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"In science one
tries to tell people, in such a way as to be understood by
everyone, something that no one ever knew before. But in poetry,
it's the exact opposite." - Paul Dirac (1902-1984) |
IMPORTANT-READ CAREFULLY
Oracle Developer Tools
contain “back-end” and “front-end” development tools.
The “Back-End”
development tool consists of Schema Builder, Query Builder, and
Procedure Builder.
The “Front-End”
development tool consists of Form Builder, Report Builder, and
Graphics Builder.
Schema Builder allows
you to define the tables, views, snapshots, synonyms, constraints, and
table relationships that will make up your database. You can visualize
your database design, including the tables, columns, data types, and
relationships. Then execute that design.
Query Builder
facilitates your writing of simple or complex query. You can save your
query at your client-side. It allows you to set your table
relationships and visualize the database objects being linked,
including the tables, columns, and datatypes.
Procedure Builder
allows you to develop stored procedures, functions, packages, and
triggers in Oracle. Many developers have found the SQL*PLUS and
favorite text editor approach cumbersome. You use Procedure Builder
for ease of writing program development, debugging, and version
control.
Form Builder will be
used to simplify the creation of data-entry screens or Forms. Forms
are the applications that connect to a database, retrieve information
requested by the user, present it in a layout specified by the form’s
designer, and allow the user to modify or add information. Form
Builder allows you to build forms quickly and easily.
Report Builder is used
to create on output reports from your database. Reports display data
in a layout specified by the report’s designer. It often includes
subtotals, summaries, and graphics to help decision makers see the “big
picture.” Report Builder has a wizard that walks you through
creating a very complex report quickly and easily.
Graphics Builder lets
you create interactive graphical displays of the data in a database.
You can include these graphics in your forms or reports. Graphics
Builder provides a complete set of drawing and editing tools, along
with a Chart Wizard to simplify the process of using the tools.
Object Navigator will
be used on all development tools. It gives you a hierarchical listing
of all the modules open in your current session. You use this listing
to navigate to, and work on, those objects. It gives you access to all
database objects you own or have grant to, and a list of all the
built-in functions and procedures. Clicking on the plus sign next to
an object in the Object Navigator will expand the object and clicking
on the minus sign will collapse the object.
The main Form Builder
components are FORM modules, MENU modules, PL/SQL libraries, and
Object libraries.
The Form Module is a
binary program code that is generated by Form Builder.
The Menu Module is a
binary menu code that should be compiled and used by the Form Module.
The PL/SQL libraries
are storage for stored procedure
.
The Object libraries
are storage for FORM objects.
The main objects in a
Form module are: Windows, Blocks, Items, and Canvases.
The four types of
canvases are: Content, Stacked, Tab, and Toolbar. All can coexist
within a single window.
A content canvas is
the basic background for all windows.
A stacked canvas
lays on top of the others.
A tab canvas is the
same as stacked canvases with handy “tabs” at the top. It can
simply move from one canvas to another.
A toolbar canvas
contains push buttons giving users quick access.
Data Block Wizard will
be used to create and modify data blocks.
Layout Wizard is used
in Form Builder to create, and modify forms quickly and efficiently.
The Layout Wizard asks you a series of questions and then generates a
basic form that fulfills the criteria you have specified. You can
later use the Layout Wizard to modify the form if you want to change
its fundamental design or contents. You always can modify the layout
manually to better suit your applications’ needs.
A master/detail
relationship or parent/child relationship is a relationship
between two data blocks. A primary key of a master table is referenced
by a foreign key in the detail table.
The Property Palette
provides complete control over your objects. It contains the property
list of an object. The properties are grouped by category.
The properties of an
object can be changed to control the behavior of the object.
The Item properties such as
Tooltip, Hint, and Display Hint automatically, will be used to
provide item-level assistance for the client.
A text item appearance can
be modified by manipulating properties such as Justification, or
Format Mask properties.
A List of Values (LOV)
is a modal window that populates a text item based on a selection made
by the user from the list. The user can search a List of Values (LOV)
for strings that occur anywhere within the values.
