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Oracle® Developer Suite Release Notes
10g (9.0.4) for Windows, Linux, Solaris, and HP-UX
Part No. B10668-03
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11 Oracle Designer

This chapter discusses the following Oracle Designer topics:

In addition to these release notes, you should also read Chapter 12, "Oracle Software Configuration Manager" for the SCM release notes.

11.1 General Issues and Workarounds

This section discusses general issues and workarounds for Oracle Designer.

11.1.1 Installation

This section discusses installation issues and workarounds.

11.1.1.1 Oracle Designer patchsets to 9.0.4

The Oracle Designer development team is committed to producing regular patchsets following the release of 9.0.4. The latest patchsets are available on OracleMetalink (http://metalink.oracle.com). To find the latest patchset on OralceMetalink, click the Patches button, then, in the new OracleMetalink patch search facility, either enter the patch ID (if known) or search by "Product or Family" for "Oracle Designer - Repository Family". The latest Oracle Developer Suite patchset is listed in the Release list (drop down box). For additional information about availability and compatibility of the latest releases, see Support note:60705.1.

11.1.1.2 Oracle Designer/SCM Patchset 9.0.4.3: immediate installation may be required

Important: If your repository has been installed or upgraded via the repository administration utility (RAU) that came with Oracle Designer/SCM release 9.0.2.7, you must immediately patch all Oracle Designer 9.0.4.2 clients by applying the Oracle Designer/SCM patchset 9.0.4.3.

Oracle Designer/SCM 9.0.4.2 works against an earlier version of the repository that came with Oracle Designer/SCM 9.0.2.6 and will not work against a later repository from Oracle Designer/SCM release 9.0.2.7. Oracle Designer/SCM patchset 9.0.4.3 (a maintenance release) patches your 9.0.4.2 installation allowing it to connect to the 9.0.2.7 compatible repository.

If your repository is still at a version compatible with Oracle Designer/SCM 9.0.2.6, Oracle Designer/SCM 9.0.4.2 will work with that repository. However, Oracle strongly recommends that you install the Oracle Designer/SCM 9.0.4.3 patchset on your 9.0.4.2 clients and upgrade your repository as soon as possible.

If you wish to create a new repository, then, before doing so, Oracle strongly recommends that you install the Oracle Designer/SCM 9.0.4.3 patchset on your 9.0.4.2 installation. This will prevent you subsequently having to upgrade it via the RAU when you later apply the Oracle Designer/SCM 9.0.4.3 patchset.

11.1.1.3 Japanese in the multi-language environment

When installing Oracle Developer Suite 10g (9.0.4) on a client computer, you can select a one or more product languages. If you include Japanese as one of these languages (for example, if you select Japanese, Korean and English) then, in the Designer product, the user interface text will always be in Japanese. You cannot alter this later by changing the NLS language setting on the client computer. If you do not include Japanese as one of the product languages (for example, if you select Chinese, Korean and English) then the user interface text in Designer will always be in English.

If you do not require the user interface text to be in Japanese, then you must not include Japanese as one of the product languages. If you do require the user interface text to be in Japanese, you should, in addition to selecting Japanese as a product language, also check that a Japanese font has been installed.

11.1.1.4 Setting up the repository for NLS operation

If you have a National Language Support (NLS) version of the repository, you can change the display language for the following text:

  • Repository Core Model

    • datatype values

    • element type names

    • property names

    • text type descriptions

    • report group names

    • report parameters

    • report title names

  • Designer Model

  • Valid Preference Meanings

  • User Preference Names

The currently valid display languages are the default (English) or Japanese.

With Oracle Designer, if you also use Generator tools, you can change the display language for Generator preference descriptions and their valid value meanings. Changing the display language for "Valid Preference Names" will also change the display language for the Repository Object Browser (ROB).

The translated text files for the display languages that the repository supports are installed in the directory oracle_home\REPADM61\NLS if you have an NLS version of the repository.


Note:

If you do not have these translated text files in the \NLS directory, you cannot change the display language.

To set up the repository for NLS operation, perform the following tasks:

  1. Load the language text files (see "Loading language text files" in the online help for the Repository Administration Utility).

  2. Change the display language to the one you want (see "Changing the display language" in the online help for the Repository Administration Utility).

11.1.1.5 Enabling repository support for Oracle Designer Objects when the repository only supports core objects

When installing a repository from the Repository Administration Utility (RAU), you may select either "support for Repository (core) objects" or "support for Oracle Designer Objects". If your repository was installed by selecting the "support for Repository (core) objects" option then you must also install support for Oracle Designer Objects before the repository can be used by the Oracle Designer client tools. This is achieved by re-running the RAU and installing the required support. If your repository additionally requires upgrading, then choose one of the following two options:

  • Upgrade the repository first using the latest version of the RAU, and then install support for Oracle Designer objects.

  • install support for Oracle Designer Objects using a version of the RAU that is compatible with the existing repository, and then upgrade it using the latest version of the RAU.

