Introduction To Forms Builder

1
Introduction ToForms Builder

• Chapter 5
• Lesson A

2
Lesson A Objectives

• Learn how Forms Builder displays forms in a Web
  browser
• Use a data block form to view, insert, update,
  and delete database data
• Create a data block form that displays a single
  record at a time
• Become familiar with the Object Navigator, and
  use the Object Navigator to change form object
  names
• Use the Data Block and Layout Wizards to modify
  form properties
• Create a tabular-style data block form that
  displays multiple records

3
Displaying Forms in a Web Browser

• Forms are displayed in web browser
• Forms appear inside Forms Services window
• Forms Services window displays menus and toolbars
• Implemented using a Java Applet using Oracle9iAS
  Containers for J2EE, or (OC4J) Instance
• When developing, workstation runs web server and
  web browser

4
Forms Builder to Browser
5
Using A Data Block Form Definitions

• Block group of related form items, such as text
  fields and option buttons
• Data block corresponds to a specific database
  table, and contains objects, such as text fields
  or option buttons, that display values from the
  tables data fields
• Data block form one or more data blocks
• Text items display text input fields

6
Forms Services Window

• Form menu contains selections that allow you to
  manipulate the form
• Has a toolbar with buttons to insert, view,
  modify, and delete records
• At bottom of the window are lines that display
  information about form status
• Query button group allows you to query data, has
  two modes
• Normal mode - can view data records, sequentially
  step through the records, and change data values
• Enter Query mode - can enter a search expression
  in one of the form fields, and then retrieve the
  associated records

7
Forms Services Window
8
Using a Form to View Table Records

• Retrieve specific table records
• Click the Enter Query button
• Type a search expression in one or more of the
  form text items
• Click the Execute Query button
• Retrieve all of the records in a table
• Place form in Enter Query mode and do not type
  search condition

9
Using a Form to Insert, Update, and Delete
Records

• To insert
• Use blank record that appears when opening a form
  or as last line of query results
• To update
• Retrieve record with a query, modify field and
  save
• To delete
• Retrieve record with a query, use Remove Record
  button to delete

10
Viewing and Interpreting Form Errors

• Some errors are detected, or trapped, within the
  form and form issues the error message
• Other errors are not detected until the form
  sends the data values to the database and Oracle
  DBMS issues the error message
• To view information on database errors
• Click Help menu, Display Error
• Dialog box displays error information

11
Viewing Information About Database Error
12
Closing a Form and Committing Changes

• To close a form
• Click Exit button
• Click Action on the form menu and then click Exit
• Close browser window
• If unsaved changes exist, dialog box will prompt
  to save changes

13
Creating a Data Block Form

• When creating a form for a table, Forms Builder
  automatically creates
• Labels
• Text entry fields
• Insert, update and delete and select queries

14
The Object Navigator
15
Creating a New Data Block Form

• Create a new form module
• Create a new data block using
• Data block wizard
• Manual process
• Using Data Block Wizard
• Select table name
• Move editable fields from Available Columns list
  to Database Items list
• Use Layout Wizard to create form layout

16
Layout Editor

• Use to customize form display
• Can add images and static text to enhance form
  appearance

17
Layout Editor
18
Running a Form

• Click Run Form button
• Form is compiled into a .fmx file for execution
• A text file with same name as form and .err
  extension holds errors that occur when running
  form

19
Form Components and the Object Navigator

• Use Object Navigator to view information about
  form components
• Use buttons to expand and collapse form items
• Use Ownership View to group logically associated
  components together
• Use Visual View to group visually associated
  components
• Can rename objects

20
Modifying Forms Using the Data Block Wizard and
Layout Wizard

• Wizards can be used to modify existing forms and
  layouts in reentrant mode
• Start wizard when component is selected to modify
  component

21
Creating a Form to Display Multiple Records

• Use tabular layout to edit multiple table records
  at the same time