A Record Group is a
query that displays data from the database into the List of Values.
A radio button group
allows values stored in a data source column to display in a more
graphical fashion, by having one radio button assigned to each
possible value. Once a radio group is created, each radio button
within it must be assigned a unique value.
Display items are
read-only items and are only useful for calculated data such as
subtotals and unchangeable data.
For controlling the data
within a text item or display item, you can use properties such as Calculation
Mode, and Lowest and Highest value.
Summary columns can be
read-only or text items. They will calculate average, sum, min and max
of a group of items in a block.
Function columns also
can be read-only or text items. They return calculations of binding
variables
A forms trigger is a
set of PL/SQL actions that happen each time an event such as
when-checkbox-changed, when-button-pressed, or
when-new-record-instance occurs.
A Post-Query trigger
fires after records are retrieved but before they are displayed. So,
you can use it to enhance a query’s records in a number of ways.
Your Post-Query trigger can contain code to calculate or populate
control items.
A Horizontal Toolbar
canvas contains buttons that give you quick access to your application
functions. They would be activated by your defined triggers.
A trigger is a block
of PL/SQL code that adds functionality to your application. Triggers
are attached to objects in your application. When a trigger is fired,
it executes the code it contains. Each trigger’s name defines what
event will fire it; for instance, a WHEN-BUTTON-PRESSED trigger
executes its code each time you click on the button to which the
trigger is attached.
Layout Wizard is used
in Form Builder to create, and modify forms quickly and efficiently.
The Layout Wizard asks you a series of questions and then generates a
basic form that fulfills the criteria you have specified. You can
later use the Layout Wizard to modify the form if you want to change
its fundamental design or contents. You can always modify the layout
manually.
You can attach several
triggers to a data query. The most popular of them are the
PRE-QUERY and POST-QUERY.
The PRE-QUERY
trigger fires before the select statement is finalized.
The POST-QUERY
trigger fires before selected records are presented to the user.
You can also change an
object property dynamically. The “SET_objectname_PROPERTY”
built-in subprogram will change an object property dynamically.
A sequence is a
database object that generates a series of integer numbers according
to rules at the time you created the object. One of the purpose of
creating a sequence object is to generate primary keys automatically.
In this Hands-On, you will generate customer IDs.
A PRE-INSERT trigger
fires once before each new record is inserted in a commit process.
There are three ways you
can execute a form within a form. These three ways are: OPEN_FORM,
CALL_FORM and NEW_FORM.
The OPEN_FORM
built-in subprogram opens a form and its own database connection.
The CALL_FORM
built-in subprogram opens a form with the same database connection and
can be run also in query mode.
The NEW_FORM
built-in subprogram opens a form and closes the calling form.
A Global variable is a
binding variable that can be used by multiple Form Module.
The NAME_IN built-in
subprogram will be used to read a value from a global variable or an
indirectly referenced object.
The COPY built-in
subprogram places a value into a global variable or an indirectly
referenced object.
The “WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE”
trigger will be used to prepare objects or an action when entering to
a new form. It fires when the form is entered.
A Property Palette
contains object properties. The contents of the Property
Palette are referred to as the “Property sheet” for the object.
You use the Property Palette to modify object properties. To open the
Property Palette of an object, go to the object and right click on the
mouse then select Property Palette.
Always start with the default
created menu, instead of creating a main menu from scratch.
Main Menus do have
their own module file. They are independent of form modules. It will
be very useful to look at the code underlying the default menu used by
the Forms Runtime program. This module was created by Oracle and it is
used as a default main menu. The source file for this menu is stored
in the FORMS directory in a file named “menudefs.mmb.” You can
easily customized this file or use it as a basis for a new menu
module.
Pop-up menus are
"mini-menus" that appear when you right click on an object.
They are intended to include only items relevant to the object they
are attached to. Therefore an application may have many pop-up menus.
Pop-up menus do not have module files. They are owned by the FORM
modules.
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