Some times we get this error in Oracle Applications R12 while running autoconfig for the first time on database side. This might be the case when we are cloning an environment or upgrading the database to new version. For example from 10g to 11g.

The cause for the error is that Oracle is not able to for NLS files in the environment. While running autoconfig, it checks for parameter s_db_oranls in context file on DB tier. This variable should point to correct NLS directory. Example of error is shown below.

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afdbprf.sh started at Sun Jan 13 09:06:42 EST 2008
The environment settings are as follows …

ORACLE_HOME : /oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0
ORACLE_SID : PROD
PATH : /oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/perl/bin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/appsutil/jre/bin:/usr/ccs/bin:/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/usr/local/bin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/perl/bin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/perl/bin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/appsutil/jre/bin:/usr/ccs/bin:/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/usr/local/bin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/perl/bin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/appsutil/jre/bin:/usr/ccs/bin:/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/usr/local/bin:/oracle/PROD/apps/tech_st/10.1.3/perl/bin:/oracle/PROD/apps/tech_st/10.1.2/bin:/oracle/PROD/apps/apps_st/appl/fnd/12.0.0/bin:/oracle/PROD/apps/apps_st/appl/ad/12.0.0/bin:/oracle/PROD/apps/tech_st/10.1.3/appsutil/jdk/jre/bin:/oracle/PROD/apps/apps_st/comn/util/unzip/unzip/unzip-5.50::/oracle/PROD/apps/tech_st/10.1.2/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/ccs/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/java/jre1.3.1_13/bin:/oracle/PROD/apps/tech_st/10.1.3/appsutil/jdk/bin
Library Path : /oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/lib:/usr/X11R6/lib:/usr/openwin/lib:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/lib:/usr/dt/lib:/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/ctx/lib

Executable : /oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/bin/sqlplus

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.2.0 – Production on Sun Jan 13 09:06:42 2008

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All Rights Reserved.

Enter value for 1: Enter value for 2: Enter value for 3: ERROR:
ORA-12705: Cannot access NLS data files or invalid environment specified

ERRORCODE = 1 ERRORCODE_END

ERROR
[AutoConfig Error Report]
The following report lists errors AutoConfig encountered during each
phase of its execution. Errors are grouped by directory and phase.
The report format is:
<filename> <phase> <return code where appropriate>

[PROFILE PHASE]
AutoConfig could not successfully execute the following scripts:
Directory: /oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/appsutil/install/PROD_orcl-lma-01
afdbprf.sh INSTE8_PRF 1

[APPLY PHASE]
AutoConfig could not successfully execute the following scripts:
Directory: /oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/appsutil/install/PROD_orcl-lma-01
adcrobj.sh INSTE8_APPLY 1

AutoConfig is exiting with status 2

The log file for this session is located at:
/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/appsutil/log/PROD_orcl-lma-01/01130906/adconfig.log

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To fix this error change the context file to point the variable s_db_oranls to correct NLS directory. This variable should point to ORACLE_HOME/nls/data/9idata

Edit the database context file and change the following:
FROM
<ORA_NLS oa_var=”s_db_oranls”
osd=”unix”>/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/ocommon/nls/admin/data</ORA_NLS>
TO
<ORA_NLS oa_var=”s_db_oranls”
osd=”unix”>/oracle/PROD/db/tech_st/10.2.0/nls/data/9idata</ORA_NLS>

Run Autoconfig.

Hope this helps !!