Enhanced Guide to Oracle8i

Chapter 8:
Advanced Form Builder Topics

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Non-Input Form Items
 Form items that display data but don’t
allow the user to change values
 Boilerplate text and objects
 Display items
 Image items
 Sound items

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Boilerplate Text and Objects
 Enhance form appearance
 Text
 Captions or other text
 Drawn with Text tool
 Objects
 Circles, rectangles, lines, etc.
 Drawn with tools on tool palette

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Display Items
 Used to display text data in a text box
that the user cannot change
 Retrieved from database
 Calculated values
 Other text
 Drawn using Display Item tool
 Note: tool text background is gray, not
white

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Creating Display Items that
Display Calculated Values
 Draw the display item
 Change its Calculate Mode property
 Formula: value specified by a PL/SQL
formula
 Summary: value specified by a summary
operation

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Displaying Images in Forms
 Static imported images
 Incorporates image into form .fmb file
 Makes .fmb file larger
 Used to display images that are the same on each
form, regardless of data that appears
 Dynamic images
 Loads image data at runtime
 Used to display:
 Images that are retrieved from the database
 Large images that you don’t want to store in the .fmb file

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Adding a Static Image to a
Form
 Click File, point to Import, click
Image
 Select image file and specify image
properties

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Static Image Properties
 Image format
 Specifies the image file format and file
extension
 Image quality
 Determines how image data is stored in
Form Builder in terms of resolution and
number of colors
 Values: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor
 “Excellent” stores more data than “Good”

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Creating a Dynamic Image
 Create an image item on the form using the Image
Item tool
 Create a trigger to load image items into the
database using the READ_IMAGE_FILE procedure

Image
item

Button with
trigger to
load image
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READ_IMAGE_FILE Procedure
 Syntax:
READ_IMAGE_FILE(filename, ‘file_type’,
‘item_name’);
 Parameters:
 filename: complete folder path and filename
specification of the image file
 file_type: type of image file (TIFF, BMP, etc.)
 item_name: name of image item, in
‘block_name.item_name’ format

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 Using Sound Items in Forms
 Sound data can be stored in Oracle
database BLOB data fields
 You can create a form sound item to
allow users to play sound clips
Slider Volume
bar control
Time
Play indicator
button Fast forward/
Rewind buttons
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Creating a Sound Item in a
Form
 Create a Sound Item on the form using
the Sound Item tool
 You can also convert the item type to a
Sound Item in the Data Block Wizard in re-
entrant mode
 Load the sound item into the database
from the file system using the
READ_SOUND_FILE procedure
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The READ_SOUND_FILE
Procedure
 Syntax:
READ_SOUND_FILE(filename,
‘file_type’, ‘item_name’);
 Parameters:
 filename: complete specification of sound clip file
 file_type: supported sound types (AU, AIFF<
AIFF-C, WAVE)
 item_name: name of form sound item, in
‘block_name.item_name’ format

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Data Block Sources
 Sources for data block data:
 Table
 View
 FROM clause query
 Stored procedure
 Transactional trigger

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Using Tables as Block Data
Sources
 Enables you to create a data block
based on a single table, or tables with
master-detail relationships
 Allows DML operations
 Allows queries
 Easy to create
 Can be slow when retrieving large
datasets
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Using Views as Block Data
Sources
 Allows you to seamlessly display data from
multiple tables
 Only allows DML operations on simple views
 Allows queries
 Easy to create
 View must be created as a database object
 Can be slow when retrieving large datasets

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Using FROM Clauses as Data
Block Sources
 Enables you to create a data block
based on a query that joins multiple
tables
 Does not allow DML operations
 Allows queries
 Avoids having to create a view

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Using Stored Procedures as
Data Block Sources
 Stored procedure creates a table or –REF
cursor on which the data block is based
 Does not support DML or query operations
 Can provide more complex data displays
 Can incorporate program logic into a data
display
 Can improve performance when retrieving
large datasets

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Using Transactional Triggers
as Data Block Sources
 Trigger that fires in place of a DML
command on a table
 Can support DML and query operations
 Can be used to create a form based on
a non-Oracle data source
 Requires custom programs to be written
that intercept DML commands

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Programming Form Key
Operations
 When the user presses a function key
or key combination while a form is
running, a key trigger executes
 Examples of form key operations:
 F1: Commits current form data
 Ctrl + e: Opens an editor for the current
text item

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Key Triggers
 Examples of Form Builder predefined
key triggers (more in Table 8-4):
Key Sequence Name of Key Associated
Trigger Command
F7 Key-ENTQRY ENTER_QUERY;
F8 Key-EXEQRY EXECUTE_QUERY
F9 Key-LISTVAL LIST_VALUES;
F10 Key-COMMIT COMMIT;
Ctrl + e Key-EDIT EDIT_TEXITEM;

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Redefining Existing Key
Operations
 Create a key trigger associated with the
existing key sequence trigger event
 Example: to redefine F10, create a Key-
COMMIT trigger
 Specify alternate code in key trigger

