Questions & Answers

-------------------
1) When applying patches, where should the patch files reside so that ADPATCH c
an find them?

The patches can be copied anywhere as long as the environment is set correct
ly when executing ADPATCH. Usually, the patches are located in a directory unde
r $APPL_TOP.

2) Which drivers should be run first? If they have been run in the wrong order
can you run them again?

Patches that begin with 'db??????.drv' are database drivers. Database drive
rs should always be run after the patch.drv driver. The patch.drv is a file sy
stem patch which is used to update the file system with new versions of certain
files. When there is more than one 'db' driver, the readme.txt should provide i
nformation on the required sequence for application.

If 'db' drivers are not run in the correct order, you may rerun them using the c
orrect sequence.
3) What does ADPATCH actually do with a 'db' driver?

It alters the tables in the database. Even if the executables are restored
(on the file system), they may not work properly because the structure and infor
mation in the database has changed. These patches can create tables, add index
es, and alter the APPS schema. The only way to back-out a 'db' driver is with a
database backup.