In addition to the automatic connection that can take place when you create a schema holder, OpenEdge provides these techniques for connecting a schema holder:

• Use the Data Dictionary or Data Administration tool. From the main menu, select Database > Connect and supply the schema holder's physical name and appropriate connection parameters. You connect to the Oracle database when you select it as your working database.
• Use the CONNECT statement (see the "CONNECT Statement" reference entry in ABL Reference). For example, this command connects a local read-only schema holder named oholder:

CONNECT oholder -RO -db oradb -dt ORACLE -ld orademo -S oserviceA 
  -H doc4 -U scott -P tiger.

• Use connection parameters when you start OpenEdge. You can include these parameters in a parameter file that you specify when you start OpenEdge. A parameter file is portable and easy to maintain. For information on how to create a parameter file, see Startup Command and Parameter Reference.

You can use different connection techniques in combination with each other. For example, you can connect the schema holder at startup, then connect to the DataServer using an ABL CONNECT statement. Any combination of connection techniques works. You must connect to the schema holder in single user (-1) or read-only (-RO) mode. If you are using a remote DataServer, you must start a broker on the host machine before you can connect.

When you connect to the schema holder and the Oracle database in a single startup command or connection statement, be sure to specify parameters that affect the schema holder before the Database Name (-db) parameter. Specify only parameters that affect the Oracle database connection after the -db parameter.

The following sections explain how to connect both a schema holder and an Oracle database when you start up OpenEdge.