ConnectionString

This property specifies connection information used to connect to an Oracle database.

Declaration

// C#
public override string ConnectionString{get; set;}

Property Value

If the connection string is supplied through the constructor, this property is set to that string.

Implements

IDbConnection

Exceptions

ArgumentException - An invalid syntax is specified for the connection string.

InvalidOperationException - ConnectionString is being set while the connection is open.

Remarks

The default value is an empty string.

ConnectionString must be a string of attribute name and value pairings, separated by a semi-colon, for example:

"User Id=scott;password=tiger;data source=oracle"

If the ConnectionString is not in a proper format, an exception is thrown. All spaces are ignored unless they are within double quotes.

When the ConnectionString property is set, the OracleConnection object immediately parses the string for errors. An ArgumentException is thrown if the ConnectionString contains invalid attributes or invalid values. Attribute values for User Id, Password, Proxy User Id, Proxy Password, and Data Source (if provided) are not validated until the Open method is called.

The connection must be closed to set the ConnectionString property. When the ConnectionString property is reset, all previously set values are reinitialized to their default values before the new values are applied.

Starting with ODP.NET 11.1, password and proxy password connection string attribute values are accepted as case-sensitive strings. Thus, they are passed to the database for authentication in the case provided in the connection string. Therefore, if the database is configured to support case-sensitive passwords, passwords must be passed in the correct case.

If a connection string attribute is set more than once, the last setting takes effect and no exceptions are thrown.

Boolean connection string attributes can be set to either true, false, yes, or no.

Remarks (.NET Stored Procedure)

To obtain an OracleConnection object in a .NET stored procedure that represents the implicit database connection, set the ConnectionString property of the OracleConnection object to "context connection=true" and invoke the Open method. Other connection string attributes cannot be used in conjunction with "context connection" when it is set to true.

Supported Connection String Attributes

Table 7-47 lists the supported connection string attributes.