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Oracle Transaction Processing
 Transaction: series of DML commands that
constitute a logical unit of work
 Phases
 Posting
 DB server receives and acknowledges a DML command
 Change is visible to current user, but not to other users
 Committing
 Change is made permanent in the database
 Change is visible to other users

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Form Builder Transaction
Processing Phases
 Reads records from database and displays
them in the form
 Allows users to make tentative changes
 Posts changes to the database
 Commits changes to the database when:
 User clicks Save button
 User presses F10
 CLEAR_BLOCK or CLEAR_FORM built-in executes
 Users clicks Yes when asked to save changes to
database

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Form Transaction Triggers
 Triggers used to control transaction
processing and record auditing
information
 Prefixes:
 PRE-: fires just before an event occurs
 POST-: fires just after an event occurs

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 Form Transaction Triggers

Result on User
User Action Triggers Fired
Screen Display
PRE-QUERY
PRE-SELECT
Execute Query POST-SELECT Data appears on form
POST-CHANGE
POST-QUERY
WHEN-NEW-RECORD-INSTANCE
WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE

Insert Record WHEN-NEW-RECORD-INSTANCE New blank record appears

WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE

POST-CHANGE
WHEN-VALIDATE-RECORD
Save POST-BLOCK Message “FRM-40400:
(new or updated record) PRE-COMMIT Transaction complete:
PRE-INSERT 1 records applied and
POST-INSERT saved” appears
POST-FORMS-COMMIT
POST-DATABASE-COMMIT
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 Form Transaction Triggers
(continued)

User Action Triggers Fired Result on User

Screen Display

Remove Record WHEN-NEW-RECORD-INSTANCE Record data is removed

WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE from form

POST-BLOCK
PRE-COMMIT
Save PRE-DELETE Message “FRM-40400:
(after removing record) POST-DELETE Transaction complete:
POST-FORMS-COMMIT 1 records applied and
POST-DATABASE-COMMIT saved” appears

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Using Forms with Large Data
Sets
 Approaches
 Create indexes on search and join fields
 Encourage users to count query hits before
executing queries
 Limit number of retrieved records by forcing users
to enter search conditions
 Configure LOVs to always allow users to filter data
 Use array processing
 Base retrievals on asynchronous queries

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Forcing Users to Enter a
Search Condition
 Create a PRE-QUERY trigger that fires when
user does not enter a search condition in a
data block form
 Trigger code:
 Tests to see if user entered a search condition
 If not, advises user to enter search condition
 Abandons current query

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Code to Test For Search
Condition

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Configuring LOVs to Handle
Large Retrieval Sets
 An LOV retrieves all records before the
LOV display appears
 Can be slow if many records are retrieved
 An LOV can retrieve a maximum of 32,767
records
 Use the LOV Wizard Advanced page to
configure an LOV to handle large data
sets
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LOV Wizard Advanced Page

Record group
fetch size

Automatic
refresh

Filter before
display

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Advanced Page Properties
 Record Group Fetch Size
 Specifies how many records are fetched in
each query processing cycle
 For queries that retrieve large data sets,
make the record group fetch size larger to
speed up processing

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Advanced Page Properties
 Automatic Refresh
 Specifies whether the LOV queries the
database each time LOV display opens
 When check box is cleared, LOV records
are only retrieved the first time the user
opens the LOV display
 Clear check box for large data sets

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Advanced Page Properties
 Filter Before Display
 Specifies whether LOV records appear
before user enters a search condition
 When check box is checked, no records
appear in the LOV display until the user
has a chance to enter a search condition
 Check the check box for large data sets

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Array Processing
 By default, Form Builder processes each record
one at a time
 Array processing allows a group of records to
be processed as a single unit, which speeds up
processing
 To enable DML array processing, change the data
block’s DML Array Size property value to a larger
value
 To enable query array processing, change the data
block’s Query Array Size property to a larger value

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Enabling Array Processing
 To enable DML array processing:
 Change the data block’s DML Array Size
property value to a larger value
 To enable query array processing:
 Change the data block’s Query Array Size
property to a larger value

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Asynchronous Queries
 Retrieve and display part of the
retrieved data while the rest of the data
is being retrieved
 To implement in Form Builder:
 Create a data block based on a stored
procedure
 Configure the stored procedure to retrieve
and display records in sets

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Mouse Operations
 Mouse click triggers: fire when user
clicks a mouse button
 WHEN-MOUSE-DOWN
 WHEN-MOUSE-UP
 WHEN-MOUSE-CLICK
 WHEN-MOUSE-DOUBLECLICK

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Mouse Operations
 Mouse move triggers: fire when user
moves the mouse pointer across the
screen display
 WHEN-MOUSE-ENTER
 WHEN-MOUSE-LEAVE
 WHEN-MOUSE-MOVE

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Creating Mouse Triggers
 Can be associated with:
 Form
 Block
 Item
 Trigger fires when user performs the
mouse action when the item associated
with the trigger has the form focus

