Master Note for Troubleshooting Oracle Reports REP-501 Error Message (Doc ID 1296849.1)

Last updated on NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Applies to:

Oracle Reports Developer - Version 6.0.8 and later
Oracle Forms - Version 6.0.8 and later
Information in this document applies to any platform.

Details

REP-501 Unable To Connect To Specified Database

This Master note is intended to provide an index and references to the most frequently used My Oracle Support Notes with respect to Oracle Reports REP-501 error. This

Master Note is subdivided into categories to allow for easy access and reference to notes that are applicable to your area of interest, within the Oracle Reports.

This note applies to the following versions of Oracle Reports:

Oracle Reports 6i to 12c

This includes the following troubleshooting categories based on the scenario where you get the REP-501 error:

Generic

rwclient with Secure Password Wallet

rwconverter

Reports Builder

cgicmd.dat file related

tnsnames.ora corruption

Using Externally Authorised User (OPS$)

Using AUTHID parameter

Reports Server Windows Specific version 6i

Windows Specific 11g

Only running reports request on the web

NLS_LANG environment variable related

SQL*Net Related

RDBMS related

Known issue from 9.0.4.x to 10.1.2.2 fixed in 10.1.2.3

Known issue in 11g version

Forms Related

Intermittent

Tracing

Passwords with Special Characters

Before proceeding, please perform a quick test by attempting to connect to same user and same database using SQL*Plus.

Reports 12c Example:

1. Set your environment by using sourcing reports.sh:
     cd $DOMAIN_HOME/reports/bin
     . ./reports.sh

2. Try to connect using sqlplus:
     cd $ORACLE_HOME/bin
     ./sqlplus user/password@db

           (where user/password@db is the same connect string used in your call to Reports)

3. If it works, then your connect string is okay. Please proceed to Actions section below for further troubleshooting.

4. If it fails, then it is not an Oracle Reports issue. The connection must work with SQL*Plus before it can work with Oracle Reports.

Actions

Generic

Fusion Middleware Reports "ABC" Health Check

REP-0501, ORA-12203 Running Report where Path/Report Name Contains a Space

rwclient with Secure Password Wallet

REP-501 When Use Secure Password Wallet with Rwclient.sh

rwconverter

rwconverter.sh Errors Out with: REP-0501 ORA-12162 REP-0309

Reports Builder

12C: Using Report Builder or Report Server Errors With: REP-0501 / ORA-12154

cgicmd.dat related

%0-%9 Parameters Cgicmd.Dat For Any Parameter Adds "=" Results In Error

tnsnames.ora corruption

After Applying Changes in Oracle Reports Configuration Files, Unexpected Errors Are Generated (Config Files Become Corrupted)

When using Externally Authorised User (OPS$)

REP-501 Error When Connecting to Oracle Reports Using Externally Authorised User

When using AUTHID

AUTHID LONGER THAN 64 CHARACTERS CAUSES REP-501 ORA-24960

Reports Server Windows Specific version 6i

REP-501 or REP-110 when Running Report via Reports Server as a Service

Windows Specific 11g

Reports ignores TNS_ADMIN value if set other than ORACLE_INSTANCE\config

Only running on the web

Special Characters in Username or Password Generates rep-501 Error when calling report from URL

NLS_LANG related

"REP-501" And "ORA-12705" Errors Encountered When Running Any Report

Getting REP-501 After Database Upgraded to 11g R1 Or Later

Known issue from 9.0.4.x to 10.1.2.2 fixed in 10.1.2.3

Reports Fail with REP-501 after Losing Database Connection

Known issue in 11g version

REP-300: Oci_invalid_handle / REP-501 Reports Engine Crash

REP-501 and FRM-41214 Using RUN_REPORT_OBJECT With A Space In the Username or PASWORD

FRM-41214 TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE, COMMON CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

ORA-1017 and FRM-41352 With Lower Case OID Password Using Open_Form

Rep-501 (Database Connection) on Report Calling Paramform and RUN_REPORT_OBJECT

Rep-501: Unable To Connect To The Specified Database.

ORA-1017 or REP-501: Unable To Connect To The Specified Database, When Users Are Identified Globally

Intermittent

Intermittent Rep-501 reproducible just when the reports are called from Forms

Intermittent REP-501 Error in Showjobs Listing; ORA-2391 Found in rwEng-0.trc Trace.

Rep-300: Oci_invalid_handle: Reports Engine Crash

Tracing

Enabling Reports Trace option when dealing with a REP-501 error is worth it because some underlying errors will be recorded in trace files and those are the ones that will help to narrow down issue to find out the root cause for this REP-501.

Logging and Tracing in Reports 9.0.x / 10.1.2.x

Logging and Tracing in Reports 11g. A Quick Reference Guide

How to Enable Reports Engine/Server/Servlet/Zrclient Trace in Reports 12c

Passwords With Special Characters

Using $ in userid password errors with: REP-0177, REP-0501: The Specified Database Cannot Be Connected.
REP-501 / ORA-12162 / ORA-03147 When Execute Rwconverter.sh With Userid Password Containing "$" Special Character; SQL*Plus Okay