Contents

Title and Copyright Information

Preface

• Topic Overview
• Audience
• Documentation Accessibility
• Related Documents
• Conventions

What's New

• Oracle Application Express Release 4.1 New Features
• What's New in this Document for Release 4.1

1 Quick Start

• What is Oracle Application Express?
• About Oracle Application Express Architecture
• Understanding Application Express User Roles
• Logging In To Oracle Application Express
  • About Browser Requirements
  • Configuring Your Oracle Application Express Environment
  • Logging In To Oracle Application Express as a Developer
• About the Workspace Home Page
• About the Oracle Application Express Documentation
  • Accessing the Online Documentation Library
  • Downloading the Online Documentation Library
  • About Field-Level Help

2 Application Builder Concepts

• What is an Oracle Application Express Application?
  • Understanding the Difference Between Database and Websheet Applications
  • About the Create Application Wizard
• What Is a Page?
• Understanding Page Processing and Page Rendering
  • How the Application Express Engine Renders and Processes Pages
  • Understanding Conditional Rendering and Processing
  • Verifying User Identity
  • Controlling Access to Controls and Components
• Understanding Session State Management
  • What Is a Session?
  • Understanding Session IDs
  • Viewing Session State
• Understanding URL Syntax
  • Understanding the URL that Displays for a Page
  • Using f?p Syntax to Link Pages
  • Calling a Page Using an Application and Page Alias
  • Calling a Page from a Button URL
  • Facilitating Bookmarks by Using Zero as the Session ID
• Managing Session State Values
  • Referencing Session State
  • Setting Session State
  • Clearing Session State
  • About Bind Variable Syntax
• Understanding Substitution Strings
  • Using Substitution Strings
  • About Built-in Substitution Strings

3 Reviewing Sample Applications

• About Installing and Running Sample Applications
  • Installing Product Portal Sample Database Application
  • Installing AnyCo IT Department Sample Websheet Application
  • Updating a Previously Installed Sample Database Application
  • Updating a Previously Installed Sample Websheet Application
• About Product Portal Sample Database Application
  • Running Product Portal
  • Understanding Product Portal
  • Viewing Pages in Printer Friendly Mode
  • Modifying Product Portal
• About AnyCo IT Department Sample Websheet Application
  • Running AnyCo IT Department
  • About Websheet Navigation
  • Understanding AnyCo IT Department
  • Common Websheet User Interface Elements
  • Modifying Websheet Content

4 Managing the Development Process

• About the Team Development Home Page
• Tracking Features
  • Viewing Features
  • Creating a Feature
  • Updating a Feature
  • Viewing Feature Reports
• Tracking Milestones
  • Viewing Milestones
  • Creating a Milestone
  • Updating a Milestone
  • Viewing Milestone Reports
• Tracking To Dos
  • Viewing To Dos
  • Creating a To Do
  • Updating a To Do
  • Viewing To Do Reports
• Managing Bugs
  • Viewing Bugs
  • Creating a Bug
  • Editing a Bug
  • Viewing Bug Reports
• Managing Feedback
  • Viewing Feedback
  • Adding a Feedback Page to an Application
  • Reviewing Feedback
  • Viewing Feedback Reports
• Utilizing the Tag Cloud Summary
• Managing Team Actions
  • Managing Links
  • Managing News Entries
  • Managing Team Development Settings
  • Viewing a Release Summary
  • About Utilities

