libname ERROR: ORACLE disconnect error: ORA-02396: exceeded maximum idle time, please connect again.

[Julie4435637]

I am working in SAS EG 5.1 using SAS 9.3.  My project has several programs. At the start of some of the programs I clear the libname association because it may have been used in a previous submission. I then connect again because there is a timeout on our sessions. 

I get the following error and would like to know how to address it.  The statements following all run perfectly fine.

22 libname ora clear;

ERROR: ORACLE disconnect error: ORA-02396: exceeded maximum idle time, please connect again.

ERROR: Error in the LIBNAME statement.

23 libname ora ORACLE user="&ouser." orapw="&opassp." path="&opath_dw." schema="&ouser.";

NOTE: Libref ORA was successfully assigned as follows:

Engine: ORACLE

Physical Name: @tns:dwpr01-db

24 RUN;

[SASKiwi]

Your previous ORA LIBNAME connection to Oracle has timed out because it has not been used within a time limit as defined in your Oracle database. Trying to clear a connection that has already dropped gives you the error.

The solution is to remove the LIBNAME CLEAR statement. There is no problem re-defining an Oracle LIBNAME even if it is still working.