Enabling support for Oracle Designer Objects will cause the repository to become non-versioned. Any version history information from the production repository will not be visible. To switch the versioning on again, in the Repository Administration Utility choose Options > Enable Version Support. The version history information will then be visible (see bug 1419412).

11.1.1.6 Migration from Oracle Designer Web Assistant (ODWA) to Repository Object Browser (ROB)

Starting with version 9.0.2.4, Oracle Designer includes a web based reporting tool called Repository Object Browser (ROB). ROB is functionally similar to the Oracle Designer Web Assistant (ODWA) tool, which is part of Oracle iDevelopment Accelerator suite. This section is a guide for users of ODWA migrating to ROB.

11.1.1.6.1 Installing ROB

ROB will be installed automatically as a part of the repository install/upgrade process, by the Repository Administration utility (RAU). Unlike the ODWA, all the ROB objects will be installed within the REPOWNER schema. Access to all the subordinate users will be automatically created using the previously selected type of synonyms. Installing ROB on a repository having ODWA will not affect the ODWA data but the repository users will no longer be able to access ODWA.

11.1.1.6.2 ODWA Data

ODWA operates mainly on the data stored in the repository, although it also maintains some ODWA specific data. This data includes details about ODWA Hotspots, ODWA graphic categories and ODWA search library. All the data captured by ODWA is stored in a set of tables in ODWA owner schema. The following table lists these tables and details about the data stored in them:

Table Name Description
ODWA_QUERY_LIBRARY Contains data for all the saved queries
ODWA_HOTSPOTS Contains information about all the Hotspots defined for ODWA graphics
ODWA_GRAPHICS Contains the information about all ODWA graphic items
ODWA_GRPH_CATEGORIES Contains information about the various graphic categories defined in ODWA


Note:

ODWA contains more tables than the ones listed above, but they do not contain user data.

11.1.1.6.3 Migration to ROB

All the data contained in the ODWA tables can be migrated to ROB. ROB uses tables in the Repos owner schema with the same name and structure as that of ODWA owner tables to hold the ROB specific data. Hence migration of the hotspots and other saved query libraries from ODWA to ROB is an easier task. This can be accomplished with a simple SQL script that reads the ODWA tables listed above and inserts the data into ROB tables with the same name. For example the ODWA query library can be migrated by executing the following insert statement:

insert into REPOS.ODWA_QUERY_LIBRARY
   select  ID,
           CATEGORY,
           LABEL,
           DESCRIPTION,
           PUBLISHED,
           OWNER,
           LAST_DATE_CHANGED,
           BASIC,
           ADVANCED,
           VERSION,
           AUDIT_TAB
   from ODWA.ODWA_QUERY_LIBRARY;

where REPOS is the repository owner schema and ODWA is the ODWA owner schema.

Only the tables listed in the previous topic need to be migrated in this manner, the other ODWA tables like ODWA_SESSIONS need not be migrated as they do not contain any data that is useful to ROB.

11.1.1.6.4 ODWA Preferences

While configuring ODWA, values for various preferences need to be inserted into the ODWA_PREFERENCES table manually, using SQL*Plus. ROB provides an easy-to-use web interface to manage all the preferences. Only the Repos owner can change the preferences and this can be done by navigating to the "Manage Preferences" page under "Management facility".


Note:

By default ROB does not support CDM objects like business rules, or CDM style reports. To expose these reports in ROB, set the preference "Enable Custom Development Method (CDM) objects" in the preferences page.

11.1.2 System Modeling and Design Tools

This section discusses issues and workarounds related to the Process Modeler, Entity Relationship Diagrammer, Function Hierarchy Diagrammer, Dataflow Diagrammer and Design Editor tools.

Copy, Move and Share

To copy a set of objects, keeping references between them, use Extended Copy.

Container Copy

If you copy a container using Edit > Copy, each object within the container is copied as a separate object. If two or more objects within the container refer to each other, the references are not updated to point to the new object in the new container, but still refer to the object in the original container, for example:

Application System ABC

Table DEPT Table EMP FK to DEPT

Copy ABC creating new application system XYZ

Application System XYZ Table DEPT Table EMP FK to ABC.DEPT ( not XYZ.DEPT )

If you want to maintain the links (such that in this example the foreign key points to XYZ.DEPT), select all the objects in the container and then choose Utilities > Extended Copy.

Known Issues and Workarounds

Matrix diagrammer raises "failed to update registry" error on Windows 2000 (bug 1472195)
Cause: If a Windows user that is not a member of the local "Power Users" group or the "Administrator" group attempts to invoke the Oracle Designer diagrammers, then an alert box will appear indicating "failed to update registry". The error is being raised because the user does not have permissions to allow Oracle Designer to write to the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry key.
Action: Select OK to dismiss the error message. Then, add the Windows users who wish to use Oracle Designer to the local "Power Users" or "Administrator" group.
Syntax checker incorrectly reports error for application logic (bug 1366816)
Cause: When the syntax checker is run on application logic it may spuriously report errors. Two examples when this can occur are:
  • when DECLARE appears before BEGIN. In this case you could remove the word DECLARE (leaving the variable declarations in place).

