python-oracledb module fails to use instantclient in a docker container

Question:

I’m trying to build a docker image to access an oracle database
at runtime, I’m having the following error message: DPI-1047: Cannot locate a 64-bit Oracle Client library: "/oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory".

Inside the container, there actually is a symbolic link at /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so

Dockerfile:

FROM python:3.12-slim

RUN apt-get update && 
    apt-get install -y wget unzip

ARG ORACLE_HOME=/oracle
ARG ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME=${ORACLE_HOME}/instantclient

# Download and install Oracle instantclient
RUN mkdir /tmp/oracle && 
    wget https://download.oracle.com/otn_software/linux/instantclient/1920000/instantclient-basic-linux.x64-19.20.0.0.0dbru.zip -P /tmp/oracle && 
    unzip /tmp/oracle/instantclient-basic-* -d /tmp/oracle && 
    mkdir ${ORACLE_HOME} && 
    mv /tmp/oracle/instantclient_* ${ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME}

ENV LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME}"

RUN pip install --upgrade pip && 
    pip install pipenv
ENV PIPENV_VENV_IN_PROJECT=1

WORKDIR /app

ADD main.py Pipfile Pipfile.lock ./

RUN pipenv sync

ENTRYPOINT ["./.venv/bin/python", "main.py"]
CMD [""]

main.py:

import os

import oracledb


def print_db_version(db_config):
    params = oracledb.ConnectParams(host=db_config['host'], port=db_config['port'], service_name=db_config['name'])
    with oracledb.connect(user=db_config['username'], password=db_config['password'], params=params) as conn:
        print(f'Database version: {conn.version}')
        conn.close()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    # Both calls below fail...
    # oracledb.init_oracle_client()
    oracledb.init_oracle_client(os.environ['LD_LIBRARY_PATH'])

    db_config = {
        'host': os.environ['DB_HOST'],
        'port': os.environ['DB_PORT'],
        'name': os.environ['DB_NAME'],
        'username': os.environ['DB_USERNAME'],
        'password': os.environ['DB_PASSWORD'],
    }

    print_db_version(db_config)

Pipfile:

[[source]]
url = "https://pypi.org/simple"
verify_ssl = true
name = "pypi"

[packages]
oracledb = "1.4.2"

command lines (last one allows to explore the container):

docker build -t my-version .
docker run my-version
docker run -it --entrypoint "" my-version bash

I can not figure out why this error pops up while the library is actually installed in my container… any ideas?


EDIT

I tried Anthony Tuininga suggestions and had the following output:

ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: ODPI-C 5.0.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: debugging messages initialized at level 64
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: Context Parameters:
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206:     Oracle Client Lib Dir: /oracle/instantclient
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: Environment Variables:
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206:     LD_LIBRARY_PATH => "/oracle/instantclient"
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: load in parameter directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: load in dir /oracle/instantclient
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: load with name /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: load by OS failure: /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.206: load with name /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.19.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load by OS failure: /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.19.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load with name /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.18.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load by OS failure: /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.18.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load with name /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.12.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load by OS failure: /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.12.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load with name /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.11.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load by OS failure: /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.11.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load with name /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.20.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load by OS failure: /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.20.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load with name /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.21.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-21 19:13:32.207: load by OS failure: /oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so.21.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/app/main.py", line 18, in <module>
['libocci.so.19.1', 'libnnz19.so', 'adrci', 'libipc1.so', 'xstreams.jar', 'libclntsh.so.11.1', 'libclntsh.so.18.1', 'genezi', 'libocci.so.12.1', 'network', 'libocci.so.10.1', 'libocci.so', 'libociei.so', 'libclntsh.so', 'libclntsh.so.12.1', 'libocci.so.18.1', 'libclntsh.so.19.1', 'ucp.jar', 'BASIC_LICENSE', 'libocijdbc19.so', 'ojdbc8.jar', 'BASIC_README', 'libmql1.so', 'liboramysql19.so', 'libocci.so.11.1', 'libclntshcore.so.19.1', 'libclntsh.so.10.1', 'uidrvci']
    oracledb.init_oracle_client(os.environ['LD_LIBRARY_PATH'])
  File "src/oracledb/impl/thick/utils.pyx", line 476, in oracledb.thick_impl.init_oracle_client
  File "src/oracledb/impl/thick/utils.pyx", line 500, in oracledb.thick_impl.init_oracle_client
  File "src/oracledb/impl/thick/utils.pyx", line 421, in oracledb.thick_impl._raise_from_info
oracledb.exceptions.DatabaseError: DPI-1047: Cannot locate a 64-bit Oracle Client library: "/oracle/instantclient/libclntsh.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory". See https://python-oracledb.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user_guide/initialization.html for help

