Error in writing to directory /tmp Please ensure that this directory is writable and has atleast 60 MB of disk space. Installation cannot continue.

I recently got an increasing flood of the same error in all the server environments:

Error in writing to directory /tmp/OraInstallYYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SSAM Please ensure that this directory is writable and has atleast 60 MB of disk space. Installation cannot continue.

Tmp has always got 0777, always plenty of space, Oracle Installer creates a folder in Tmp, but fails writing. Some sources online suggest Temp2 type solution of creating another temporary folder, pass TMP and TEMP variables to the shell, but not all shells and environments accept those.

I have no cure, but based on recent testing it all boils down to this checklist:
- place installer in Oracle home directory (or complete equivalent)
- unpack zips, cpios with Oracle user you are going to use for installation
- run installer from an installation directory with Oracle user (not using full path)
- check if unzip is installed

At least last couple of times first step solved the problem. It looks like Oracle user fails writing somewhere, but it reports it with dummy error.

ApexLib on APEX 4.2, G_VALIDATION_IDS_IN_ERROR, APEXLIB_ERROR

People say ApexLib will not work on Apex > 4.1 (http://www.oracle-and-apex.com/apexlib-framework-on-oracle-apex-4-2/). After Apex upgrade to 4.2 ApexLib failed to compile - thats true. After primary installation (which was 3.2) all the Synonyms for user Apexlib are pointing to APEX_030200 user schema. First attempt was to recreate all the synonyms and I did that.

The only problem I bumped into was G_VALIDATION_IDS_IN_ERROR. Downloaded a new version of ApexLib, repeated the installation referencing to docs (http://apexlib.oracleapex.info/#apexlib_schema) - result is the same: G_VALIDATION_IDS_IN_ERROR.

The type G_VALIDATION_IDS_IN_ERROR is referenced in changelog for APEX_040200 WWV_FLOWS package, but is not found anywhere in the code, as well as a few other packages. So it looks like they were simply discarded sometime in 4.2.

There are 2 package errors you will see when ApexLib is failing, usually its just package that cant be compiled, one of them will be "ORA-04063: package body APEXLIB.
APEXLIB_ERROR has errors". Once you manage to fix all the synonyms and views - in the end you will still bump into G_VALIDATION_IDS_IN_ERROR.

Fix is rather simple, declare the missing types using possible expected Apex internal types in your package that is failing (in our case its APEXLIB.APEXLIB_ERROR). Simply define (there are 2 types missing) the types in APEXLIB_ERROR body, someplace were variables reside:

g_validation_ids_in_error wwv_flow_global.n_arr;
g_validation_message wwv_flow_global.vc_arr2;

Then go and replace all the references to these types (they will be like "wwv_flows.g_validation_ids_in_error and wwv_flows.g_validation_message) - simply remove the schema reference wwv_flows. A few snippets how does it look like:

Oracle installer 12 on Xming copy paste keyboard problem

Was running a few Oracle Installers via SSH X tunnel forward and Xming client on local Windows 10 box. I noticed that in some installers keyboard does not work.

Its ok sometimes, but Oracle HTTP Server 12.1.0.3 installer needs username and password input. Took a few days (maybe its just me), but looks like Windows Paste is mapped to a middle mouse button. I've found some hints confirming this in forum here. Although selecting and cutting did not work.

Editing still does not work, so some settings have to be changed manually after installation, but username and password can be prepared in Notepad or wherever and middle-clicked into fields. Be sure to pick exact values since its not possible to change them, they will be merged with previous Paste and you will have to run installer from the start.

Unix (Solaris) display forwarding after user switch (su)

Using X forward via SSH, Xming client running locally on Windows box. After login to SSH with your preferred tool (Putty or SSH Secure Shell) X applications do work, but they stop working after you switch to another user.
My objective was to run Oracle Installer without having root access or Oracle user via SSH only. User is not part of DBA group and new Oracle user (ora12213) does not have X access.

bash-4.1$ xclock
Error: Can't open display: localhost:10.0

Found plenty of resources online, but all of them missing something, here is a full list of steps to make it work.

1) setup your SSH tool for X forwarding (settings, checkbox)
2) save settings and restart the tool and connection (it appears that setting is only activated after a new connection or window is opened)
3) test xclock

bash-4.1$ xclock

4) echo these variables:

-bash-4.1$ xauth list
solserv102/unix:10  MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1  2359b71c685cf706bf4dec49e4136558
-bash-4.1$ echo $DISPLAY
localhost:10.0

5) do the user switch with parameters, minus is essential. Username is "ora12213":

-bash-4.1$ sudo su - ora12213
Oracle Corporation      SunOS 5.11      11.2    March 2015

6) export the variables listed above, looks like error can be ignored. In most of the tested examples "xauth add" part was not working, but after user switching with su, it looks like it okayed:

-bash-4.1$ xauth add solserv102/unix:10  MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1  2359b71c685cf706bf4dec49e4136558
xauth:  file /export/home/ora12213/.Xauthority does not exist

-bash-4.1$ export DISPLAY=localhost:10.0

7) test the X, should be working just fine.

-bash-4.1$ xclock

BONUS

Run the Solaris installer executable (it was downloaded, unzipped, moved to /stage_oracle folder, owned by DBA group):

-bash-4.1$ cd /stage_oracle/
-bash-4.1$ ./fmw_12.2.1.3.0_ohs_solaris_sparc64.bin
Launcher log file is /var/tmp/OraInstall2017-10-26_09-46-21AM/launcher2017-10-26_09-46-21AM.log.
Checking if CPU speed is above 300 MHz.   Actual 3600 MHz    Passed
Checking monitor: must be configured to display at least 256 colors.   Actual 16777216    Passed
Checking swap space: must be greater than 512 MB.   Actual 85678 MB    Passed
Checking if this platform requires a 64-bit JVM.   Actual 64    Passed
Checking temp space: must be greater than 300 MB.   Actual 1672 MB    Passed
Preparing to launch the Oracle Universal Installer from /var/tmp/OraInstall2017-10-26_09-46-21AM
Log: /var/tmp/OraInstall2017-10-26_09-46-21AM/install2017-10-26_09-46-21AM.log

Voila

Stephen Hawking dissertation for download

Cambridge university made recently made Stepen Hawkings 1966 PhD thesis available online. Hawking was 24 when he wrote it. Due to high demand university library had issues with server load. This exceptional work is open for viewing, 51 years have passed and some theories where proven wrong, some where ahead of their time and some physicists didnt agree back then.

You can download original copy from Cambridge library repository.
An alternative copy is stored here for download.

In a statement, Hawking said that he hoped the thesis would "inspire people around the world to look up at the stars and not down at their feet," and added that everyone should have free access to all research.