A.3.2 Install Oracle Instant Client

Oracle Machine Learning for R requires Oracle Database Client.

Instead of installing the full Database Client, which must be installed in an Oracle home directory, you can install Oracle Instant Client.

To download and install Oracle Instant Client:

1. Create an installation directory for the OML4R client components. The directory can have any name. For example:

   c:\myoml4rclient
   

2. Navigate to the Oracle Database Instant Client website.

3. Click the Download Now button.

4. On the Oracle Instant Client Downloads page, select Instant Client for Microsoft Windows (x64).

5. Under Version 12.1.0.2.0, select Instant Client Package - Basic for Oracle Database 12.1.

6. Save the file in the installation directory that you created in Step 1. For example, if you choose the basic package, the following file is downloaded:

   c:\myoml4rclient\instantclient-basic-windows.x64-12.1.0.2.0.zip
   

7. Unzip the file.

   When you unzip the file, the instantclient_12_1 subdirectory is created. The contents of the installation directory are shown as follows:

   myoml4rclient
     instantclient_12_1
       vc10
       vc11
       vc12

8. Return to the Instant Client Downloads for Microsoft Windows (x64) page.

9. Accept the license agreement and select Instant Client Package - SDK. Save the file in the directory that you created in Step 1.

   c:\myoml4rclient\instantclient-sdk-windows.x64-12.1.0.2.0.zip
   

10. Unzip the file.

    When you unzip the file, the sdk subdirectory is created. The contents of the installation directory are shown as follows:

    myoml4rclient
      instantclient_12_1
        help
        sdk
        vc10
        vc11
        vc12

11. Add the full path of the Instant Client to the environment variables OCI_LIB64 and PATH. The following steps set the variables to the path used in this example, c:\myoml4rclient\instantclient_12_1:

    1. In Windows Control Panel, choose System.

    2. Click Advanced systems settings.

    3. On the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables.

    4. Under System variables, create OCI_LIB64 if it does not already exist. Set the value of OCI_LIB64 to c:\oml4rclient\instantclient_12_1.

    5. Under System variables, edit PATH to include c:\myoml4rclient\instantclient_12_1.

       Note:

       The graphical user interface for creating environment variables may vary slightly, depending on your version of Windows.

       To be able to load the ROracle package, you must first add the full path of the Oracle Instant Client to the PATH and the OCI_LIB64 environment variables. For troubleshooting tips, refer to the Troubleshooting section in the ROracle INSTALL file on CRAN at ROracle INSTALL.