Oracle Forms Developer 10g: Move to the Web Student Guide D17364GC10 Edition 1.0 December 2005 D22796
Author Pam Gamer Technical Contributors and Reviewers Charles Bryant Orlando Cordero Kathryn Cunningham Laurent Dereac Janis Fleishman Mark Frankenfield Punita Handa Stella Misiulis Daphne Nougier Mark Pare Alan Paulson Grant Ronald Raza Siddiqui Sarah Spicer Lex van der Werff Ted Witiuk Robin Zimmermann Copyright 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved. Disclaimer This document contains proprietary information and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may copy and print this document solely for your own use in an Oracle training course. The document may not be modified or altered in any way. Except where your use constitutes "fair use" under copyright law, you may not use, share, download, upload, copy, print, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, post, transmit, or distribute this document in whole or in part without the express authorization of Oracle. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. If you find any problems in the document, please report them in writing to: Oracle University, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, California 94065 USA. This document is not warranted to be error-free. Restricted Rights Notice If this documentation is delivered to the United States Government or anyone using the documentation on behalf of the United States Government, the following notice is applicable: U.S. GOVERNMENT RIGHTS The U.S. Government s rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose these training materials are restricted by the terms of the applicable Oracle license agreement and/or the applicable U.S. Government contract. Trademark Notice Oracle, JD Edwards, and PeopleSoft are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Editors Elizabeth Treacy Richard Wallis Publisher Joseph Fernandez
Contents Preface I Introduction Lesson Objectives I-2 Forms Curriculum Map I-3 Course Objectives I-4 Course Content I-5 Summary I-7 1 Why Move Forms Applications to the Web? Objectives 1-2 Benefits of Web Deployment 1-3 Improving Productivity 1-4 Reducing Costs 1-5 Increasing Accessibility 1-6 Maintaining Support 1-7 Balancing the Load 1-8 Leveraging Current Knowledge 1-9 Providing a Rich User Interface 1-10 Employing the Latest Technologies and Industry Standards 1-11 Utilizing New Features 1-13 Oracle 10g Products 1-14 Leveraging Oracle Application Server 10g for Forms 1-15 Oracle Application Server 10g Components 1-16 Oracle AS 10g Forms Services 1-17 Summary 1-18 2 Migrating Forms Applications Objectives 2-2 Streamlining Oracle Forms 2-3 Migration Path 2-5 Issues to Consider Before Upgrading 2-6 Performing the Migration 2-8 Using Forms Builder to Upgrade 2-9 Using the Forms Compiler to Upgrade 2-10 Upgrading with the Forms Migration Assistant 2-12 Performing PL/SQL Substitutions 2-13 Using the Forms Migration Assistant from the Command Line 2-14 Using the Forms Migration Assistant Wizard 2-15 Choosing the Modules to Upgrade 2-16 Choosing Log File Options 2-17 iii
Choosing Reports and Advanced Options 2-18 Setting Paths for the Forms Migration Assistant 2-19 Examining Conversion Results 2-20 Issues to Consider After Upgrading 2-21 Replacing Post-Query Triggers 2-22 Partitioning Application Logic 2-23 Redesigning Menus 2-24 Promoting Object Similarities 2-25 From Character Mode to GUI 2-26 Summary 2-28 Practice 2: Overview 2-29 3 Using Forms Applications with the Web Architecture Objectives 3-2 Utilizing Forms Services 3-3 Comparing Architectures: Client/Server 3-4 Comparing Architectures: Forms Services 3-5 Starting a Run-Time Session 3-6 Role of the Forms Servlet 3-10 Role of the Forms Client 3-12 Role of the Forms Listener Servlet 3-13 Role of the Forms Runtime Engine 3-15 Selecting a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 3-16 Testing Applications 3-18 Generating and Deploying Forms Application Executables 3-20 Environment Variables for the UNIX Forms Generator 3-21 Constructing a URL to Run the Application 3-22 Summary 3-25 Practice 3: Overview 3-26 4 Configuring Run-Time Behavior Objectives 4-2 Configuring Run-Time Behavior 4-3 Configuring the Forms Servlet 4-4 Defining System Parameters 4-5 Defining User Parameters 4-6 Defining Application-Specific Named Configurations 4-8 Using a Named Configuration When Running from Forms Builder 4-9 Configuring the Environment 4-10 Defining Forms Environment Variables for Design Time 4-11 Defining Forms Environment Variables for Run Time 4-13 iv
