//get connection to Oracle; parameter file: c:/work/conf/conn.prop 
	private Connection getConnection() {
		try {
			Properties p = new Properties();
			p.load(new FileInputStream("c:/work/conf/conn.prop"));			
			String USER = p.getProperty("user");
			String PASS = p.getProperty("pass");
			String url  = p.getProperty("url");
			Class.forName("oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver");
			return DriverManager.getConnection(url, USER, PASS);
		} catch (Exception e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
			return null;
		}
	} // getConnection