1. Enhanced Guide to Oracle 10g
Chapter 5:
Introduction To Form Builder

2. Forms
Why Do We Use Form Builder?
Why Don’t We Use SQL Only?!

3. Forms
Application with a graphical user interface that looks like a paper form
Used to insert, update, delete and view database data

4. Primary Form Uses Viewing/retrieving records
Inserting/updating/deleting records
Counting the number of records a query will retrieve

5. Data Block Form
Is a form associated with a specific Oracle database table
System automatically creates:
Text fields associated with table fields
Programs for inserting, modifying, deleting, and viewing data records

6. Data Block Forms
ORACLE 10g forms are displayed in a web browser as a web page.
They appear in the Forms Services Window within the browser window.
The form specification is translated into Java Applet (those are displayed in web browsers) using a Web server process called OC4J Instant (details: page 264, next slide too).
They are Dynamic Web Pages.

7. Steps of running the form
Design the form and write its code (.fmb file)
Compile the form (.fmx file)
When you run the form:
OC4J Instance process converts the compiled file into java applet
Java applet form starts on the web browser

8. Using a Data Block Form
A block is a group of related form items (text fields, option buttons,…).
A data block is a specific DB table, and contains objects (text fields, option buttons) that display values from the table’s data fields.
A single-block form: is the form that displays data from only one table.
A multiple-block form: is the form that displays data from multiple DB tables.

9. Using a Data Block Form To start Form Builder:
Start, All programs, Oracle Developer Suit-OraHome, Forms Developer, Forms Builder
Open an existing for (.fmb) or design yours and save it (the path name or the form name should not contain spaces).
To run the form, click Program on the menu bar, Run Form.
If you are asked to install the Jinitiator, click yes and accept all default values.
Jinitiator application iniitializes the Java applet in the web browser.

10. Expected Errors
If the error “FRM-90928” appears, it means that the path name or the form name contains space.
If the web page does not appear and the browser diplays the characters or similar. Then the form builder should be configured correctly to use your web browser. (see page 266 to know how to configure it).

11. Form Modes
When the form is running in the Forms Services window in the web browser it can be one of two modes:
Normal Mode
You can view records and sequentially step through records and change data.
Enter Query Mode
You can enter search parameters in form fields and then retrieve the associated records
To place the form in Enter Query mode, click the Enter Query button on the toolbar.
Execute the query or cancel it to return to Normal mode.

12. Inserting New Records
In Normal mode, click the Insert Record button to insert a new blank record
Type the data values in the form fields
Click the Save button to save the values in the database

13. Retrieving Records
Click the Enter Query button to place the form in Enter Query mode
Type a search condition
Click the Execute Query button to retrieve selected records
If you click , do not enter a search condition, and then click , all table records will be retrieved

14. Form Search Types
Exact search: only retrieves records that exactly match the entered search condition
Restricted search: retrieves records that fall within a range of values

15. Restricted Search Operators
_: wildcard replacing a single character
%: wildcard replacing multiple characters
>, <: greater than, less than
>=, <=: greater than or equal to, less than or equal to
<> or !=: not equal to

16. Scrolling Through Retrieved Records
To view the next record, click the Next Record button
To view the previous record, click the Previous Record button

17. Updating and Deleting Records
Retrieve the record to be updated or deleted
To update, change the data value and click the Save button
To delete, click the Remove Record button

18. Data Block Form File Types
.fmb
Form design file, used by form programmer in Form Builder
.fmx
Form executable file, run by form users

19. Form Components Form module: form application Form window
Title bar on top
Horizontal and vertical scrollbars
Can be resized, maximized, minimized

20. Form Components Canvas Block Form items
Surface that displays form items
Block
Object that contains form items
Form items
Command buttons, radio (option) buttons, text items
Items in the same block can appear on different canvases

21. Form Components Window Canvas Block of items Name Cash Check
Credit Card

22. Object Navigator Forms Builder Toolbar.
Form Module. See Page 276, next slde.
Hierarchical Display.

23. To create a new
Form module or
Data block..

24. Creating a Data Block Form
Steps:
1. Create the data block using the Data Block Wizard
2. Create the form layout using the Layout Wizard

25. Data Block Wizard Welcome page Type page Table page Finish page
Select table or view on which to base the block source
Table page
Select table associated with form
Enforce Integrity Constraint Check Box
Finish page
Option to use the Layout Wizard to automate creating the layout

26. Layout Wizard Canvas page Data Block page Items page Style page
Select the canvas where the block is displayed
Data Block page
Select the fields that are displayed on the layout
Items page
Specify the column labels, heights and widths
Style page
Specify to create a form- or tabular-style layout

