Connect to Oracle data source

Bold Reports® supports these Oracle Database server versions: 12.2, 18c, 19c, 21c, and 23c.

Using the Oracle connection type in the Bold Reports® Web Report Designer, you can connect an Oracle database with basic options or a connection string.

How do I choose the Oracle data source?

To choose the Oracle data source in the Bold Reports® Web Report Designer, open the Data configuration panel and select the Oracle connection type.

  1. Click the Data icon in the configuration panel. Data icon configuration panel
  2. In the DATA configuration panel, click the NEW DATA button. New Data Panel
  3. In the connection type panel, choose the Oracle data source type. Connection types panel

How do I create an Oracle data source with basic options?

When you create a new data source in the Web Report Designer, the NEW DATASOURCE panel shows the basic options.

  1. Specify the data source name without special characters in the Name field.
  2. In the Server Name field, specify the remote server name, like myserver.domain.com.
  3. In the Service Instance Name field (optional), specify the Oracle Service Identifier Name, like ORA19, XE.

    The Service Instance Name field is marked optional to support flexibility across different Oracle environments. In local setups, it’s not required due to SID-based connections. However, in Oracle Cloud, the Service Name is essential for routing the connection properly.

  4. In the Port field, specify the Port number. The default port number is 1521.
  5. Specify the username of your Oracle server in the Username field.
  6. Specify the password of your Oracle server in the Password field.
  7. Enable the Save password option to embed the credentials within the report when saving it in Bold Reports® Report Server.
  8. Choose or enter an existing valid database, e.g. ADVENTUREWORKS. Basic Option
  9. Click Connect to connect Bold Reports® with the Oracle database.
  10. Drag and drop the table from the table schema in the query design view page. Query Designer
  11. Click Finish to save the data source with a relevant name and continue designing the report. Data List

How do I create an Oracle data source with advanced options?

The Bold Reports® advanced options let you build your own connection string for Oracle.

  1. Click Advanced Options in the New Data panel.

    Advance Option

  2. The panel switches to Advanced Options. Enter a valid connection string, as shown below, and an authentication type to connect with the specified data source.

    Data Source=(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=MyHost)(PORT=MyPort)))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME=MyOracleSID)));

  3. Set the connection string and input the username and password of the Oracle server.

    Advance Connection

  4. Drag and drop the table from the table schema in the query design view page.

    Query Designer

  5. Click Finish to save the data source with a relevant name and continue designing the report.

Data List

Click Basic Options to switch back to the basic connection settings.

Switch Basic Option

Connection string

A connection string is the text representation of connection properties for a data provider. Bold Reports® uses it in the advanced options to connect to Oracle.

If the database is on your local computer, specify the connection string as follows:

Data Source=(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=localhost)(PORT=1521)))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME=XE)))User ID=system;Password=1234

If the database is located in another server domain, specify the connection string as follows:

Data Source=(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=myserver.domain.com)(PORT=1521)))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME=XE)))User ID=system;Password=1234

Authentication types

The Bold Reports® Oracle data source supports Oracle database credentials, prompted credentials, or no credentials.

Advanced authentication

Authentication - A user name and password must be supplied to access the oracle database, the credentials might be for a database login. The credentials are passed to the data source for authentication.

Advanced authentication

Enable the Save password option to embed the credentials within the report when saving it in Report Server.

On report download action, the credentials will be not be saved with report data.

Prompt - When you configure a data source connection to use prompted credentials, each user who accesses the report must enter a user name and password on preview action to retrieve the data.

Advanced authentication

None - Choose the authentication type as None when the authentication details or any other arguments required to connect with the data source are provided in the connection string.

Frequently asked questions

Which Oracle Database versions does Bold Reports® support?

Bold Reports® supports Oracle Database server versions 12.2, 18c, 19c, 21c, and 23c.

What is the default Oracle port?

The default port number is 1521.

Is the Service Instance Name required?

The field is optional. In local setups it is not required due to SID-based connections, but in Oracle Cloud the Service Name is essential for routing the connection.

See also