oracle forms 12c - doag.org

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Oracle Forms 12c Change Begins Here

Michael Ferrante Principal Product Manager Application Development Tools November 2015


Safe Harbor Statement

The following is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Oracle’s products remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.

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Program Agenda

Support Lifecycle

Feature Comparison

v12.2.1.0 New Features Overview

Beyond v12.2.1

Q & A

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Product support timeline

Lifetime Support Policy

http://www.oracle.com/us/support/lifetime-support

Note: Oracle Forms and Reports 12c (12.2.1.0) will be added to the Lifetime Support Policy shortly after its release.


Highlighted features and enhancements

Oracle Forms

Oracle Forms 11.1.1

• WLS Integration

• JavaScript Integration

• Enhanced Java support

• Server-side events

• DB Proxy user support

• Enhanced sql logging

• Integration with ODL

GA 2005 GA 2009 GA 2011

Oracle Forms 10.1.2

• Runtime Pooling

• JVM Pooling

• Improved SSO Integration

• Improved EM Interface

• XML Conversion

Oracle Forms 11.1.2

• Support for OVAB

• Integration with OAM

• Schedule Runtime Prestart

• Forms Metric Agent

• Enhanced Net Diagnostics

• Oracle RUEI

• URLs in Image Items

• guiMode Parameter

• True window maximizing

• New installation options

Oracle Forms 12.2.1

• BI-Publisher integration

• System Events (5)

• Client configurations (3+1)

• JVM Controller improvements

• OPSS support for RADs

• SSO Logout support

• Tab canvas label icons

• Record Manager improvements

• New applet parameters

• Customizable colorSchemes

• And many, many more …

GA 2015


The Features Here we go…

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Runtime

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Client Deployment Configurations

• Google Chrome, no longer supports plugins. Oracle Java Plugin can no longer be used. – https://java.com/en/download/faq/chrome.xml

– https://www.chromium.org/administrators/turning-off-auto-updates

– https://support.google.com/installer/answer/146164

• Mozilla Firefox to support NPAPI until December 2016*. – https://blogs.oracle.com/java-platform-group/entry/npapi_plugin_perspectives_and_the

• Microsoft has not officially stated they will desupport NPAPI. Windows 10 supports both IE-11 and Edge (aka Spartan). Edge does not support the Java Plugin.

*Reminder: Oracle Forms 11gR2 Premier Support ends December 2016

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https://java.com/en/download/faq/chrome.xml

https://www.chromium.org/administrators/turning-off-auto-updates







https://support.google.com/installer/answer/146164

https://blogs.oracle.com/java-platform-group/entry/npapi_plugin_perspectives_and_the






• Applet embedded in HTML – Default configuration.

– Support for SSO, SSO Logout, and Java Script integration.

– Requires Java Plugin and browser.

• JNLP embedded in HTML – Support for SSO, SSO Logout, and Java

Script integration.

– Base64 encodes JNLP code in client side html source.

– Requires Java Plugin and browser.

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• Java Web Start – Limited SSO support (requires

browser). SSO cookie will not be shared with browsers launched from Forms.

– No support for SSO Logout or Java Script Integration.

– Requires either JDK or Java Plugin (JRE).

– Browser optional (required with SSO).

– Presents application with native appearance.

• Standalone – No support for SSO, SSO Logout or Java

Script Integration.

– Requires either JDK or Java Plugin (JRE) installation.

– Browser not required.

– Presents application with native appearance .

– Example page available at: /forms/html/fsal.htm

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Oracle Forms and Microsoft Edge Oracle Forms and Google Chrome


BI-Publisher integration

Oracle Forms

• Provides an optional alternative to using Oracle Reports. • Can be used in conjunction with Oracle Reports. • Communicate with Oracle BI-Publisher via Web Services. • Send report output to several delivery destinations simultaneously (e.g. email,

printer, ftp, etc). • All calls to BI-Publisher are asynchronous. • Coding syntax similar to integration with Oracle Reports. • Integration with BI-Publisher can be performance enhanced using the JVM

Pooling feature(s).


JVM Pooling

• DEJVM load balancing. – Random (default)

– Least Loaded First

– Round Robin

• DEJVM auto removal of child jvm.

• DEJVM enhanced logging.

• DEJVM free global references.

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Oracle Forms

• By default, leverage in-memory archive record storage rather than disk.

• Reduces record memory usage for both Data Blocks and Record Groups.

• Customizable.

• Expose Record Manager status via new built-in (GET_RECMGR_STATS).

• New System Variables to inspect memory used by RecMan.

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Record Manager


New System Events

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Allows applications to react to a variety of events. Developers decide how to react.

• Client-Idle • DB-Idle • Single-Sign-Off • Notification • Media Completion


Audio Playback

• Provides audio playback support. • Audio files stored in jar files on a remote server. • Audio files will not be associated with a database record in this release. • End of file playback can be detected using the Audio Completion System Event. • Audio playback is based on JavaFX, therefore most audio formats supported by

JFX will be supported by Forms with the exception of the streaming formats. • Playback control includes PLAY, PAUSE, STOP, TOGGLE MUTE.


• Create a customized colorScheme without changing application code. • Colors are set in Registry.dat. • Nine attributes are settable in this release. More planned for future releases. • Uses new applet parameter “customColorScheme” (e.g. customColorScheme=sample).