5 About Websheet Applications

• About Websheets
  • Understanding Common Websheet User Interface Elements
• About Creating a Websheet Application
  • Creating a Websheet Application from Application Builder
  • Creating a New Application from a Running Websheet
  • Running a Websheet
  • Managing Websheet Pages
  • Deleting a Websheet
• About Adding and Editing Page Sections
  • About Section Types
  • About Editing Sections
  • Deleting Page Sections
  • Editing Section Titles and Display Order
• About Adding and Editing Data Content
  • Available Data Types
  • About Enabling SQL and PL/SQL Access
  • Incorporating Data into Websheet Pages
• About Text Sections
  • Adding a Text Section
  • Editing a Text Section
• About Navigation Sections
  • Adding a Navigation Section
• About Data Sections
  • Adding a Data Section to a Page
  • Editing a Data Section
• About Chart Sections
  • Adding a Chart Section
  • Editing a Chart Section
• About PL/SQL Sections
  • Adding a PL/SQL Section
  • Editing a PL/SQL Section
• Understanding Markup Syntax
  • Linking to a Page
  • Linking to a Section
  • Linking to External URLs
  • Linking to a Data Grid
  • Using SQL and SQLVALUE Syntax
  • Advanced Data Grid Queries
• About Adding Data Grids
  • About Data Grids
  • Creating a Data Grid
  • Copying a Data Grid
  • Viewing and Editing a Data Grid
  • Viewing the Data Grid History Log
  • Deleting a Data Grid
• About Adding Data Reports
  • About Data Reports
  • Creating a Data Report
  • Viewing and Modifying a Data Report
  • Deleting a Data Report
• Managing Annotations
  • Managing Uploaded Files and Images
  • Adding Tags
  • Adding Notes
  • Viewing and Deleting Annotations
• Managing Websheet Applications
  • Viewing the Websheet Dashboard
  • Monitoring Websheet Activity
  • Editing Application Properties
  • Controlling Websheet Access
  • Changing Your Websheet Password
  • Emailing a Websheet Page
  • Printing a Websheet Page
• Viewing Websheets
  • About Presentation Mode
  • Viewing the Page Directory
  • Viewing Page History
  • Viewing an Application Directory

6 Using Application Builder

• Accessing Application Builder
• About the Application Builder Home Page
• About the Application Home Page
  • About the Developer Action Bar
  • Searching Page Metadata

7 About Database Applications

• About Creating a Database Application
  • Creating an Database Application From Scratch
  • Creating an Application from a Spreadsheet
  • Creating an Instant Database Application
  • Creating a Database Application from a Template
  • Copying a Database Application
  • Deleting a Database Application
  • About Application Models and User Interface Defaults
• About Application Attributes
  • Editing the Application Definition
  • Configuring Security Attributes
  • Configuring Globalization Attributes
• Managing Pages in a Database Application
  • About Creating Pages in a Database Application
  • Creating a Page from the Application Home Page
  • Creating a Page from the Developer Toolbar
  • Copying a Database Application Page
  • Running an Application or Page
  • Grouping Pages
  • Locking and Unlocking a Page
  • Deleting a Page
• Adding Database Application Comments
  • Creating and Editing Database Application Comments
• Adding Developer Comments
  • Adding Developer Comments to an Application or Page
  • Viewing and Editing Developer Comments
  • Deleting Developer Comments
  • About the Developer Comments Report
  • Viewing the Developer Comments Calendar
• Creating Application Groups
  • Viewing Database Application Groups
  • Creating a Database Application Group
  • Assigning a Database Application to an Application Group
  • Removing a Database Application from an Application Group
  • Deleting an Database Application Group
• Understanding Page-Level Items
  • Differences Between Page Items and Application Items
  • Viewing Items on the Page Definition
  • Creating Page-Level Items
  • Editing Page-Level Items
  • Referencing Item Values
  • Displaying Conditional or Read-Only Page Items
  • Working with Multiple Select List Item
• Understanding Application-Level Items
  • Creating an Application-level Item
  • Viewing Application Item Usage
  • Editing Application-level Item Attributes
• Viewing Application Utilities and Reports
  • Using Application Builder Utilities
  • About Page Specific Utilities
  • About Cross Page Utilities
  • About Cross Application Reports

