An unhandled exception of type 'System.Data.OracleClient.OracleException' occurred in System.Data.OracleClient.dll

Additional information: ORA-12154: TNS:could not resolve the connect identifier specified

I've gotten this before and its usually easy to resolve.  Check your TNSNames.ora and SQLNet.ora files in your "[Oracle Home]\network\ADMIN" directory and make sure your connection string is using the right values.  Try a TNSPing from the commandline to ensure that the database location is accessable. 

This time however, I could connect using my database development tools, SQLPlus, even my local asp.net website using the same connection string.  When I tried to connect from the project in "C:\projects\Subversion\Rentals 1.0.2.1(feb 1)\Rentals", it failed.

I then verified that the trunk version of the same project could connect.  Sure enough, successful connection.

The code and connection string were identical.  The only difference was the location.  Was it permissions inside the directory?  Wait, was it the directory name?

I copied the entire directory to a new location named:"C:\projects\Subversion\RentalsTest\Rentals", rebuilt and ran the project.

Successful Connection!

You're kidding me, right?!

I then renamed the directory "C:\projects\Subversion\Rentals 1.0.2.1(no)\Rentals", rebuilt and ran.

failure!

OK.  No more parentesis in folder names.

That sure was a waste of a day!