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Changing the Mouse Pointer
Appearance
 Syntax:
SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY
(CURSOR_STYLE, ‘cursor_style’);
 Cursor Style Values:
 DEFAULT
 BUSY
 CROSSHAIR
 HELP
 INSERTION

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Form Record Groups
 Static
 Contents are specified at design time, and cannot
be changed at runtime
 Query
 Contents are based on a SQL query that executes
while the form is running
 Nonquery
 Contents are inserted programmatically at runtime

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Creating a Static Record
Group
 Create a new
record group
object
 Specify the values
in the Column
Specification
dialog box

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Creating a Query Record
Group Manually
 Create a new record group object
 Specify the SQL query that is the record
group source

SQL
query

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Creating a Query Record
Group Programmatically
 Use the CREATE_GROUP_FROM_QUERY
procedure
 Syntax:
group_id := CREATE_GROUP_FROM_QUERY
(‘record_group_name’, ‘SQL_query_text’,
record_group_scope,
number_of_fetch_records);

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Record Group Scope
 FORM_SCOPE
 Record group is only visible inside the
current form
 GLOBAL_SCOPE
 Record group is visible to all forms that are
currently running in the current user
session

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Populating and Deleting
Programmatic Query Record Groups
 Populating the record group:
return_value :=
POPULATE_GROUP(‘record_group_name’);
 Deleting the record group:
DELETE_GROUP(‘record_group_name’);

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Example Code

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Nonquery Record Groups
 Contains values that cannot be
retrieved using a SQL query
 Examples:
 Complex calculated values
 Future dates

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Creating a Nonquery Record
Group
1. Create the record group
2. Define the record group columns
3. Add new blank rows
4. Specify each value in each row

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Creating a Nonquery Record
Group
 Syntax:
group_id :=
CREATE_GROUP(‘record_group_name’,
record_group_scope,
number_of_fetch_records);

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Defining Columns in a
Nonquery Record Group
 Syntax:
column_id :=
ADD_GROUP_COLUMN(‘record_group_name’,
‘column_name’,
column_data_type_specification,
column_width);

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Adding Data Values to a
Nonquery Record Group
 Syntax:
SET_GROUP_datatype_CELL
(‘record_group_name.column_name’,
row_number, value);
 Procedures:
 SET_GROUP_CHAR_CELL
 SET_GROUP_NUMBER_CELL
 SET_GROUP_DATE_CELL

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Controlling Data Block
Relationships
 In a form that contains a master-detail
relationship, the master and detail block
are coordinated
 Users can perform coordination-causing
events
 Operation that causes the current record in
the detail block to change

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Relations in Master-Detail
Relationships
 When you create a master-detail
relationship, a relation object is created
in the master block

Master block

Relation
Detail block
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Important Relation Properties
 Relation Type
 Join: caused by joining 2 key fields
 Ref: created using a REF pointer
 Detail Data Block
 Name of detail block
 Join Condition
 Name of master and detail items on which
blocks are joined

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More Relation Properties
 Delete Record Behavior
 Specifies how deleting a master record
affects the corresponding detail records
 Values:
 Non Isolated: master block cannot be deleted
when detail records exist
 Isolated: master block can be deleted when
detail records exist
 Cascading: performs a cascading delete

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More Relation Properties
 Prevent Masterless Operations
 Specifies whether the user can query or
insert records in the detail block when no
master record is present
 Values:
 Yes: detail records cannot be inserted or
queried, and error message appears
 No: detail block can be used independently of
master block to insert and query records

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More Relation Properties
 Deferred and Automatic Query
 Properties that work together to determine
whether detail block records automatically change
when the user selects a new master record
 Values:
 Deferred = No, Automatic Query = Yes or No: detail
records are fetched automatically
 Deferred = Yes, Automatic Query = Yes: detail records
are not fetched until user navigates to detail block
 Deferred = Yes, Automatic Query = No: detail records
are not fetched until user navigates to detail block and
executes the EXECUTE_QUERY built-in

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Master-Detail Relationship
Triggers
 When you create a master-detail relationship,
Form Builder creates the following triggers:
 ON-CLEAR-DETAILS
 clears detail block records
 ON-POPULATE-DETAILS
 coordinates values in master and detail blocks
 ON-CHECK-DELETE-MASTER
 prohibits deleting master record when detail records
exist
 PRE-DELETE
 executes cascading delete

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Master-Detail Relationship
Triggers
 ON-CLEAR-DETAILS and ON-
POPULATE-DETAILS are always present
 ON-CHECK-DELETE-MASTER is only
present when Delete Record value is
Non Isolated
 PRE-DELETE is only present when
Delete Record value is Cascading

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Master-Detail Program Units
 When you create a master-detail
relationship, Form Builder automatically
creates the following program units:
 CLEAR_ALL_MASTER_DETAILS
 Clears detail records
 QUERY_MASTER_DETAILS
 Fetches detail records
 CHECK_PACKAGE_FAILURE
 Displays error messages as necessary

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Changing Relation Properties
Programmatically
 Syntax:
SET_RELATION_PROPERTY(‘relation_name’,
property, value);

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