8 Working with Application Pages

• About the Page Definition
  • Accessing the Page Definition
  • About Page Rendering
  • About Page Processing
  • About Shared Components
  • About Tree and Component View
  • Editing a Page in Tree View
  • Editing a Page in Component View
  • Common Elements of the Page Definition
• Altering Page Attributes
  • Accessing Page Attributes
  • About Page Attributes
• Understanding Page Computations
  • Creating a Page Computation
  • Understanding Computation Points and Computation Syntax
  • Editing Page Computation Attributes
• Understanding Validations
  • Creating Item and Page Validations
  • Determining When Validations Execute
  • Defining How Validation Error Messages Display
  • Processing Validations Conditionally
• Understanding Page Processes
  • About Creating a Page Process
  • Editing Page Process Attributes
  • Controlling When a Page Process Executes
  • Creating Page Process Success and Error Messages
  • Making a Page Process Conditional
• Working with Branches
  • Defining a Branch Point and Action
  • Branching Conditionally
• Working with Shared Components
  • Accessing the Shared Components Page
  • About the Shared Components Page
  • About Exporting Shared Components
• Understanding Application Processes
  • About On Demand Application Processes
  • Application Process Example
  • Creating an Application Process
  • Editing Application Process Attributes
  • Creating Application Process Error Messages
  • Viewing the Application Processes History Report
• Understanding Application Computations
  • About Application Computations
  • Creating an Application Computation
  • Accessing the Application Computation History Report
• Using the Attribute Dictionary

9 Adding Application Components

• Creating Reports
  • Creating a Report Using a Wizard
  • Customizing Interactive Reports
  • Editing Interactive Reports as a Developer
  • Editing Classic Reports
  • Printing Report Regions
• Creating Forms
  • Creating a Form Using a Wizard
  • Creating a Tabular Form
  • Creating a Master Detail Form
  • Creating a Form Manually
  • Validating User Input in Forms
• Creating Calendars
  • About Creating Calendars
  • Viewing a Sample Calendar
  • Creating an Easy Calendar
  • Creating as SQL Calendar
  • Editing Calendar Attributes
  • Editing an Existing Calendar to Include Add and Edit Functionality
  • Enabling the Dragging and Dropping of Data In an Existing Calendar
  • Editing a Calendar Title
  • Upgrading a Calendar Created in a Previous Releases
  • Converting an Easy Calendar to a SQL Calendar
• Creating Maps
  • About Flash Map Support
  • Adding a Flash Map to an Existing Page
  • Adding Flash Maps to a New Page
  • About Creating SQL Queries for Maps
  • Editing Flash Map Attributes
  • Using Custom XML with Flash Maps
  • Enabling Asynchronous Updates
• Creating Charts
  • About Creating SQL Queries for Charts
  • Creating an HTML Chart
  • Creating a Flash Chart
  • About SVG Charts
  • Editing Chart Attributes
  • Using Custom XML with Flash Charts
  • Enabling Asynchronous Updates
• Creating Buttons
  • Creating a Button Using a Wizard
  • Creating Multiple Buttons in Component View
  • Editing Buttons
  • Understanding the Relationship Between Button Names and REQUEST
  • About Branching with Buttons
  • Displaying Buttons Conditionally
• Creating Lists of Values at the Application Level
  • Creating a Named LOV at the Application Level
  • About Static LOVs
  • Editing an Existing LOV
  • Referencing Session State Within an LOV
  • Accessing LOV Reports
• Using Shortcuts
  • About Shortcut Types
  • Defining Shortcuts
  • Editing Existing Shortcuts
  • Accessing Shortcut Reports
• Creating Trees
  • Creating a Tree
  • Editing a Tree as a Developer
• Using the Find Icon
  • About the Find Icon
  • About the Item Finder
  • Using the Page Finder
  • Using the Queries Finder
  • Using the Table Finder
  • Using the PL/SQL Finder
  • Using the Images Finder
• Controlling Access to Applications, Pages, and Page Components
  • How the Access Control List Works
  • Creating an Access Control List
  • Selecting an Application Mode and Adding Users
  • Controlling Access for Pages and Page Components
• Incorporating JavaScript into an Application
  • Referencing Items Using JavaScript
  • Incorporating JavaScript Utilizing the JavaScript Attribute
  • Calling the JavaScript File from the HTML Header Attribute
  • Calling the JavaScript File from the Page Template
  • Calling JavaScript from a Button
  • Calling JavaScript Using a Dynamic Action
• About jQuery and jQuery UI Support
  • About Available jQuery UI Features
  • Referencing the jQuery Library in Your JavaScript Code
• Optimizing a Page for Printing
  • Selecting a Printer Friendly Template for an Application
  • Using f?p Syntax to Toggle to Printer Friendly Mode
• Creating a Help Page
  • Creating a Help Page and Region
  • Defining Help Text
  • Creating a Help Navigation Bar Entry

