Notice that the minimum OPatch versions are different. This is very important.

Warning: If you attempt to install CP8 on Linux using OPatch 1.0.0.0.57 the install will fail and you will get a message saying that the inventory could not be updated.

Unfortunately, by this point the cumulative patch code will already have deleted some required files and so now even your original Discoverer will not work. The solution is to install the correct version of OPatch and rerun the cumulative patch. It will now put the right, required files in place and Discoverer Plus will operate correctly.

The moral of the story is to read the installation notes carefully so that you don't get caught out.

Revised Apps mode white paper

As many of you already know I am the author of several white papers on Discoverer.

I am pleased to be able to let you know that I have today publised a fully revised version of the popular Setting up an Apps mode EUL.

You will find it on my downloads page.

It has the following 5 sections:

1. Installing the Admin software
2. Setting up Discoverer to work with E-Business Suite
3. Patching Discoverer Admin to the correct level
4. Creating an E-Business Suite End User Layer
5. Setting up E-Business Suite privileges