2.13 Creating Workspaces

Users access Oracle Application Express by signing in to a shared work area called a workspace. An administrator can create workspaces manually or take advantage of an automated approach in which users click a link a login page.

  • About Workspaces
    A workspace enables multiple users to work within the same Oracle Application Express installation while keeping their objects, data and applications private. Each workspace has a unique numeric ID and name.
  • About Specifying How Workspaces Are Created
    The Instance administrator determines how the process of provisioning (or creating) a workspace works for a specific Oracle Application Express instance.
  • Selecting a Provisioning Mode
    To determine how provisioning works, an Instance Administrator selects a provisioning mode.
  • How Oracle-Managed Files Effects Workspace Provisioning
    When an Instance administrator creates a new workspace with a new schema, a new tablespace and data file are created for that schema. If Oracle-Managed Files is enabled, it manages the data file for the new tablespace.
  • Creating a Workspace Manually
    Instance administrators can provision a workspace manually in either a full development environment or a runtime environment.
  • Creating Multiple Workspaces
    Provision multiple workspaces by running the Create Multiple Workspaces Wizard

See Also:

"Managing Existing Workspaces"

2.13.1 About Workspaces

A workspace enables multiple users to work within the same Oracle Application Express installation while keeping their objects, data and applications private. Each workspace has a unique numeric ID and name.

To make changes to a workspace, the Workspace administrators must submit a service or change requests to an Instance administrator. Only the Instance administrator can approve change requests or provision new workspaces.

See Also:

"Making a Service Request" and "Managing Workspace and Change Requests"

2.13.2 About Specifying How Workspaces Are Created

The Instance administrator determines how the process of provisioning (or creating) a workspace works for a specific Oracle Application Express instance.

To determine how provisioning works, an Instance Administrator selects an option on the Instance Settings page:

  • Manual - An Instance administrator creates new workspaces and notifies the Workspace administrator of the login information.

  • Request - Users request workspaces directly in a self-service fashion. Users click a link on the login page to access a request form. After the workspace request has been granted, users are automatically emailed the appropriate login information.

  • Request with Email Verification -Users request workspaces directly by clicking a link on the login page to access a request form. Each user receives an initial email containing a verification link. When the user clicks the verification link, the request is processed. The user can then access the workspace using the Sign In page.

Note:

To enable users to request a workspace using a link on the Login page, you must choose the provisioning status of Request or Request with Email Verification. If the provisioning status is set to Manual, no link appears on the login page.

See Also:

2.13.3 Selecting a Provisioning Mode

To determine how provisioning works, an Instance Administrator selects a provisioning mode.

To select a provisioning mode:

  1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
  2. Click Manage Instance.
  3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
  4. Under Self Service, select a Provisioning Status:
    • Manual - An Instance administrator manually creates new workspaces and notifies the Workspace administrator of the login information.
    • Request - Users request workspaces directly in a self-service fashion. Selecting this option displays a link on the Login page enabling users to request a workspace. When a user requests a workspace, each request is submitted to a queue for approval. When the request is approved, the user is sent an email containing login credentials (the workspace name, username, and password).
    • Request with Email Verification - Users request workspaces directly by clicking a link on the Sign In page to access a request form. Each user receives an initial email containing a verification link. When the user clicks the verification link, the request is processed. The user can then access the workspace using the Sign In page.

    Note:

    To enable users to request a workspace using a link on the Login page, you must choose the provisioning status of Request or Request with Email Verification . If the provisioning status is set to Manual, no link appears on the login page.

  5. If you select Request or Request with Email Verification:
    • Require Verification Code - Determines if a verification code displays and is required during the request process. Select Yes or No.
    • Notification Email Address - Enter the email address to receive notification email messages for new workspace requests and change workspace requests. If not specified, no workspace request notification email messages is sent.
  6. Click Apply Changes.

Tip:

If you select Request with Email Verification, you can disable workspace provisioning and send users a message. See "Disabling Email Provisioning."

See Also:

2.13.4 How Oracle-Managed Files Effects Workspace Provisioning

When an Instance administrator creates a new workspace with a new schema, a new tablespace and data file are created for that schema. If Oracle-Managed Files is enabled, it manages the data file for the new tablespace.

Using Oracle-managed files simplifies the administration of the Oracle database and eliminates the need for the database administrator (DBA) to directly manage the operating system files that comprise the database. Using Oracle-managed files, the DBA specifies operations in terms of database objects rather than file names. The data file for the new tablespaces are named according to the Oracle-managed files conventions. The placement of these files is determined by the database initialization parameter DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST.

