Oracle Forms Coding

1. Flexible Coding in Forms
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2. Objectives
• Explain Flexible Coding
• Advantages of using system variables
• Identify built-in subprograms that assist flexible coding
• Write code to reference objects by internal ID
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3. Flexible Coding
• What do you mean by Flexible Coding?
• Is generic code
• Is reusable
• Avoid hard coded object names
• Make maintenance easier
• Increases Productivity
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4. System Variables
• Input focus:
– SYSTEM.CURSOR_BLOCK
– SYSTEM.CURSOR_RECORD
– SYSTEM.CURSOR_ITEM
– SYSTEM.CURSOR_VALUE
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5. System Variables
• Trigger focus:
– SYSTEM.TRIGGER_BLOCK
– SYSTEM.TRIGGER_RECORD
– SYSTEM.TRIGGER_ITEM
Note: prefix colon (:) before these variables
Example: :SYSTEM.CURSOR_ITEM
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6. Examples
• IF :SYSTEM.CURSOR_BLOCK=‘DEPT’ THEN
GO_BLOCK(‘EMP’);
ELSIF :SYSTEM.CURSOR_BLOCK=‘EMP’ THEN
GO_BLOCK(‘SALGRADE’);
ELSIF :SYSTEM.CURSOR_BLOCK=‘SALGRADE’ THEN
GO_BLOCK(‘DEPT’);
END IF;
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7. GET_”object”_PROPERTY Built-ins
• GET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY
• GET_FORM_PROPERTY
• GET_BLOCK_PROPERTY
• GET_RELATION_PROPERTY
• GET_RECORD_PROPERTY
• GET_ITEM_PROPERTY
• GET_ITEM_INSTANCE_PROPERTY
• GET_LOV_PROPERTY
• GET_RADIO_BUTTON_PROPERTY
• GET_MENU_ITEM_PROPERTY
• GET_CANVAS_PROPERTY
• GET_TAB_PAGE_PROPERTY
• GET_VIEW_PROPERTY
• GET_WINDOW_PROPERTY
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8. SET_”object”_PROPERTY Built-ins
• SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY
• SET_FORM_PROPERTY
• SET_BLOCK_PROPERTY
• SET_RELATION_PROPERTY
• SET_RECORD_PROPERTY
• SET_ITEM_PROPERTY
• SET_ITEM_INSTANCE_PROPERTY
• SET_LOV_PROPERTY
• SET_RADIO_BUTTON_PROPERTY
• SET_MENU_ITEM_PROPERTY
• SET_CANVAS_PROPERTY
• SET_TAB_PAGE_PROPERTY
• SET_VIEW_PROPERTY
• SET_WINDOW_PROPERTY
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9. Object ID
Finding and Object ID:
Alt_id :=
FIND_ALERT(’Del_alert’)
Referencing an Object by ID:
...SHOW_ALERT(Alt_id)
Referencing and Object by Name:
...SHOW_ALERT(‘Del_alert’)
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10. FIND_ Built-ins
• FIND_FORM FORMMODULE
• FIND_BLOCK BLOCK
• FIND_ITEM ITEM
• FIND_RELATION RELATION
• FIND_LOV LOV
• FIND_WINDOW WINDOW
• FIND_VIEW VIEW
• FIND_CANVAS CANVAS
• FIND_ALERT ALERT
• FIND_EDITOR EDITOR
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11. Using Object IDs
• Declare a PL/SQL variable of the same data type.
• Use the variable for any later reference to the object.
• Use the variable within the current PL/SQL block only.
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12. Example
DECLARE
item_var item;
BEGIN
item_var := FIND_ITEM(:SYSTEM.CURSOR_ITEM);
SET_ITEM_PROPERTY(item_var,
visual_attribute,
‘va_blue’);
END;
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13. Using Object IDs
• A PL/SQL variable has limited scope.
• An .id extension:
– Broadens the scope
– Converts to a numeric format
– Enables assignment to a global variable
– Converts back to the object data type
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14. Summary
• User System Variables
– To avoid hard coded object names
– Make maintenance easier
• Use GET_”object”_PROPERTY Built-ins to get and
SET_”object”_PROPERTY Built-ins to Set the object properties at
run time.
• Use FIND_”object” functions to find the internal Object Ids.
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