# Confused about Ruby database interfaces available on rubyfor **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [May 20, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/confused-about-ruby-database-interfaces-available-on-rubyfor/95046 "2006-05-20T00:36:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alan](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@alan](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/alan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/confused-about-ruby-database-interfaces-available-on-rubyfor/95046/1 "2006-05-20T00:36:56Z")
Hi, I am trying use Ruby to access to our Oracle database on our windows XP and Linux machines. I also prefer to use DBI interface. I have downloaded dbi-0.1.0.tar.gz from this location: [http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group\_id=234&release\_id=4323](http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group_id=234&release_id=4323) dbi-0.1.0.tar.gz doesnâ??t have the OCI8 dbd driver and the installer doesnâ??t work. I struggled and finally managed to copy files manually and make ODBC and ADO DBDs work on windows only. I cannot introduce this to my client as a multiplatform scripting solution for accessing to our database! It is a mess!!! From the other side, there is Ruby/OCI8 available here: [http://www.jiubao.org/ruby-oci8/](http://www.jiubao.org/ruby-oci8/) Is this something than I can combine with DBI to have the DBD::OCI8? I apologize if I sound a little bit frustrated. I am looking for a reliable Ruby database access solution. I have posted question here (see [ODBC Database Connectivity - Ruby - Ruby-Forum](http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/64065#70882)) and it seems people using DBI just fine. I donâ??t know how come I cannot find right package to download and use!!! Any help would be appreciated, Alan ---
**Author:** ![alan](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@alan](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/alan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/confused-about-ruby-database-interfaces-available-on-rubyfor/95046/2 "2006-05-20T18:55:05Z")
On 5/20/06, Alan [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > From the other side, there is Ruby/OCI8 available here: > [http://www.jiubao.org/ruby-oci8/](http://www.jiubao.org/ruby-oci8/) > Is this something than I can combine with DBI to have the DBD::OCI8? Yes. In order to get Ruby’s DBI to work with Oracle, you need to install both Ruby-DBI and Kubo-san’s Ruby-OCI8 module (which includes the DBD driver). Note that you’ll probably also need at the very least the Oracle Instant Client [1] in order to build the OCI8 module. > I apologize if I sound a little bit frustrated. I am looking for a > reliable Ruby database access solution. I have posted question here (see > [ODBC Database Connectivity - Ruby - Ruby-Forum](http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/64065#70882)) and it seems people using > DBI just fine. I don’t know how come I cannot find right package to > download and use!!! Don’t panic… I think this just ought to be better documented. So the steps are: 1. Download the Instant Client libraries and _install them properly_ with the correct values for the ORACLE\_HOME and LD\_LIBRARY\_PATH environment variables set. Best to put these in your system /etc/profile; if these variables aren’t properly set, no program using the instant client libraries will function correctly (this is not a Ruby issue, but an Oracle issue) 2. Download and install Ruby-DBI 3. Download and install the Ruby-OCI8 package. Since I have almost never programmed Ruby on Windows, and have never written a Windows program to access an Oracle database, I’m sorry I can’t help on that end. [1] > **[Get the latest product technical information from Oracle](https://www.oracle.com/technical-resources/)** > > Oracle Technical Resources provides services and resources to help developers, DBAs, and architects build, deploy, manage, and optimize applications