27. Layout Styles Form style Tabular style
One record appears on the form at a time
Tabular style
Multiple records display on the form in a table

28. Form Builder Wizards Are Re-entrant
You can select a block or layout, then re-enter it and modify its properties using the Wizard
A Wizard is in re-entrant mode when its pages appear as tabs

29. Form Builder Object Navigator Window
Shows form objects
Allows developer to access form objects
Object Navigator has 2 views
Ownership view: shows form objects as a flat list (the form is presented as a top-level object, and then lists all form object nodes on the next level) . (fig. 5-8, slide 23)
Visual view: hierarchical relationships between objects ( form objects contain other objects: a form contains windows, a window contains canvases and a canvas contains data blocks).(fig. 5-27, next slide)
Details about ownership and visual views is in page 300.

31. Guidelines For Configuring Form Windows
Change the window title
Allow user to minimize the window
Do not allow the user to maximize the window
Do not allow the user to resize the window
Include horizontal and vertical scrollbars if items appear beyond window boundaries
Make the form window fill the Forms Runtime window

32. Configuring Form Windows
Title
Minimize/
Maximize buttons
Window
size

33. Example: create a Data Block using WIZARD
Click on the Data Block node under the MODULE form node.
Click the + sign or choose create from Edit on the menu bar.
The following window appears:
Choose the first option, now
Then the Ok 
A Welcome page might appear,
if so click next
The wizard window appears
as shown next slide:

35. Example: create a Data Block using WIZARD
Make sure the table or view is selected, now. Then NEXT
The tables window appears so as to choose the table from your schema, which the data block is based on.
You might need to connect to the DB, if you
are not doing yet.
Choose the connect button
or connect from file on the menu bar.
Select the table, pay attention to the user.
After that choose the field you want to show.
Type the data block name.
Then choose “create the data block, and
then call the layout wizard, then FINISH.

36. Example: create a Data Block using WIZARD
The form layout specifies how a given form looks to the user. So a welcome window might appear, click next.
Then a Canvas (the area where the form objects are located) window appear, choose the canvas and its type. For details about the types refer to page 285.
The Data block page appear
so you can choose the fields
that will be displayed in
the form. Fig
Then the items page appears,
where the specifications and
labels (prompts) can be
determined.

37. Example: create a Data Block using WIZARD
You can change the prompts (labels that appears next to each field).
Then choose whether the layout style is FORM or Tabular.
If form is chosen, then determine the title that appears on the frame of the data block, the number of rows that appear in the form style is always one row at a time. If the tabular is chosen, then number can be more. The distance between record is determined in a tabular case. Choose whether to display the scroll bar.
Finish.
The window should appear as in next slide:

39. Example: create a Data Block using WIZARD
You can import a static image to make your form looks better:
Click on the layout editor window shown in the previous slide.
From EDIT choose import  image.
Select the image you like.
Adjust its place on the window.
To run the form so as to see the data of the table:
Run the form using the button
or from Program on the menu bar choose run form.
Important:
If the “FRM-10142” error appears, then run the OC4J instant of the form
If the HTML code appears instead of the form on your browser then do the following”
from IE chose tools  Internet Options  Advanced  Look for Security value then Check the “allow active controls to run in files on my computer”.

40. Lesson B

41. Creating a Form Based on a Database View
View can be derived from one or more database tables
Form based on a view only allows you to display data from table(s)
Form could be used to insert, update, or delete data if the view is a simple view only.
How to do that ? Select Views from Figure 5-12, see slide 35 when you create the form using the wizard.

42. Modifying Form Properties
Every form object has a Property Palette that allows you to configure form and its objects properties (page 322)
How to open the property palette? From the Object navigator chose windows node, select your window and right click the mouse, choose property palette. OR:
On the layout editor, right click and then select property palette. OR:
See page 323 for other two ways.
Context bar
Property
Nodes
Property List

43. Intersection Property Palette
Used to change property of several items to the same value (page 328)
Select the objects together and open the property palette.
Intersection/Union button on the tool bar appears as
When the objects have different values, it appears as *****, and the property node appears with a ? Before it.

