Lino Schildenfeld presented on APEX plugins. He discussed how plugins enable extending the APEX framework by adding highly customizable components that enrich applications and the user interface. Plugins appear and behave like native regions, items, and dynamic actions. They can be used to share functionality between applications and developers. He provided examples of existing plugins and tips for creating your first plugin, including using packaged apps, existing plugins, and JavaScript, PL/SQL, and APEX APIs.

1. Lino Schildenfeld 10 -11th
November 2016
APEX Plugins
World of possibilities
www.apexRnD.co.nz
lschilde.blogspot.com
@LinoSchilde
lschilde@apexRnD.co.nz
AUSOUG Connect 2016

2. in short
APEX R&D manager for NZ/AU
10+ years Oracle development experience
APEX blogger, presenter and enthusiast
NZ APEX meetup organizer
www.meetup.com/ORCLAPEX-NZ
Who am I?

3. Theory behind

4. Intro
 Enabling extension of common APEX framework
 Highly customizable components
 Enriching applications and UI
 Once defined are maintained as standard APEX components
 They appear next to and behave the same as native regions, items or
dynamic actions
 Used to share functionality between applications and developers
 One of the best features of APEX

5. Evolution
apex.oracle.comapex.world

6. History

Started with APEX 4.0 version

Improved with every version

Community support is growing

Used by APEX development team for packaged apps

Item, region, process, dynamic action process, authentication and
authorization types of plugin

7. www.apex-plugin.com

8. Great for

Gateway to plugins available in community

First site specializing for APEX Plugins

Contains 4.2 - 5.0 examples

Wide range of examples

Vary in quality

Great as learning source

Consider maintenance

9. apex.world

10. More recent

Part of the new era

Contains latest examples

61 samples and counting

Maintenance perspective

Mostly for 5.0 but should work on 4.2 too

Great for learning

Think before you jump

11. How to use existing?

12. Import and setup

Download

Shared components -> Other Components -> Plugins

Advanced settings under Component settings

Can be exported and reimported

Ready to be used across application

Harder to debug

13. Plugin components

14. Common

Name

Source

Render function or call

Standard and custom attributes

Additional resources

Validations

AJAX callbacks

Different signatures

15. Creating your first

16. Where to start

Packaged apps

Existing application for the same type

Examine simple examples

Other books, blogs and videos

Think about what you need to create

Explore JS and make sure there are following simple rules:
- configurable, documented, supported by community
- understand what it is doing

17. Tools for the battle

PL/SQL

JavaScript

APEX APIs

JQuery and CSS

Debugging technic basics

18. In practice

19. Further info and references

apex.world

apex-plugin.com

ODTUG KSOPE 2014-2016 presentations

Patrick Wolf - www.inside-oracle-apex.com

http://www.armbruster-it.org/index.php/10-it/apex/10-how-to-create-an-apex-
plugin-2

http://damien.antipa.at/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/iadvise-apex_40_plugin-
cheatsheet.pdf

http://lschilde.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/how-to-create-apex-plugins-my-first.html

https://apexplained.wordpress.com

20. www.apexofficeprint.com

21. Q&A
www.apexRnD.co.nz
lschilde.blogspot.com
@LinoSchilde
lschilde@apexRnD.co.nz