10 Adding Navigation

• Creating Tabs
  • About Tabs
  • About the Tabs Page
  • Creating a Tab
  • Editing Tabs
  • Accessing Tab Reports
• Creating Lists
  • About List Types
  • About Static Lists
  • About Dynamic Lists
  • Copying a List
  • Adding a List to a Page by Creating a Region
  • Editing List Attributes
  • Accessing List Reports
• Creating Breadcrumbs
  • About Breadcrumbs
  • How to Create Breadcrumbs
  • Editing Breadcrumbs
  • Reparenting Breadcrumb Entries
  • Deleting Unused Breadcrumb Entries
  • Accessing Breadcrumb Reports
• About Trees Created as Shared Components
  • Editing an Existing Tree
  • Accessing Existing Tree Reports
• Creating a Navigation Bar Entry
  • About Navigation Bars
  • How to Create a Navigation Bar Entry
  • Editing a Navigation Bar Entry
  • Editing Multiple Navigation Bar Entries Simultaneously
  • Accessing Navigation Bar Entry Reports
• Controlling Navigation Using Branches
  • Creating a Branch

11 Controlling Page Layout

• Understanding Page Layout in Oracle Application Express
• Displaying Components on Every Page of an Application
  • Creating a Page Zero
  • Navigating to Page Zero
• Understanding Regions
  • Creating a Region
  • About Region Types
  • Editing Regions
  • Creating a Region Display Selector
  • Copying a Region
  • Deleting Regions
• Creating a Multiple Column Layout
  • Creating Regions in Multiple Columns
  • Creating a Multiple Column Page Template
• How Item Attributes Affect Page Layout
• Incorporating Content from Other Web Sites
• Managing Images
  • Uploading Images
  • Referencing Images
  • Editing Image Attributes
  • Deleting an Image
• Managing Static Files
  • Uploading Static Files
  • Editing an Uploaded File
  • Downloading an Uploaded File
  • Deleting an Uploaded File
• Rendering HTML Using Custom PL/SQL

12 Managing Themes and Templates

• Managing Themes
  • Accessing the Themes Page
  • Changing the Default Templates in a Theme
  • Creating a Theme
  • Switching the Active Theme
  • Copying a Theme
  • Deleting a Theme
  • Managing Workspace Themes
  • About Exporting and Importing Themes
  • Changing a Theme Identification Number
  • Viewing Theme Reports
• Customizing Templates
  • About Cascading Style Sheets
  • Selecting a Default Page Template
  • Creating a New Template
  • Viewing Template Reports
  • Managing Templates
  • Breadcrumb Templates
  • Button Templates
  • Calendar Templates
  • Label Templates
  • List Templates
  • Page Templates
  • Popup LOV Templates
  • Region Templates
  • Report Templates
• Using Custom Cascading Style Sheets
  • Uploading Cascading Style Sheets
  • Referencing an Uploaded Cascading Style Sheet in the Page Template

13 Debugging an Application

• About Tuning Performance
• Running Advisor to Check Application Integrity
  • About Oracle Application Express Advisor
  • Running Advisor on an Entire Application
  • Running Advisor on a Single Page
• Reviewing Session State
• Accessing Debugging Mode
  • Enabling and Disabling Debugging
  • Running an Application in Debugging Mode
  • Using f?p Syntax to Access Debugging Mode
  • Viewing Debug Reports
• Enabling SQL Tracing and Using TKPROF
• Monitoring Application and Page Resource Use
• Viewing Page Reports
• Debugging Problematic SQL Queries
• Removing Controls and Components to Isolate a Problem