Customizing the User Interface 4-14 Using Configuration Files 4-15 Performing Configuration Tasks 4-17 Summary 4-18 Practice 4: Overview 4-19 5 Adapting Forms Applications to the Web Environment Objectives 5-2 Adapting to Feature Differences 5-3 Features That Work Differently on the Web 5-4 Font Mapping 5-5 Customizing Key Mappings 5-6 Integrating Oracle Graphics 5-9 Running Reports from Forms 5-10 Images 5-11 Icons 5-13 Deploying Icons to the Middle Tier 5-14 Directing Forms to Use the Icon Virtual Directory 5-15 Constructing the URL to Load Icons 5-16 Deploying Icons and Images to the Client 5-18 Creating JAR Files 5-19 Deploying JAR Files 5-20 Features with Performance Implications 5-21 Features Specific to Client/Server 5-23 Platform-Specific Features 5-25 Adjusting Built-ins 5-26 Adjusting OLE Automation 5-27 Adjusting User Exits 5-28 Adjusting to Case Sensitivity 5-29 Adjusting the Use of d2kwutil 5-30 Summary 5-31 Practice 5: Overview 5-33 6 Enhancing Forms Applications with Web Technologies Objectives 6-2 Extending Functionality with JavaBeans 6-3 Integrating JavaBeans 6-4 Interacting with JavaBeans 6-5 Extending the User Interface with PJCs 6-11 Launching a Web Page with the WEB.SHOW_DOCUMENT Built-In 6-12 Using Web Services in a Forms Application 6-13 v
Obtaining a Description of the Web Service 6-14 Creating a Web Services Client 6-15 Using the Java Importer to Call the Web Services Client from Forms 6-17 Integrating Forms Applications with Oracle Application Server 10g Portal 6-19 Integrating Forms as URL Portlets 6-20 Integrating Forms as a Portal Link 6-21 Summary 6-22 Practice 6: Overview 6-23 7 Using WebUtil to Interact with the Client Objectives 7-2 WebUtil Overview 7-3 Functionality of the WebUtil Utility 7-4 Configuring WebUtil 7-5 Configuring WebUtil on the Middle Tier 7-6 Modifying WebUtil Behavior 7-8 Integrating WebUtil into a Form 7-9 When to Use WebUtil Functionality 7-11 Interacting with the Client 7-12 Example: Opening a File Dialog Box on the Client 7-13 Example: Reading an Image File into Forms from the Client 7-14 Example: Writing Text Files on the Client 7-15 Example: Executing Operating System Commands on the Client 7-16 Example: Performing OLE Automation on the Client 7-17 Example: Obtaining Environment Information About the Client 7-20 Summary 7-21 Practice 7: Overview 7-22 8 Utilizing New Forms Features Objectives 8-2 New Features of Oracle Forms 10g 8-3 Integration Features 8-4 Run-Time Enhancements 8-5 Productivity Enhancements 8-6 Globalization Features 8-8 Security 8-9 Configuring JVM Pooling 8-10 Managing JVM Controllers 8-11 Managing Forms Services with Oracle Enterprise Manager: Starting EM 8-13 Managing Forms Services with Oracle Enterprise Manager: AS Home Page 8-14 Managing Forms Services with Oracle Enterprise Manager: Forms Pages 8-15 vi
Implementing Single Sign-On (SSO) 8-16 Configuring a Forms Application for SSO 8-18 Relationship Between SSO Elements 8-21 Configuring Run-Time Pooling 8-22 Remotely Debugging a Running Form 8-24 Using the Same URL to Display Different Languages 8-27 Detecting Browser Language Settings 8-28 Translated Applications at Run Time 8-29 Deploying Language-Specific Applications 8-30 Restricting URL Parameters 8-31 Summary 8-32 Practice 8: Overview 8-33 9 Integrating Forms and Reports Applications Objectives 9-2 Oracle Reports Services 9-3 Using RUN_REPORT_OBJECT to Run a Report 9-4 Creating a Report Object in the Form 9-5 Setting Report Object Properties 9-6 Defining Data to Pass to the Report 9-7 Configuring the Reports Search Path 9-8 Disabling Access Control 9-9 Matching the SSO Mode 9-10 Starting a Reports Server 9-11 Running the Report 9-13 Displaying a Report from Forms 9-14 Calling a Report with the WEB.SHOW_DOCUMENT Built-in 9-15 Summary 9-16 Practice 9: Overview 9-17 Appendix A: Practice Solutions Appendix B: Functionality of WebUtil vii
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