I have a VFP6 application that has been working fine for two years that connects to a Oracle 8 Server via ODBC. The client computers connect to the server over the Internet. Then on the client end, a Raptor firewall was replaced with a Checkpoint 4.1 firewall which now keeps the VFP 6 application from connecting to Oracle using SQLCONNECT().

The native Oracle applications such as SQLPLUS and OEM applications run fine so there is phyically connectivity. No matter what I try with the configuration of the TNSNAMES.ORA settings or changes to the ODBC configurations, I get a -1 returned from the SQLCONNECT() command in VFP. When I trap the error, the Oracle error message is "ORA-12204 TNS received data refused from an application". I have also tried VFP tests in the VFP environment instead of my .EXE but I still can't make a connection. I have tried switching from Microsoft ODBC drivers to Oracle ODBC drivers, but VFP still won't work.

When I run the Oracle ODBCTST.EXE utility, it connects fine. Also, initially a test using a plain MS ACCESS ODBC connection got me the same 12204 error, but at least right now ACCESS can connect just fine. The firewall people tell me nothing has changed.

In any case, the bottom line is right now, I have everything connecting fine except VFP which is an unfortunate place to be.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks