Introduction To Forms Builder

1. Introduction ToForms Builder Chapter 5 A Guide to Oracle9i

2. Lesson A Objectives • Learn how Forms Builder displays forms in a Web browser • Use a data block form to view, insert, update, and delete database data • Create a data block form that displays a single record at a time • Become familiar with the Object Navigator, and use the Object Navigator to change form object names • Use the Data Block and Layout Wizards to modify form properties • Create a tabular-style data block form that displays multiple records A Guide to Oracle9i

3. Displaying Forms in a Web Browser • Forms are displayed in web browser • Forms appear inside Forms Services window • Forms Services window displays menus and toolbars • Implemented using a Java Applet using Oracle9iAS Containers for J2EE, or (OC4J) Instance • When developing, workstation runs web server and web browser A Guide to Oracle9i

4. Forms Builder to Browser A Guide to Oracle9i

5. Using A Data Block Form —Definitions • Block:group of related form items, such as text fields and option buttons • Data block:corresponds to a specific database table, and contains objects, such as text fields or option buttons, that display values from the table’s data fields • Data block form: one or more data blocks • Text items: display text input fields A Guide to Oracle9i

6. Forms Services Window • Form menu contains selections that allow you to manipulate the form • Has a toolbar with buttons to insert, view, modify, and delete records • At bottom of the window are lines that display information about form status • Query button group allows you to query data, has two modes: • Normal mode -can view data records, sequentially step through the records, and change data values • Enter Query mode - can enter a search expression in one of the form fields, and then retrieve the associated records A Guide to Oracle9i

7. Forms Services Window A Guide to Oracle9i

8. Using a Form to View Table Records • Retrieve specific table records: • Click the Enter Query button • Type a search expression in one or more of the form text items • Click the Execute Query button • Retrieve all of the records in a table • Place form in Enter Query mode and do not type search condition A Guide to Oracle9i

9. Using a Form to Insert, Update, and Delete Records • To insert: • Use blank record that appears when opening a form or as last line of query results • To update: • Retrieve record with a query, modify field and save • To delete: • Retrieve record with a query, use Remove Record button to delete A Guide to Oracle9i

10. Viewing and Interpreting Form Errors • Some errors are detected, or trapped, within the form and form issues the error message • Other errors are not detected until the form sends the data values to the database and Oracle DBMS issues the error message • To view information on database errors: • Click Help menu, Display Error • Dialog box displays error information A Guide to Oracle9i

11. Viewing Information About Database Error A Guide to Oracle9i

12. Closing a Form and Committing Changes • To close a form: • Click Exit button • Click Action on the form menu and then click Exit • Close browser window • If unsaved changes exist, dialog box will prompt to save changes A Guide to Oracle9i

13. Creating a Data Block Form • When creating a form for a table, Forms Builder automatically creates: • Labels • Text entry fields • Insert, update and delete and select queries A Guide to Oracle9i

14. The Object Navigator A Guide to Oracle9i

15. Creating a New Data Block Form • Create a new form module • Create a new data block using: • Data block wizard • Manual process • Using Data Block Wizard: • Select table name • Move editable fields from Available Columns list to Database Items list • Use Layout Wizard to create form layout A Guide to Oracle9i

16. Layout Editor • Use to customize form display • Can add images and static text to enhance form appearance A Guide to Oracle9i

17. Layout Editor A Guide to Oracle9i

18. Running a Form • Click Run Form button • Form is compiled into a .fmx file for execution • A text file with same name as form and .err extension holds errors that occur when running form A Guide to Oracle9i

19. Form Components and the Object Navigator • Use Object Navigator to view information about form components • Use buttons to expand and collapse form items • Use Ownership View to group logically associated components together • Use Visual View to group visually associated components • Can rename objects A Guide to Oracle9i

20. Modifying Forms Using the Data Block Wizard and Layout Wizard • Wizards can be used to modify existing forms and layouts in reentrant mode • Start wizard when component is selected to modify component A Guide to Oracle9i

21. Creating a Form to Display Multiple Records • Use tabular layout to edit multiple table records at the same time A Guide to Oracle9i

22. Lesson B Objectives • Create a data block form that is based on a database view • Learn how to modify form properties to improve form appearance and function • Create a master-detail form that contains multiple data blocks • Format form text items using format masks A Guide to Oracle9i

