Oracle B32100-01 User Manual

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Can I Use Symbolic Links?
3-2
Oracle Application Server Installation Guide
If you plan to install a middle tier and an infrastructure on the same computer, you 
must install them in different Oracle home directories. The installer does not allow you 
to install a middle tier and an infrastructure in the same Oracle home. 
3.1.1 Installing in an Existing Oracle Home
Generally, you cannot install Oracle Application Server in an existing Oracle home. See 
 on page 2-27 for a list of combinations that are not allowed.
3.1.2 Installing in a Non-Empty Oracle Home
You cannot install Oracle Application Server in a directory that already contains some 
files, except for the cases mentioned in 
. For example, if you cancel an installation, or if an installation failed, you have 
to clean up the directory before you can reinstall Oracle Application Server in it. Also, 
the installer cannot "repair" an installation. See 
 for instructions on how to clean up the directory.
3.2 Can I Use Symbolic Links?
You can create symbolic links before installing Oracle Application Server and use them 
during installation. For example, if you run the following commands:
prompt> mkdir /home/basedir
prompt> ln -s /home/basedir /home/linkdir
then, when you run the installer, you can specify /home/linkdir as the Oracle 
Home.
After installation, you cannot create symbolic links to the Oracle Home. You also may 
not move the Oracle Home to a different location and create a symbolic link to the 
original Oracle Home.
3.3 First-Time Installation of Any Oracle Product
If Oracle Application Server is the first Oracle product to be installed on a computer, 
the installer displays a screen where you specify an "inventory" directory (also called 
the "oraInventory" directory). This inventory directory is used by the installer to keep 
track of all Oracle products installed on the computer.
The inventory directory is separate from the Oracle home directory for Oracle 
Application Server.
Notes:
Spaces are not allowed anywhere in the Oracle home 
directory path. For example, you cannot install in 
"/opt/oracle/app server/Infra" because of the space character 
in "app server". The installer does not check for this until several 
screens after you have entered the path.
Tip:
If you install multiple Oracle Application Server instances 
(for example, an OracleAS Infrastructure and a middle tier) on the 
same computer, create scripts for setting the environment for each 
instance. This is to ensure that you run the binaries from the proper 
Oracle home. Environment variables that you need to set include 
ORACLE_HOME and PATH.