Table 7-47 Supported Connection String Attributes

Connection String Attribute	Description	Default Value
`Application Continuity`	Enables database requests to automatically replay transactional or non-transactional operations in a non-disruptive and rapid manner in the event of a severed database session, which results in a recoverable error. Not Available in ODP.NET, Managed Driver and ODP.NET Core	`true`
`Connection Lifetime`	Minimum life time (in seconds) of the connection. This attribute specifies the lifetime of the connection in seconds. Before the `Connection` is placed back into the pool upon a `Close()` or `Dispose()` call, the lifetime of the connection is checked. If the lifetime of the connection exceeds this property value and the number of connections will not fall below Min Pool Size, then the connection is destroyed. If this property value is `0`, then the connection lifetime is never checked.	`0`
`Connection Timeout`	The time to wait (in seconds) for a new connection or an idle connection from the connection pool before a connection time out error can occur. This attribute specifies the minimum amount of time (in seconds) that the `Open()` method must take to obtain a pooled connection before it terminates the request. This value comes into effect only if no free connection is available from the connection pool and the `Max` `Pool` `Size` is reached. If a free connection is not available within the specified time, an exception is thrown. `Connection` `Timeout` does not limit the time required to open new connections. This attribute value takes effect for pooled connection requests and not for new connection requests. (The default value is `0` for the implicit database connection in a .NET stored procedure.)	`15`
`Context` `Connection`	Returns an implicit database connection if set to `true`. An implicit database connection can only be obtained from within a .NET stored procedure. Other connection string attributes cannot be used in conjunction with `"context` `connection"` when it is set to `true`. Supported in a .NET stored procedure only	`false`
`Data Source`	Oracle Net Services Name, Connect Descriptor, or an easy connect naming that identifies the database to which to connect.	empty string
`DBA Privilege`	Administrative privileges `SYSDBA` or `SYSOPER`. This connection string attribute only accepts `SYSDBA` or `SYSOPER` as the attribute value. It is case-insensitive.	empty string
`Decr Pool Size`	Number of connections that are closed when an excessive amount of established connections are unused. This connection string attribute controls the maximum number of unused connections that are closed when the pool regulator makes periodic checks. The regulator thread is spawned every 3 minutes and closes up to `Decr` `Pool` `Size` amount of pooled connections if they are not used. The pool regulator never takes the total number of connections below the `Min` `Pool` `Size` by closing pooled connections.	`1`
`Enlist`	Controls the enlistment behavior and capabilities of a connection in context of COM+ transactions or `System.Transactions`. If this attribute is set to `true`, the connection is automatically enlisted in the thread's transaction context. If this attribute is `false`, no enlistments are made. If this attribute is set to `dynamic`, applications can dynamically enlist in distributed transactions. This attribute can be set to `true`, `false`, `yes`, `no`, or `dynamic`.	`true`
`HA` `Events`	Enables ODP.NET connection pool to proactively remove connections from the pool when an Oracle database service, service member, or node goes down. This feature can be used with Global Data Services, including Oracle RAC, Data Guard, GoldenGate, and single instance deployments. "`pooling=true`" must also be set This attribute can be set to `true`, `false`, `yes`, or `no`.	`true`
`Load` `Balancing`	Enables ODP.NET connection pool to balance work requests across Oracle database instances based on the load balancing advisory and service goal. This feature can be used with Global Data Services, including Oracle RAC, Active Data Guard, and GoldenGate. "`pooling=true`" must also be set. This attribute can be set to `true`, `false`, `yes`, or `no`.	`true`
`Incr Pool Size`	Number of new connections to be created when all connections in the pool are in use. This connection string attribute determines the number of new connections that are established when a pooled connection is requested, but no unused connections are available and `Max` `Pool` `Size` is not reached. If new connections have been created for a pool, the regulator thread skips a cycle and does not have an opportunity to close any connections for 6 minutes. Note, however, that some connections can be still be closed during this time if their lifetime has been exceeded.	`5`
`Max Pool Size`	Maximum number of connections in a pool. This attribute specifies the maximum number of connections allowed in the particular pool used by that `OracleConnection`. Simply changing this attribute in the connection string does not change the `Max` `Pool` `Size` restriction on a currently existing pool. Doing so simply creates a new pool with a different `Max` `Pool` `Size` restriction. This attribute must be set to a value greater than the `Min` `Pool` `Size`. This value is ignored unless `Pooling` is turned on.	`100`
`Metadata` `Pooling`	Caches metadata information. This attribute indicates whether or not metadata information for executed queries are cached for improved performance.	`True`
`Min Pool Size`	Minimum number of connections in a pool. This attribute specifies the minimum number of connections to be maintained by the pool during its entire lifetime. Simply changing this attribute in the connection string does not change the `Min` `Pool` `Size` restriction on a currently existing pool. Doing so simply creates a new pool with a different `Min` `Pool` `Size` restriction. This value is ignored unless `Pooling` is turned on.	`1`
`Password`	Password for the user specified by `User` `Id`. This attribute specifies an Oracle user's password. `Password` is case-sensitive by default for Oracle Database 11g release 1 (11.1) and later.	empty string
`Persist Security Info`	Retrieval of the password in the connection string. If this attribute is set to `false`, the `Password` value setting is not returned when the application requests the `ConnectionString` after the connection is successfully opened by the `Open()` method. This attribute can be set to either `true`, `false`, `yes`, or `no`.	`false`
`Pooling`	Connection pooling. This attribute specifies whether or not connection pooling is to be used. Pools are created using an attribute value matching algorithm. This means that connection strings which only differ in the number of spaces in the connection string use the same pool. If two connection strings are identical except that one sets an attribute to a default value while the other does not set that attribute, both requests obtain connections from the same pool. This attribute can be set to either `true`, `false`, `yes`, or `no`.	`true`
`Proxy User Id`	User name of the proxy user. This connection string attribute specifies the middle-tier user, or the proxy user, who establishes a connection on behalf of a client user specified by the `User` `Id` attribute. ODP.NET attempts to establish a proxy connection if either the `Proxy` `User` `Id` or the `Proxy` `Password` attribute is set to a non-empty string. For the proxy user to connect to an Oracle database using operating system authentication, the `Proxy` `User` `Id` must be set to `"/"`. The `Proxy` `Password` is ignored in this case. The `User` `Id` cannot be set to `"/"` when establishing proxy connections. The case of this attribute value is preserved.	empty string
`Proxy` `Password`	Password of the proxy user. This connection string attribute specifies the password of the middle-tier user or the proxy user. This user establishes a connection on behalf of a client user specified by the `User` `Id` attribute. ODP.NET attempts to establish a proxy connection if either the `Proxy` `User` `Id` or the `Proxy` `Password` attribute is set to a non-empty string. The case of this attribute value is preserved if it is surrounded by double quotes.	empty string
`Statement` `Cache` `Purge`	Statement cache purged when the connection goes back to the pool. If statement caching is enabled, setting this attribute to `true` purges the Statement Cache when the connection goes back to the pool.	`false`
`Statement` `Cache` `Size`	Statement cache enabled and cache size set size, that is, the maximum number of statements that can be cached. A value greater than zero enables statement caching and sets the cache size to itself. This value should not be greater than the value of the `OPEN_CURSORS` parameter set in the `init.ora` database configuration file.	0
`Self Tuning`	Enables or disables self-tuning for the connection. If self-tuning is enabled, then the `StatementCacheSize` settings in the registry, configuration files, and connection string are ignored. If self-tuning is disabled, then a `StatementCacheSize` value of 0 is used unless `StatementCachSize` is specified in the registry, configuration file, or connection string.	`true`
`Tns_Admin`	Directory where ODP.NET can find its `sqlnet.ora` and `tnsnames.ora` configuration files. Not available in ODP.NET, Unmanaged Driver	empty string
`User` `Id`	Oracle user name. This attribute specifies the Oracle user name. The case of this attribute value is preserved if it is surrounded by double quotes. For the user to connect to an Oracle database using operating system authentication, set the `User` `Id` to `"/"`. Any `Password` attribute setting is ignored in this case.	empty string
`Validate` `Connection`	Validation of connections coming from the pool. Validation causes a round-trip to the database for each connection. Therefore, it should only be used when necessary.	`false`
`Wallet_Location`	ODP.NET wallet directory Not available in ODP.NET, Unmanaged Driver	empty string