23. Creating a Form Based on a Database View • Similar to form based on table but read-only A Guide to Oracle9i

24. Modifying Form Properties A Guide to Oracle9i

25. Modifying Form Properties • Use Property Palette of form object to modify desired properties • To access: right click object, select Property Palette from menu • Intersection mode modifies properties for multiple objects at the same time • To open in intersection mode, select multiple objects before opening Property Palette A Guide to Oracle9i

26. Property Palette A Guide to Oracle9i

27. Modifying Form Prompts and Prompt Properties Using the Layout Editor • Edit prompts by changing text in layout editor • Resize frame to realign items and view changes • Use layout editor to modify font and point size of prompts A Guide to Oracle9i

28. Modifying Text Item Properties Using the Property Palette A Guide to Oracle9i

29. Creating a Data Block Form that Displays Data from Multiple Tables • Can create data block forms that display data from multiple database tables which have master-detail relationships • Master-detail relationship: one database record has multiple related records through foreign key relationships • Use data block wizard to create master block (for master table) first A Guide to Oracle9i

30. Creating a Data Block Form that Displays Data from Multiple Tables • Create detail blocks next and specify relationship on master-detail tab • Use auto-join to allow Forms Builder to decide on join condition • Use manual join to specify join fields • Code is added to link form blocks together so that when new master is selected, new detail appears A Guide to Oracle9i

31. Multiple Master-Detail Blocks A Guide to Oracle9i

32. Using Format Masks to Format Character Strings A Guide to Oracle9i

33. Lesson C Objectives • Use sequences to automatically generate primary key values in a form • Create lists of values (LOVs) to provide lists for foreign key values • Become familiar with different form items that you can use to enter and modify data values A Guide to Oracle9i

34. Using Sequences to Generate Primary Key Values • Form can be set up to automatically retrieve next sequence number and populate primary key field • Form triggers respond to user events or system actions • To create a trigger, specify: • Trigger’s object (i.e. specific button) • Trigger event (i.e. button press) • Code that executes • Use PRE-FORM event to perform action when form loads • Use Triggers dialog box to create triggers for objects A Guide to Oracle9i

35. PL/SQL Editor A Guide to Oracle9i

36. Using PL/SQL to Create Form Trigger • Type code to select next sequence value • Refer to form item (ID text entry field) as :block_name.item_name • Compile code before use to check for syntax errors • Must connect to database before compiling code • PL/SQL editor displays syntax errors A Guide to Oracle9i

37. Syntax Error in PL/SQL Editor A Guide to Oracle9i

38. Creating a List of Values (LOV) • Use a list of values (LOV) to eliminate user errors • Pop-up list allows user to select value from list of choices rather than typing • User can open LOV by: • Typing Ctrl-L with cursor in LOV text field • Click Edit then Display List from Forms Services menu • Clicking command button with attached trigger to open LOV • LOV allows user to search for values using wildcards • LOV data values come from a record group A Guide to Oracle9i

39. LOV Display A Guide to Oracle9i

40. Creating an LOV • To create LOV: • Use LOV Wizard • Manually create using Object Navigator • LOV can contain one or more columns • LOV appearance can be customized using layout wizard • Create a button on main form to launch LOV using button tool, attach form trigger to button that opens LOV A Guide to Oracle9i

41. Representing Data Values Using Other Item Types • Use radio buttons and checkboxes instead of text fields for data entry • Radio buttons represent small list of mutually exclusive values • To use radio buttons: • Create a radio group containing mutually exclusive radio buttons • Specify radio buttons rather than text for item type when creating form layout • Create individual radio buttons on canvas using radio button tool • Specify initial value for radio group using Property Palette A Guide to Oracle9i

42. Creating Checkboxes • Use to represent choice of two opposing values (i.e. On/Off) • Use label to indicate what checked value represents • Configure “Value when Checked” and “Value when Unchecked” to specify actual database values • Can specify a third value that checkbox has when unmodified (such as NULL) A Guide to Oracle9i

43. Summary • Forms Builder is used to provide users with graphical user interface for manipulating database objects • Form can represent one or more tables • Form can be used to view, create, update and delete table data • Form can be used to view data based on database views • Use wizards to create and modify form information • Use PL/SQL editor to edit, compile and debug code • Actions can be associated with form objects and events via Form Triggers A Guide to Oracle9i