Oracle Forms 4.5/ 5.0/ 6.0 FAQ

$Date: 29-Jan-2000 $
$Revision: 1.31c $
$Author: Frank Naudé $

Topics

OriPos := TO_NUMBER(:System.Trigger_Record);
First_Record;

LOOP
  --   do processing
  IF (:System.Last_Record = 'TRUE') THEN
     Go_Record(OriPos);
     EXIT;
  ELSE
     Next_Record;
  END IF;
END LOOP

ON-LOGIN

declare
    uname varchar2(10);
    pass  varchar2(10);
begin
    uname := 'username';
    pass  :='password';
    logon(uname, pass||'@connect_database');
end;

        set_window_property(FORMS_MDI_WINDOW, WINDOW_STATE, MINIMIZE);
        set_window_property(FORMS_MDI_WINDOW, POSITION, 7, 15);
        set_window_property('my_window_name', WINDOW_STATE, MAXIMIZE);

A statement like CREATE TABLE X (A DATE); will result in error:

Encountered the symbol "CREATE" which is a reserved word.

However, you can use the FORMS_DDL built-in to execute DDL statements. Eg:

FORMS_DDL('CREATE TABLE X (A DATE)');

FORMS_DDL('INSERT INTO X VALUES (' || col_list || ')');

Just note that FORMS_DDL will force an implicit COMMIT and may de-synchronize the Oracle Forms COMMIT mechanism.

1. Create a TIMER at the point where you want the navigation to occur. Eg. create_timer('TIMER_X', 5, NO_REPEAT);

2. Code a WHEN-TIMER-EXPIRED trigger to handle the navigation

DECLARE
  tm_name  VARCHAR2(20);
BEGIN
  tm_name  := Get_Application_Property(TIMER_NAME);
  IF tm_name = 'TIMER_X' THEN
    Go_Item('ITEM_X');
  END IF;
END;

Dirty but effective (didn't Oracle promise to fix this feature?).

SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY(CURSOR_STYLE, BUSY);

message('...'); synchronize;

This can also be used to execute a query while the user is looking at the results of a previous query.

What happened to SQL*Menu?

How does one compile MS Help files?

Help Compiler - FTP Sites

        DECLARE
           file1  TEXT_IO.FILE_TYPE;
           file2  TEXT_IO.FILE_TYPE;
           str    VARCHAR2(80);
        BEGIN
           file1 := TEXT_IO.FOPEN( 'input.txt','r' );
           file2 := TEXT_IO.FOPEN( 'output.txt', 'w' );
           TEXT_IO.GET_LINE( file1, str );
           TEXT_IO.PUT_LINE( file2, str );
           TEXT_IO.FCLOSE( file1 );
           TEXT_IO.FCLOSE( file2 );
        END;

@echo off
@echo. +----------------------------------------------------------
@echo. | FMXGNALL.BAT
@echo. +----------------------------------------------------------
@echo. |
@echo. | Create runtime FMXs from source FMBs
@echo. | Will convert ALL of the fmbs in the current direcotry
@echo. | Usage : FMXALL.BAT username/password@connect string
@echo. |
@echo. +----------------------------------------------------------
@echo.
@echo. Username/Password@connect_string = %1
@echo.

IF %1 == "" GOTO END

@echo Removing old FMX files
del *.fmx

@echo Creating the new FMX files
rem Change f45gen32 to f45gen if in 16 bit environment.
FOR %%F in (*.fmb) DO start /w f45gen32 userid=%1 batch=y module=%%F

@echo.
@echo Done!!! Remember to move the FMX files into your runtime directory.
@echo.

:END

   f45gen USERID=userid/passwd@db_name MODULE_TYPE=FORM MODULE=module_name

Use the "f45run" command to run your form.

• You need to design on a PC and frequently get compatibility problems (font scaling, etc);
• Forms 4.5 is no improvement for Forms 3.0 terminal users at all, rather it is a step backwards;
• Forms 4.5 uses too much memory and executables are about 400% larger than for its 3.0 counter part;
• The largest Oracle Forms customers still runs on Forms V3.0 and will rather throw out Oracle than to convert to Forms 4.5.

I think Oracle should bring SQL*Forms v3.0 back for terminal users. They could rename the product to Oracle Forms for Terminals, or something.

• Basic Oracle Forms: Creating a Simple Data Entry Form