1. Oracle HTMLDB introduction
IT-AIS Developers Pizza Forum: 28 April 2005
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2. What is HTMLDB
A rapid web application development tool for the Oracle database.
100% web based development
PL/SQL driven
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3. Architecture Everything is in the Database! Oracle RDBMS HTMLDB
WebServer
Client
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4. Pros & Cons Pros Cons Fast development Platform lock 100% web based
No code required
Ready to use components
Professional looking
Easy to create mock-ups
Easy to deploy
Easy to understand
Fast (no overhead)
Cons
Platform lock
Difficult to debug
Tricky to customize
Scaling problems
Difficult version control
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5. Trade Off Comparison Effort Good for small/simple projects J2EE HTMLDB?
Results
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6. Real World Examples HTMLDB Itself! AskTom CERN: Pre Registration Tool
CERN: Safety Information Registration
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7. Development Cycle RDBMS HTMLDB Developer Web Interface HTMLDB Engine
Application
Metadata
Web
Application
User
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8. HTMLDB Interface Application Builder Create pages
Manage shared components (Items, Templates, Translations, …)
Import & Export application
SQL Workshop
Browse DB Objects (Tables, Packages, DBLinks, Java Classes, …)
Create DB Objects
Run arbitrary SQL
Data Workshop
Import/Export Data from/to XML/Spreadsheet
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9. Page Creation: Overview
Request
Page
Pre-processing
Client
Rendering
Order can be finely
tuned mixing processing
and rendering.
Post-processing
Branching
Same or other Page
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10. Page Creation: Rendering
User Interface Items
Data Loading PL/SQL
Repository
Input Text
Checkbox
Report
Every Item corresponds to a “global” variable
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11. Processing & Branching
Processes
execute PL/SQL
manage sessions state
Reports pagination
Many others …
Computations
Set “item” values
SQL or PL/SQL driven
Static values
Other item values
Branches
Application Page
External URL
Functions returning URL/page
Others …
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12. Example: Room Booking Use Cases Search for first available time slot
Book desired time slot
Show room availability
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13. Conclusions Fast implementation Good looking results
Good for small to medium applications
It takes some time to get used to it
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14. Resources
Official Oracle Page
Good support forum
AskTom
Newsgroups comp.databases.oracle.tools
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15. Questions? ?
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