Oracle Forms - Part I — A 5-Day Course

 Open Public Course Closed In-House Course

Synopsis

This course is designed to give delegates practical experience in using Oracle Forms to develop and deploy database applications. The main features and components of a Form are investigated and implemented, and Forms Services components and configuration files are customised for deployment.

Together with the Forms - Part II course, this course is suitable for delegates intending to sit the Oracle PL/SQL Developer OCA examination #1Z0-141: Oracle Forms: Build Internet Applications. This course is also suitable for delegates intending to sit the Oracle Internet Application Developer Rel. 6i Certified Professional examination #1Z0-131: Build Internet Applications Examination I.

Objectives

On completion of this course, delegates will have gained knowledge in:

• Using the Form Builder productively
• Generating text items, buttons, radio groups and other interface items
• Creating toolbars, canvases and windows
• Writing triggers to enhance application functionality
• Calling standard built-in procedures and functions
• Developing program units and code libraries
• Generating objects for re-use in other projects
• Calling one form from another
• Using debug tools
• Testing forms using runform.htm
• Creating application-specific configurations
• Deploying custom images and icons
• Setting default environment variables
• Implementing techniques to improve performance

Suitable For

This course is intended for:

• Programmers and other software development personnel who need to write applications which interface with an Oracle database and run on the web.

Prerequisites

• A good understanding of Oracle's SQL*Plus and practical experience in using the Oracle PL/SQL programming language with its procedures, functions and packages are required
• Previous experience of GUI program development may also prove advantageous.

Publicly scheduled dates, locations, and prices

Outline Course Contents

Introduction

• What is Oracle Forms?
• Form Builder Components
• Application Code Partitioning
• Exercise: Preparing to Work with Forms

Getting Started

• Creating a Form
• Running a Form
• The Runtime Interface
• Performing Queries
• Updating Records
• Exercise: Creating and Running a Form

The Form Builder Interface

• The Main Menu
• The Object Navigator
• Basic Components of a Form
• Property Palettes
• The PL/SQL Editor
• The Layout Editor
• Exercise: Using Form Builder Tools

Building a Form

• Basic Steps in Development
• Creating a Data Block
• Customising the Layout
• Setting Properties For Data Blocks and Items
• Adding Trigger Code
• Running the Form
• Exercise: Building a Simple Form
• Exercise: Building a Master-Detail Form

Triggers

• What is Navigation?
• Navigational Triggers
• Item and Block Validation
• Commit Form Triggers
• Query Triggers
• Trigger Types and Scope
• Trigger Code
• Global, System and Bind Variables
• Handling Errors
• Exercise: Implementing Navigational Triggers
• Exercise: Implementing Commit-time Triggers
• Exercise: Implementing Query Triggers

Introducing Standard Built-ins

• Unrestricted Built-in Procedures and Functions
• Restricted Built-in Procedures
• Calling Built-ins
• Getting and Setting Properties at Runtime
• Using Internal Object IDs
• Error Handling
• Exercises: Enhancing Applications using Built-ins

More Interface Objects

• Basic Controls - Text and Display Items
• Iconic Push-buttons
• Check Boxes and Radio Groups
• List Items
• Image Items
• Alerts
• Editors
• Record Groups and LOVs
• Hierarchical Trees
• Exercises: Creating Additional Interface Items

Program Units

• Form Module Program Units
• PL/SQL Libraries
• Database Procedures
• Exercise: Using PL/SQL Libraries
• Exercise: Using Database Procedures

Canvases and Windows

• Content Canvases
• Stacked Canvases
• Toolbar Canvases
• Tab Canvases
• Handling Windows
• Exercise: Generating Canvases and Toolbars
• Exercise: Handling Multi-Window Applications

Re-Using Components

• Visual Attributes
• Property Classes
• Copying Objects
• Subclassing
• Object Groups
• Object Libraries
• Exercise: Creating and Using a Property Class
• Exercise: Creating and Using an Object Library

Introduction to Calling other Forms

• Built-in Procedures
• Methods for Calling other Forms
• Exercise: Calling one Form from Another

Debug Facilities

• Running in Debug Mode
• Creating Break Points
• Monitoring Application Data

Oracle Forms Services

• Overview
• Forms Compatibility Issues
• Architecture and Components
• The Forms Client
• Getting Started
• Preparation
• Default Deployment
• Using runform.htm for Testing
• Generating URLs
• Default Configuration Files
• Exercise: Test a Form using runform.htm
• Exercise: Create a URL to Deploy and Test a Form

Configuring Forms Services

• The formsweb.cfg Configuration File
• System and Runform Parameters
• Forms Applet and HTML Tag Parameters
• Archive Parameters
• Creating Application-specific Configurations
• Renaming and Relocating formsweb.cfg
• Customising the base HTML Files
• Exercise: Create Application-specific Configurations
• Exercise: Create a Custom Configuration File

Dealing with Icons and Images

• Boilerplate and HTML Images
• Forms Icons and Images
• Images Loaded at Runtime
• Other Images
• SplashScreen, Background and Logo Images
• Using jar Files
• Exercise: Deploy a Variety of Icons and Images
• Exercise: Create and Use a jar File

Other Configuration Issues

• Icons in Form Builder
• The Environment File default.env
• The Registry File registry.dat
• Font Mappings
• The web.xml and forms90.conf Config Files
• Notes on Configuring for SSO
• JInitiator
• Exercise: Configure registry.dat and default.env
• Exercise: Configure web.xml and forms90.conf

Performance Considerations

• Built-in Optimisation Features
• Using and Customising JInitiator
• Improving Performance
• Exercise: Implement Features to improve Performance