44. Frame Properties frame
The frame is that encloses a data block’s items.
Its update Layout can be:
Automatically
Frame items are automatically repositioned based on their order in the Data Blocks list when you move or resize a frame, or modify the form layout using the Layout Wizard in reentrant mode
Manually
Items are automatically when layout is modified in Layout Wizard in reentrant mode
Items are not repositioned if you move or resize the frame
Locked
Items are never automatically repositioned
frame

45. Multiple-Table Forms Examples:
Data block forms can display data from multiple tables that have a master-detail relationship in which
Master record can have multiple related (detail) records through foreign key relationship.
Examples:
One FACULTY record can have multiple related STUDENT records. The FACUTLY record is the master record, because a faculty member can have many student records, but a student can have only one related faculty record.
One CUSTOMER might have multiple CUST_ORDER records

46. Multiple-Table Forms
When creating a form that contains a master-detail relationship, you always use the Data Block Wizard to create the master block, which is the block that displays the master records first.
Then start the wizard a second time, and create the detail block, which displays the detail records.
When creating the detail block, the master-detail relationship should be specified in the wizard on a page called Master_Detail page.
That page appears only when you create a data block that already contains one or more data blocks.

47. Master-Detail Forms
Master block
Detail block

48. Creating a Master-Detail Form
Create the master block first
Specify the relationship on the Data Block Wizard Master-Detail page of the detail block

49. Complex Master-Detail Relationships
A master block can have multiple detail blocks
An item can be in multiple customer orders, and have multiple shipment records
A student has an advisor and also enrolled in courses. page 342.
A detail block can be a master block in a second master-detail relationship
A customer can have multiple CUST_ORDER records
One CUST_ORDER record can have multiple ORDER_LINE records
A faculty member can have many students and a student can be enrolled in many classes. Page 342.

50. Complex Master-Detail Relationship Example

51. Formatting Text Items
Specify desired format mask in text item Format Mask property
If format mask makes value wider than text item Data Width property, data appears as #####
E.g: make the format mask for the empno field in the form builder: 99”- - “ 99 and make the data length for the field 4.

52. Formatting Character Text Items
Place embedded characters in double quotes

53. Format Mask Examples Value Format Mask Result 7945 999 ###
###
$ $
”-”
SYSDATE Day-MON-YY Friday-NOV-06

54. Lesson C

55. Form Triggers
PL/SQL procedure that runs in response to a user or system action
Clicking a button
Loading a form
Exiting a form
Triggers can be associated with:
An entire form (form level)
A block (block level)
A specific form item (item level)

56. Using Form Triggers Creating a trigger:
select the form or form item event
type the trigger code
Referencing a form item in PL/SQL code:
:block_name.item_name
Triggers are compiled before a form is run

57. Using Sequences in Forms
Create a block-level WHEN-CREATE-RECORD trigger
Trigger PL/SQL code:
SELECT sequence_name.NEXTVAL
INTO :block_name.item_name
FROM DUAL;

58. Form Lists of Values (LOVs)
List of legal values that can be selected for use in a form field
LOV
command
button
LOV
display

59. Creating an LOV Using the LOV Wizard
Use the LOV Wizard to:
Specify the LOV display records using a SQL query
Format the LOV display
Attach the LOV to a form text item
Change the LOV and record group name in the Object Navigator

60. Opening the LOV Display
Place the insertion point in the text item to which the LOV is attached
Press CTRL+L, or from Edit menu of the form choose the option ‘Display List’

61. Creating a Command Button to Open the LOV Display
Create a command button on the canvas
Iconic button
Displays an icon image from an .ico file
Complete path to .ico file must be specified in button’s ICON property

62. LOV Command Button Trigger
Create a trigger for the button that does the following:
Places the form insertion point in the text item to which the LOV is attached:
GO_ITEM(‘IN_VID’);
Executes the LIST_VALUES command:
LIST_VALUES;

63. Alternate Form Input Items
Radio buttons
Check boxes

64. Radio Buttons
Limits user to one of two or more related, mutually exclusive choices

65. Radio Groups Related radio buttons are part of a radio group
Individual related
radio buttons

66. Creating a Radio Group
Create the form using the Data Block and Layout Wizards
Open the item Property Palette, and change the Item Type value to Radio Group
Draw and format the radio buttons on the canvas
Modify the radio button properties
Modify the radio group properties

67. Important Radio Button Properties
Name: how the button is referenced within the form
Label: description that appears next to the button on the canvas
Radio Button Value: associated data value in the database

68. Important Radio Group Properties
Name: how the radio group is referenced within the form
Initial Value: data value of the radio button within the radio group that is selected when the form first appears

69. Check Boxes Used to represent fields that can have one of two values
Check box caption is interpreted as TRUE or FALSE
If checked, caption is true
If cleared, caption is false

70. Check Box Example

71. Creating a Check Box
Create the form using the Data Block and Layout Wizards
Open the item Property Palette, and change the Item Type value to Check Box
Modify the item properties

72. Important Check Box Properties
Label: description that appears next to the check box on the canvas
Value when Checked: data value of the item when the box is checked
Value when Unchecked: data value of the item when the box is checked
Check Box Mapping of Other Values: check box status when form first opens, or when new blank record is added

73. Thank you.