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Introduction

This chapter describes the main features of Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ and defines terminology.

Specific topics discussed are:

• What is Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++?

• Oracle Objects for OLE Overview

• Installing Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++

• Basic Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ Concepts

• Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 Limitations

What is Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++?

Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ enables you to easily create a starter Oracle application. Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ enables your application to:

• Connect to an Oracle database

• Execute SQL statements and retrieve information from the Oracle database

• Navigate effortlessly through records

• Update, insert, and delete data from the Oracle database

The basic functionality that Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ designs into your application enables you to spend time doing what you do best: writing code for important custom features that make your application successful.

Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ uses standard Oracle Objects for OLE and Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) Library classes to build an application with these advantages:

• Adds commented code

• Manipulates and retrieves information easily from the Oracle database

• Handles any errors returned by the database

• Uses the document/view architecture for MFC-compliant code

• Uses Hungarian notation

• Lets you optionally update the data through your new application

The Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ runs seamlessly within the Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0 or 6.0 development environment on Windows NT and Windows 95/98, and operates almost identically to the standard MFC AppWizard.

Oracle Objects for OLE Overview

Oracle Objects for OLE is an application programming interface for Windows that interacts with the Oracle database. The application you generate with the Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ uses the Oracle Objects for OLE C++ Class Library to access the Oracle database.

To learn more about Oracle Objects for OLE C++ Class Library:

1. Choose Start > Programs > Oracle - HOME_NAME > Application Development > Oracle Objects for OLE Class Library Help.

The online Help describes each class in the C++ Class Library.

Installing Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++

Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ is installable through the following installation types:

For this Top-Level Component...	Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ Is Installable Through This Installation Type...
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition or Oracle8i	Custom
Oracle8i Client	Programmer, Application User, and Custom

IMPORTANT: You must install Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0 or 6.0 before you install Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++.

See the Oracle8i Installation Guide for Windows NT or Oracle8i Client Installation Guide for Windows for instructions on installing Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++.

Basic Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ Concepts

To use the Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++ to successfully generate a starter application, you must understand how to select and build the type of application you want.

Displaying Records

You can generate three types of applications with Oracle AppWizard for Microsoft Visual C++.

• Single-Record Display Form

• Multiple-Record Display Form

• Master-Detail Display Form

Each of these displays records differently.

Single-Record Display Form

When you design your application to display one record at a time, your application uses edit controls to display records, as seen below:

Multiple-Record Display Form

When you design your application to display more than one record at a time, your application uses a database grid control, as seen below:

Master-Detail Display Form

When you design a master-detail form, the master records are displayed in edit controls and the detail records are displayed in a database grid control:

Definitions

The following terms are discussed throughout this guide:

Term	Description
Join	A query that combines rows from two or more tables or views.
Single-record display form	Displays one record from a table at a time in a form.
Multiple-record display form	Displays information in multiple-record format from a table at one time in a form.
Master-detail display form	Displays information in single-record format from a master table and in multiple-record format from a detail table.
Single-document interface (SDI)	SDI applications allow only one open document frame to be open at once during a session.
Multiple-document interface (MDI)	MDI applications allow multiple document frames to be open at once during a session.
Dialog-based interface	Dialog-based applications use a dialog box interface exclusively.

Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 Limitations

This release works with Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0 and 6.0. However, when using version 6.0, selecting or deselecting the following options either has no effect or does not generate the code for that option:

For This Option...	If You Choose...	The Result Is...
What type of application would you like to create?	Choose "Document/View architecture support"	Default is selected. Deselect does not take effect because the generated MFC-based application must use this architecture.
What compound document support would you like to include?	If you choose "Both container and server" and "Active document container"	MSVC 5.0 container and server support only.
What do you want your toolbars to look?	If you choose "Internet Explorer ReBars"	Internet Explorer ReBars is not supported in this release.
What style of project would you like?	If you choose "Windows Explorer"	Internet Explorer ReBars is not supported in this release.