If the Oracle-Managed Files is not enabled, the data file is created in the same directory as the first data file of the tablespace in which Oracle Application Express is installed.

See Also:

"Using Oracle Managed Files" in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide

2.13.5 Creating a Workspace Manually

Instance administrators can provision a workspace manually in either a full development environment or a runtime environment.

2.13.5.1 Creating Workspace Manually in a Full Development Environment

Instance administrators can create workspaces manually in a full development environment by running the Create Workspace Wizard.

To create a workspace manually:

  1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
  2. Click Manage Workspaces.
  3. Under Workspace Actions, click Create Workspace.
    The Create Workspace Wizard appears.
  4. For Identify Workspace:
    1. Workspace Name - Enter a unique workspace name.
    2. Workspace ID - Leave Workspace ID blank to have the new Workspace ID automatically generated. A Workspace ID must be a positive integer greater than 100000.
    3. Workspace Description - Enter a workspace description.
    4. Click Next.
  5. For Identify Schema, specify whether you are re-using an existing schema or creating a new one.

    If you are using an existing schema:

    1. Re-use existing schema - Select Yes.

    2. Schema Name - Select a schema from the list.

    3. Click Next.

    If you are creating a new schema:

    1. Re-use existing schema - Select No.

    2. Schema Name - Select a schema from the list.

    3. Schema Password - Enter a password.

    4. Space Quota (MB) - If creating a new schema, select the maximum size of the tablespace to be associated with that schema. You can adjust this limit later.

    5. Click Next.

  6. For Identify Administrator, enter the Workspace administrator information and click Next.
  7. Confirm your selections and click Create Workspace.

2.13.5.2 Creating a Workspace Manually in a Runtime Environment

Instance administrators can create workspaces manually in a runtime environment starting SQL*Plus and running the following SQL statements.

To add a workspace in a runtime environment:

  1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

    • On Windows:

      SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
Enter password: SYS_password

    • On UNIX and Linux:

      $ sqlplus /nolog
SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
Enter password: SYS_password
  2. Run the following statement: 
    ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_050100
  3. The following example demonstrates how to use the ADD_WORKSPACE procedure to add a new workspace named MY_WORKSPACE using the primary schema, SCOTT, along with additional schema mappings for HR and OE. 
    BEGIN
    APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.ADD_WORKSPACE (
        p_workspace_id => 8675309,
        p_workspace => 'MY_WORKSPACE',
        p_primary_schema => 'SCOTT',
        p_additional_schemas => 'SCOTT' );
END;

See Also:

"ADD_WORKSPACE Procedure" in Oracle Application Express API Reference

2.13.6 Creating Multiple Workspaces

Provision multiple workspaces by running the Create Multiple Workspaces Wizard

To create multiple workspaces:

  1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
  2. Click Manage Workspaces.
  3. Under Workspace Actions, click Create Multiple Workspaces.

    The Create Multiple Workspaces Wizard appears.

  4. For Provision Workspace Using:

    • System Generated Workspace Names

    • Statically Prefixed Workspace Name with Sequential Integer Suffix

    • Email Domain Name as Workspace Name, with Sequential Integer Suffix for duplicates

    What displays next depends upon the option you select.

    Tip:

    To learn more about a specific field, see field-level Help.

  5. If you select System Generated Workspace Names, specify the following:
    1. Workspace Count
    2. Install Sample Application
    3. Install Sample Websheet
    4. Install Sample EMP and DEPT Tables
    5. Space Quota (MB)
    6. Resource Manager Consumer Group
    7. Allow workspaces to be automatically purged
    8. Workspace Description
  6. If you select Statically Prefixed Workspace Name with Sequential Integer Suffix, specify the following:
    1. Workspace Prefix
    2. Workspace Count
    3. Install Sample Application
    4. Install Sample Websheet
    5. Install Sample EMP and DEPT Tables
    6. Space Quota (MB)
    7. Resource Manager Consumer Group
    8. Allow workspaces to be automatically purged
    9. Workspace Description
  7. If you select Email Domain Name as Workspace Name, with Sequential Integer Suffix for duplicates, specify the following:
    1. Install Sample Application
    2. Install Sample Websheet
    3. Install Sample EMP and DEPT Tables
    4. Space Quota (MB)
    5. Resource Manager Consumer Group
    6. Allow workspaces to be automatically purged
    7. Email Addresses (cut and paste any text that contains email addresses)(Value Required)
    8. Workspace Description
  8. Click Next.
  9. Confirm your choices and click Provision Workspaces.