Customizable ColorSchemes

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# Sample custom color scheme colorScheme.sample.description=Sample custom color scheme colorScheme.sample.lightest=0xFFFF33 colorScheme.sample.lighter=0xFFCC33 colorScheme.sample.light=0xCC3333 colorScheme.sample.dark=0x993333 colorScheme.sample.darker=0x660033 colorScheme.sample.darkest=0x003333 colorScheme.sample.selection=0x4169E1 colorScheme.sample.pinstripe1=0xEE82EE colorScheme.sample.pinstripe2=0xF5DEB3


Tab Label Icons

• Supports web formatted images (e.g. gif, jpg, etc). • Tab label will grow relative to the image size. 16x16 pixel size recommended. • Can only be set in plsql. Builder support planned in a later versions. SET_TAB_PAGE_PROPERTY(‘tab1’,ICON_NAME,’blueDot.gif’);


Add custom text

Logon and Change Password Dialogs

• Add up to 255 single-byte characters of alphanumeric to either of these dialogs by setting FORMS_LOGON_HINT and/or FORMS_CHANGE_PASSWORD_HINT

Password change example (210 characters): Password must; contain at least 2 letters, be at least 8 characters long, contain at least 1 number, contain at least 1 uppercase letter, not match or contain user ID, not match or contain first or last name.

Logon example (48 characters): Username and password fields are case sensitive.


Designtime

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Form Builder

Reset multiple item Properties at one time for significant time savings.

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Multiple Property Inherit


Mouse sizing icons for making UI object resizing and moving easier

Enhanced Layout Editor


Integrated XML Converter

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• Accessible from within the Builder. Select File > Convert from the menu. • The Overwrite checkbox determines whether or not to prompt if a file already exists. • The Keep window open checkbox is helpful when more than one file is to be converted.


New object group excluding third party libraries

WebUtil Object Library

• WEBUTIL_NO_OLE can be used when OLE functionality is not used in the module. • JACOB libraries are not needed when WEBUTIL_NO_OLE is used. • Existing modules need to be manually altered to replace WEBUTIL with WEBUTIL_NO_OLE


File Open/Save Dialogs

• Uses more modern Microsoft Windows file dialog.

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Help Menu

Oracle Forms Documentation

• Easy access to Forms documentation and other resources


Applet Parameters

• idleTimeout

• ssoLogout

• customColorScheme

• alwaysOnTop*

• centerOnStartup*

• isResizable

• dynamicLayout

• hideActivityBar

• WebUtilVersion

• hideClientExceptions

* Not supported with Java Web Start

Properties • SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY

(RECORD_COUNT_DISPLAYED)

• SET_TAB_PAGE_PROPERTY (ICON_NAME)

• SET_ITEM_PROPERTY (CURSOR_STYLE)

• SET_APPLICATON_PROPERTY (MAX_EVENT_WAIT)

• GET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY (USER_IP_ADDRESS)

• GET_FORM_PROPERTY (FORM_QUERY_ONLY)

• GET_RECMGR_STATS (…)

– all_record_data

– archived_record_data

– active_record_data

– record_anchors

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Environment Variables

• FORMS_SELECT_ON_CLICK

• FORMS_LOGON_HINT

• FORMS_CHANGE_PASSWORD_HINT

• FORMS_HTTP_PROXY_HOST

• FORMS_HTTP_PROXY_PORT

• FORMS_HTTPS_PROXY_HOST

• FORMS_HTTPS_PROXY_PORT

• FORMS_PROXY_BYPASS

Miscellaneous


Miscellaneous

• Improvements to JDAPI (e.g. compile PLX, compile_all, etc).

• Send custom messages to ODL logging from running form.

• Get/Set value in non-current item

• Returned values from Java Script events increased in size from 255 to 32k

• Store RADs in OPSS

• Perform most RAD administration tasks in Fusion Middleware Control

• New Builder Preference settings

• Form Builder Only install option

• And many more …


Oracle Forms 12c

• Refer to documentation

• Install 64bit JDK (v8U51+)

• Install WebLogic Server 12c (Infrastructure)

• Install Forms and Reports

• Create repository using RCU (11.2.0.4+ Oracle DB required)

• Create domain using Config Wizard

• Start all servers (Node Manager, Admin Server, etc)

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Installation and Configuration


Beyond 12.2.1.0 A look into the crystal ball …

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On-going development

Oracle Forms

Features being reviewed for future releases:

• Oracle Cloud • Application packaging and deployment utilities • Fusion Middleware Control Forms Advanced configuration • New applet parameters • Enhancements to customColorscheme feature • Form Builder improvements • New and/or enhanced UI components • WebUtil improvements • New and improved security features • Improved diagnostic features • Enhancements to client deployment options • Installation/configuration improvements


Contact Information Stay in touch with the Oracle Forms family


Stay in touch with the family

Oracle Forms

Oracle Forms on the Oracle Technology Network http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/forms

Oracle Technology Network Forms Forum https://community.oracle.com/community/development_tools/forms

Oracle Communities (My-Oracle-Support) https://community.oracle.com/community/support/middleware/oracle_forms

Follow us on Twitter @OracleFormsPM

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