CentOS 6: Set up Oracle Instant Client and Python package cx_Oracle

centos_cx_Oracle

#!/bin/bash

# INSTALL ORACLE INSTANT CLIENT #
#################################

# NOTE: Oracle requires at least 1176 MB of swap (or something around there).
# If you are using CentOS in a VMWare VM, there's a good chance that you don't have enough by default.
# If this describes you and you need to add more swap, see the
# "Adding a Swap File to a CentOS System" section, here:
# http://www.techotopia.com/index.php/Adding_and_Managing_CentOS_Swap_Space

# Install basic dependencies
sudo yum -y install libaio bc flex

echo "Now go get some the following two RPMs ..."
echo "- basic: oracle-instantclient11.2-basic-11.2.0.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm"
echo "- SDK/devel: oracle-instantclient11.2-devel-11.2.0.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm"
echo "... from this URL: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/linuxx86-64soft-092277.html"
echo "WARNING: It's pretty annoying, they make you sign up for an Oracle account, etc."
echo 'I will assume you have put these two files are into ~/Downloads'
echo "Press any key once you're ready" && read -n 1 -s

sudo rpm -ivh ~/Downloads/oracle-instantclient11.2-basic-*
sudo rpm -ivh ~/Downloads/oracle-instantclient11.2-devel-*

# SET ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES #
#############################

# Source for this section: http://cx-oracle.sourceforge.net/BUILD.txt

# (SIDENOTE: I had to alter it by doing some digging around for where the Oracle RPMs really installed to;
# if you ever need to do this, do a command like this:
#     rpm -qlp <rpm_file_of_concern.rpm>)

echo '# Convoluted undocumented Oracle bullshit.' >> $HOME/.bashrc
echo 'export ORACLE_VERSION="11.2"' >> $HOME/.bashrc
echo 'export ORACLE_HOME="/usr/lib/oracle/$ORACLE_VERSION/client64/"' >> $HOME/.bashrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:"$ORACLE_HOME/bin"' >> $HOME/.bashrc
echo 'export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:"$ORACLE_HOME/lib"' >> $HOME/.bashrc
. $HOME/.bashrc

# INSTALL cx_Oracle #
#####################

pip install cx_Oracle

@meetjeremy: I ran into the same problem; if you havent already, the zipped version of the oracle 11.2 sdk contains the appropriate files whereas the rpm does not. Get it and unzip, and move the 'sdk' folder into /usr/lib/oracle/11.2/client64/lib/

http://download.oracle.com/otn/linux/instantclient/11204/instantclient-sdk-linux.x64-11.2.0.4.0.zip

After many frustrating hours of trying to get cx_Oracle loaded, I found this guide and using it I finally got things going.. Although the procedure needed mods for oracle updates, your verbose commenting provided the clues that no one else actually provided.. Thank you and keep up the good documentation

This was really helpful, thank you. I can confirm it works on Oracle v12.1 (with RHEL6) as well. For the record (and to help future searchers), the error I was getting before I followed these instructions was something like:

... "/site/python2.7" failed with error code 1 in /tmp/pip-build-MBbOFN/cx-Oracle

If you are facing the problem of unable to find oci.h like i do, you need to install the SDK for instant client packge, apparently in the new version the headers has been separated into a different download.

Instant Client Package - SDK: Additional header files and an example makefile for developing Oracle applications with Instant Client

This article and the comments were really helpful. @2 hours 21 minutes of frustration could have been avoided if I found this earlier/
Thanks