It shows that:

  • LD_LIBRARY_PATH is properly set to /oracle/instantclient
  • the instant client is actually searched in this directory
  • /oracle/instantclient actually contains libclntsh.so file (it’s actually a symbolic link to libclntsh.so.19.1

It sounds pretty weird to me…

I made the source code available here: https://github.com/galak75/python-oracle-img


EDIT 2

I tried to use the bare call to init_oracle_client(), and then it looks like LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable is not used: instant client is search in my python virtualenv:

ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: ODPI-C 5.0.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: debugging messages initialized at level 64
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: Context Parameters:
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: Environment Variables:
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681:     LD_LIBRARY_PATH => "/oracle/instantclient"
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: check module directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: module name is /app/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/oracledb/thick_impl.cpython-312-aarch64-linux-gnu.so
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: load in dir /app/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/oracledb
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: load with name /app/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/oracledb/libclntsh.so
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: load by OS failure: /app/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/oracledb/libclntsh.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: load with OS search heuristics
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.681: load with name libclntsh.so
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.682: load by OS failure: libaio.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.682: load with name libclntsh.so.19.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.682: load by OS failure: libaio.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.682: load with name libclntsh.so.18.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.682: load by OS failure: libaio.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.682: load with name libclntsh.so.12.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: load by OS failure: libaio.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: load with name libclntsh.so.11.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: load by OS failure: libaio.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: load with name libclntsh.so.20.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: load by OS failure: libclntsh.so.20.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: load with name libclntsh.so.21.1
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: load by OS failure: libclntsh.so.21.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
ODPI [00001] 2023-10-22 14:48:34.683: check ORACLE_HOME
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/app/main.py", line 19, in <module>
    oracledb.init_oracle_client()
  File "src/oracledb/impl/thick/utils.pyx", line 476, in oracledb.thick_impl.init_oracle_client
LD_LIBRARY_PATH = /oracle/instantclient
['libocci.so.19.1', 'libnnz19.so', 'adrci', 'xstreams.jar', 'libclntsh.so.11.1', 'libclntsh.so.18.1', 'genezi', 'libocci.so.12.1', 'network', 'libocci.so.10.1', 'libocci.so', 'libociei.so', 'libclntsh.so', 'libclntsh.so.12.1', 'libocci.so.18.1', 'libclntsh.so.19.1', 'ucp.jar', 'BASIC_LICENSE', 'libocijdbc19.so', 'ojdbc8.jar', 'BASIC_README', 'liboramysql19.so', 'libocci.so.11.1', 'libclntshcore.so.19.1', 'libclntsh.so.10.1', 'uidrvci']
  File "src/oracledb/impl/thick/utils.pyx", line 500, in oracledb.thick_impl.init_oracle_client
  File "src/oracledb/impl/thick/utils.pyx", line 421, in oracledb.thick_impl._raise_from_info
oracledb.exceptions.DatabaseError: DPI-1047: Cannot locate a 64-bit Oracle Client library: "libaio.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory". See https://python-oracledb.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user_guide/initialization.html for help
Asked By: Géraud

||

Answers:

If you do not require thick mode you can avoid the error completely by simply removing the call to init_oracle_client().

If you do require it because of limitations in thin mode, set the environment variable DPI_DEBUG_LEVEL to the value 64 before running your script. That may help you diagnose the issue. If not, include the output in your question and I’ll take a look.

[UPDATE: with the output provided it is clear that the aio library is missing as also suggested by Chris in his answer. Add that library and your issues should disappear!]