14 Managing Application Security

• Understanding Administrator Security Best Practices
  • Security Considerations When Using the Embedded PL/SQL Gateway
  • About Configuring Oracle HTTP Server with mod_plsql for Oracle Application Express
  • Utilizing Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
  • Integrating with Oracle BI Publisher
  • About Setting Password Complexity Rules
  • Advantages of the Oracle Application Express Runtime Environment
  • Understanding Session Timeout
  • Enabling Network Services in Oracle Database 11g
• Understanding Developer Security Best Practices
  • Understanding Items of Type Password
  • Identifying At Risk Password Items
  • Understanding Cross-Site Scripting Protection
  • About Session State and Security
  • Understanding Session State Protection
• Securing File Uploads
• Establishing User Identity Through Authentication
  • Understanding How Authentication Works
  • Determining Whether to Include Authentication
  • Creating an Authentication Scheme
  • Creating a Pre-configured Authentication Schemes
  • Managing Existing Authentication Schemes
  • Viewing the Authentication Scheme Associated with an Application
  • Changing the Authentication Scheme Associated with an Application
  • Viewing Authentication Scheme Reports
• Providing Security Through Authorization
  • How Authorization Schemes Work
  • Creating an Authorization Scheme
  • Attaching an Authorization Scheme to an Application, Page, or Components
  • Viewing Authorization Reports

15 Deploying an Application

• About the Oracle Application Express Application Development Life Cycle
  • System Development Life Cycle Methodologies to Consider
• Understanding the Packaging Process
  • Deployment Options to Consider
  • Deciding Whether to Copy a Workspace
  • Deciding Whether to Copy a Database
  • About the Application ID
  • Deciding to Install a New HTTP Server
• How to Move an Application to Another Development Instance
  • About Managing Database Objects
• How to Create a Packaged Application
  • How a Packaged Application Simplifies Deployment
  • Creating a Packaged Application
  • Adding Installation Scripts for an Image, Cascading Style Sheet, or Static File
  • Adding an Access Control List to a Packaged Application
  • Installing Supporting Objects
  • Deleting Supporting Objects Scripts, Messages, and Installation Options
  • Upgrading a Packaged Application
  • Deinstalling Supporting Objects
  • Viewing an Install Summary
• Exporting an Application and Related Files
  • Where Images, CSS, and Script Files Are Stored
  • Exporting an Application
  • Exporting Application Components
  • Exporting a Workspace
  • Exporting a Page in an Application
  • Exporting a Websheet
  • Exporting Cascading Style Sheets
  • Exporting Images
  • Exporting Static Files
  • Exporting Themes
  • Exporting Plug-ins
  • Exporting Script Files
  • Exporting User Interface Defaults
  • Exporting Feedback
• Importing Export Files
  • Importing an Application, Page or Component Export
  • Importing a Websheet
  • Importing Plug-ins
  • Importing Cascading Style Sheets
  • Importing Images
  • Importing Static Files
  • Importing Themes
  • Importing User Interface Defaults
  • Importing Feedback
• Installing Export Files
  • Accessing the Export Repository
  • Installing an Application Export from the Export Repository
  • Installing Other Files from the Export Repository
  • Deleting Files from the Export Repository
  • Installing Export Files from SQL*Plus
• About Publishing the Database Application URL
• About Publishing the Websheet Application URL
• Using Build Options to Control Configuration
  • Creating Build Options
  • Managing Build Options
  • Exporting Build Options or Build Option Status
  • Viewing the Build Option Utilization Report

