allround automations pl/sql developer on windows 7 - TNS over IP connect to remote db

Question

I am really having very hard time making PL/SQL developer PL/SQL Developer work on my windows 7 64-bit OS. I have Oracle 10g standard edition installed already. I tried with PL/SQL developer version 7 and 8 with no luck. Do anyone tried doing it?. Main objective is to just establish a TCP over IP connection to a remote Oracle 10g database from PL/SQL developer. The PL/SQL developer website states it supports windows 7 though but it's making me crazy.

Solution

I finally got PL/SQL Developer working on my Windows 7 OS. Here goes the step by step instructions on how I did it.

• First installed Oracle 10g 32-bit client runtime environment which is sufficient enough for opening a TCP over IP connection to a remote Oracle 10g database from PL/SQL Developer. It is also possible to connect using Oracle InstantClient (which is more light only 300 Kb) InstantClient_PL/SQL.
• Than installed PL/SQL Developer version 8.0.4 (latest as of now) and copied over tnsnames.ora file into C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\NETWORK\ADMIN.
• Now I can open a vpn connection for a remote database and connect directly to the remote db from PL/SQL developer using a TNS over IP connection.
• The only caveat here is to open PL/SQL Developer as an administrator. This is where I went wrong and PL/SQL developer crapped out with a blank window.