It may also be helpful to list the files found in the directory using os.listdir(os.environ["LD_LIBRARY_PATH"]).

Note that the library directory cannot be specified on Linux so you must use the bare call to init_oracle_client().

Answered By: Anthony Tuininga

For reference, see Docker for Oracle Database Applications in Node.js and Python.

When I tried your Dockerfile I got a fairly clear message that the libaio package wasn’t installed.

The next issue (other than the missing lock file!) was that main.py is using a context manager for the connection but also explicitly closing the connection.

This Dockerfile works for me:

FROM python:3.12-slim

RUN apt-get update && 
    apt-get install -y wget unzip libaio1

ARG ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME=/opt/oracle/instantclient

WORKDIR /opt/oracle

# Download and install Oracle instantclient
RUN mkdir /tmp/oracle && 
    wget https://download.oracle.com/otn_software/linux/instantclient/1921000/instantclient-basic-linux.x64-19.21.0.0.0dbru.zip -P /tmp/oracle && 
    unzip /tmp/oracle/instantclient-basic-* -d /tmp/oracle && 
    mv /tmp/oracle/instantclient_* ${ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME} && 
    cd ${ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME} && rm -f *jdbc* *occi* *mysql* *jar uidrvci genezi adrci && 
    echo ${ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME} > /etc/ld.so.conf.d/oracle-instantclient.conf && 
    ldconfig

RUN pip install --upgrade pip && pip install oracledb

WORKDIR /app
ADD main.py ./

CMD ["python", "main.py"]

Note I removed the overloaded use of ORACLE_HOME, since this has a specific meaning in Oracle. I also just used python directly, since presumably the container is only going to run one app environment.

I also prefer ldconfig to LD_LIBRARY_PATH since the latter is prone to various issues.

main.py is:

import os

import oracledb


def print_db_version(db_config):
    params = oracledb.ConnectParams(host=db_config['host'], port=db_config['port'], service_name=db_config['name'])
    with oracledb.connect(user=db_config['username'], password=db_config['password'], params=params) as conn:
        print(f'Database version: {conn.version}')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    oracledb.init_oracle_client()

    db_config = {
        'host': 'whatever',
        'port': 1521,
        'name': 'orclpdb1',
        'username': 'cj',
        'password': 'cj',
    }

    print_db_version(db_config)

Follow Anthony’s advice about not passing lib_dir to init_oracle_client() on Linux.

Output is like:

$ docker run my-version
Database version: 21.3.0.0.0

Finally you should revisit which user you are running in the container.

Answered By: Christopher Jones

I finally figured it out, after so many hours struggling!

I’m running on a MacBook with an M1 chip (arm64 architecture), while I’m installing an instantclient distribution for amd64 architectures…

then I made it work by forcing the target docker platform to amd64:

docker build -t my-version . --platform amd64
docker run --env-file .local/env my-version

Note: I also had to fix few issues like installing libaio1 debian package, and removing the conn.close() python statement


EDIT: Another solution is to download the right instant client package depending on the target OS platform:

RUN mkdir /tmp/oracle && 
    if [ "`uname -m`" = "aarch64" ] || [ "`uname -m`" = "arm64" ]; 
      then echo "ARM64 architecture detected" && wget https://download.oracle.com/otn_software/linux/instantclient/1919000/instantclient-basic-linux.arm64-19.19.0.0.0dbru.zip -P /tmp/oracle; 
    elif [ "`uname -m`" = "amd64" ] || [ "`uname -m`" = "x86_64" ] ; 
      then echo "AMD64 architecture detected" && wget https://download.oracle.com/otn_software/linux/instantclient/1920000/instantclient-basic-linux.x64-19.20.0.0.0dbru.zip -P /tmp/oracle; 
    else  
      echo "target platform was not recognized : `uname -a`" && exit 1; 
    fi; 
    unzip /tmp/oracle/instantclient-basic-* -d /tmp/oracle && 
    mkdir ${ORACLE_HOME} && 
    mv /tmp/oracle/instantclient_* ${ORACLE_CLIENT_HOME}

Answered By: Géraud