16 Advanced Programming Techniques

• About DML Locking
• Accessing Data with Database Links
• Sending Email from an Application
• Using Collections
• Creating Custom Activity Reports Using APEX_ACTIVITY_LOG
• Running Background PL/SQL
  • About System Status Updates
  • Using a Process to Implement Background PL/SQL
• Implementing Web Services
  • Understanding Web Service References
  • Working with SSL Enabled Web Services
  • Creating a Web Service Reference Based on a WSDL
  • Creating a Web Service Reference Manually
  • Creating a RESTful Web Service Reference
  • Using the Web Service Reference Repository
  • Testing a Web Service Reference Created from a WSDL
  • Testing a Web Service Reference Created Manually
  • Testing a REST Web Service Reference
  • Creating an Input Form and Report on a Web Service
  • Creating a Form on a Web Service
  • Invoking a Web Service as a Process
  • Editing a Web Service Process
  • Viewing a Web Service Reference History
  • Exposing a Report Region as a RESTful Web Service
• Implementing Plug-ins
  • About Plug-ins
  • Accessing Plug-ins
  • Editing a Plug-in
  • Creating a Plug-in
  • Adding Custom Attributes to a Plug-in
  • Uploading Files to Associate with a Plug-in
  • Adding Events to a Plug-in
  • Deleting a Plug-in
  • Viewing the Plug-in Repository
  • Importing a Plug-in from the Plug-in Page
  • Exporting a Plug-in from the Plug-in Page
  • Resetting the Plug-in Interactive Report
  • View Plug-in Utilization
  • View Plug-in History
• Implementing Dynamic Actions
  • Understanding Dynamic Actions
  • Creating a Dynamic Action
  • Editing Dynamic Actions
  • Adding Additional True or False Actions
  • Defining the Frequency and Scope
  • Debugging Dynamic Actions
• About BLOB Support in Forms and Reports
  • About BLOB in Forms
  • About BLOB Support in Reports
  • Working With BLOBs Procedurally
• Using Screen Reader Mode in Your Database Applications
  • Provisioning Screen Reader Mode
  • Extending Screen Reader Mode
• Using High Contrast Mode in Your Database Applications
  • Provisioning High Contrast Mode
  • Extending High Contrast Mode
• Creating Applications with Data Loading Capability
  • Creating a Data Load Wizard
  • Editing the Data Load Wizard

17 Managing Application Globalization

• About Translating an Application and Globalization Support
  • About Language Identification
  • Rules for Translating Applications Built in Application Builder
  • How Translated Applications Are Rendered
  • About Translatable Components
• Specifying the Primary Language for an Application
  • Using Format Masks for Items
  • Translating Applications for Multibyte Languages
• Understanding the Translation Process
  • Step 1: Map the Target Language
  • Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File
  • Step 3: Translate the XLIFF File
  • Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document
  • Step 5: Publish the Application
  • Manually Editing a Translation
• Translating Messages
  • Translating Messages Used in PL/SQL Procedures
  • Translating Messages Used Internally by Oracle Application Express
• Translating Data That Supports List of Values
  • Defining a Dynamic Translation
  • APEX_LANG.LANG API
• About Supported Globalization Codes

A About Item Types

• Available Item Types

B Oracle Application Express Limits

• Development Environment Limits
• Component Limits

C Available Conditions

• Conditions in Application Builder

D About Granted Privileges

• About Granting Privileges to Database Users
• About Privileges Granted to PUBLIC
  • Packages
  • Procedures
  • Functions
  • Tables
  • Views
  • Sequences
  • Types

E Accessibility in Oracle Application Express

• About Screen Reader Mode
  • What Does Screen Reader Mode Do?
  • Enabling Screen Reader Mode
• About High Contrast Mode
  • What Does High Contrast Mode Do?
  • Enabling High Contrast Mode
• Accessing Interactive Reports Using JAWS
  • Accessing the Actions Menu
• Accessing Form Pages Using JAWS
  • Understanding the Structure of Pages
  • Using the Tasks Links on a Page
  • Accessing Help Text
  • Dealing with Validation Errors
• Accessing Components Using a Keyboard
  • Using New Date Pickers
  • Accessing Interactive Report Regions

Index