S5

Oracle Forms - Part I Course Overview

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

Skills Gained

The delegates will practise:

• Using the Oracle 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 Oracle Forms using runform.htm
• Creating application-specific configurations
• Deploying custom images and icons
• Setting default environment variables
• Implementing techniques to improve performance

Who will the Course Benefit?

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

Course Objectives

To provide the skills needed to design, develop and deploy end-user Oracle Form applications which interact with an Oracle Relational Database.

Examinations

Together with the Oracle Forms - Part II course, the Oracle Forms - Part I course is suitable for delegates intending to sit the Oracle PL/SQL Developer OCA examination #1Z0-141: Oracle Forms: Build Internet Applications.

Requirements

A good understanding of Oracle's SQL*Plus or SQL Developer and practical experience in using the Oracle PL/SQL programming language to implement procedures, functions and packages are required.  Experience of working in a GUI environment will also prove advantageous.

Pre-Requisite Courses

• Oracle PL/SQL
• Oracle PL/SQL Stored Program Units

Follow-On Courses

• Oracle Forms - Part II
• Oracle Reports
• Oracle Database 10g DBA - Part I

NOTE: Course technical content is subject to change without notice.

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Oracle Forms - Part I Training Course

Course Contents - DAY 1

Course Introduction

• Administration and Course Materials
• Course Structure and Agenda
• Delegate and Trainer Introductions

Session 1: INTRODUCTION

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

Session 2: GETTING STARTED

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

Session 3: 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 Oracle Form Builder Tools

Session 4: 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 Oracle Form
• Exercise:   Building a Simple Oracle Form
• Exercise:   Building a Master-Detail Oracle Form

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Oracle Forms - Part I Training Course

Course Contents - DAY 2

Session 5: 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

Session 6: 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 Oracle Form Applications using Built-ins

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Oracle Forms - Part I Training Course

Course Contents - DAY 3

Session 7: 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

Session 8: PROGRAM UNITS

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

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Oracle Forms - Part I Training Course

Course Contents - DAY 4

Session 9: CANVASES AND WINDOWS

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

Session 10: 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

Session 11: INTRODUCTION TO CALLING OTHER FORMS

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

Session 12: DEBUG FACILITIES

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

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Oracle Forms - Part I Training Course

Course Contents - DAY 5

Session 13: ORACLE FORMS SERVICES

• Overview
• Oracle Forms Compatibility Issues
• Architecture and Components of the Oracle Forms Client

Session 14: GETTING STARTED

• Preparation
• Default Deployment
• Using runform.htm for Testing
• Generating URLs
• Default Configuration Files
• Exercise:   Test an Oracle Form using runform.htm
• Exercise:   Create a URL to Deploy and Test an Oracle Form

Session 15: 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

Session 16: 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

Session 17: 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

Session 18: PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS

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