  • when the application logic uses Forms built-ins such as FORMS_MDI_WINDOW or WINDOW_STATE. The syntax checker does not recognize these and states that they must be declared, however the Forms Developer environment does recognize them so the form will run correctly

Action: None. In cases like these the best way to check that the application logic is working correctly is to generate the form and check that it works correctly.
Design Editor does not requery application logic (bug 1317918)
Cause: Requerying application logic does not work. Thus for example, when editing a workarea to include an old version of a table, any application logic associated with the table is not requeried. If you edit the application logic, you may see a message to the effect that the logic is out of date.
Action: Do any of the following:
  • Choose File > Change Connection and reconnect to the repository.

  • Choose File > Change Workarea and reselect the workarea.

  • Choose a different Navigator tab in the Design Editor, then reselect the original tab.

  • Restart the Design Editor.

Copy With New Language does not work for modules from the Repository Object Navigator (bug 1317853)
Cause: In the Repository Object Navigator, if you select a module, choose Utilities > Designer > Copy with New Language, select a language and then select OK, the message "CDR-00114: Container context has not been set" is displayed.
Action: Run the utility from the Design Editor (choose Utilities > Copy with New Language).
Unable to commit captured queue and queue table (bug 1290408)
Cause: Design capture of a persistent queue and corresponding queue table into a database user that has no queue table implementations may result in a CDA-02186 error during validation.

A database user must have a queue table implementation if a persistent queue implementation references the database user with its "Queue Table Database User" property. Since these objects are put forward for validation in an undefined order following design capture, the database user may not have a queue table implementation when the persistent queue implementation is validated.

Action: Design capture the queue table(s) first then invoke design capture again for the persistent queue(s).
OLE Problems (bugs 1114261, 951673, 837571, 781670, 755568, 636409, 625193, 595590, 529856, 373015)
Cause: There are many reported problems using OLE to embed objects in Designer diagrams, or to embed Designer diagrams in other applications.

Note:

Some extra exception handling has been added to the diagrammers to handle OLE errors during diagram open. This will enable some diagrams to be partially recovered, which would not have been possible in earlier releases.

Components affected:

  • CASEDE - Design Editor

  • CASEDFD - CASE Dataflow Diagrammer

  • CASEFHD - CASE Function Hierarchy Diagrammer

  • CASEERD - CASE Entity Relationship Diagrammer

  • CASEPM - CASE Process Modeler

Action: Use OLE sparingly

Do not embed too many objects in Oracle Designer diagrams.

Use Edit > Paste, rather than Edit > Paste Special or Insert > Object if you wish to include a diagram in (for example) a Microsoft Word document.

Overlapping text in Process Modeler diagrams (bug 995298, 627818)
Cause: Descriptions and labels may overlap when laid out by the Process Modeler.

Component Affected: CASEPM - CASE Process Modeler

Action: Manually move the overlapping text, or use shorter text if possible.
Diagram graphics can become corrupt after invoking versioning utilities (bug 897686)
Cause: This can occur in the following scenario:
  1. Invoke one of the Utilities under the Version menu.

  2. Invoke a diagrammer if not already open.

  3. Click on the Select Icon.

  4. Drag a selection area over the diagram and you will notice that a horizontal and vertical line appears (as well as the dotted selection area rectangle) This is common across all of the tools.

Components Affected:

  • CASEDE - Design Editor

  • CASEDFD - CASE Dataflow Diagrammer

  • CASEFHD - CASE Function Hierarchy Diagrammer

  • CASEERD - CASE Entity Relationship Diagrammer

  • CASEPM - CASE Process Modeler

Action: Restart the tool.
Print Scaling (bugs 896032, 674453, 481734)
Cause: When you scale a diagram on the Print dialog box, the diagram does not always print correctly.

Components Affected:

  • CASEDFD - CASE Dataflow Diagrammer

  • CASEFHD - CASE Function Hierarchy Diagrammer

  • CASEERD - CASE Entity Relationship Diagrammer

Action: No workaround is currently available.
Design Capture of Server Model results in error "CDI 22051 - TABLES OVERLAPPING ON DIAGRAM" (bug 749724)
Cause: If you capture a large schema and display the results on a diagram, autolayout may be unable to resolve some overlaps.

Component Affected: CASEDE - Design Editor

Action: Capture the design without enabling Show Results on new Server Model Diagram (on the Source tab of the Capture Server Model from Database dialog box), then include the server model definitions on the diagram a few at a time.
Batch Generation doesn't work for Menu Modules (bug 745824)
Cause: You cannot generate Forms Menu Modules with the batch interface.

Component Affected: CASEDE - Design Editor

Action: Use the generator from within Design Editor.
Using a plotter (bugs 660322, 344117)
Cause: There are a number of reported problems using a plotter (i.e. a vector device) as opposed to raster device (most printers).

Components Affected:

  • CASEDE - Design Editor

  • CASEERD - CASE Entity Relationship Diagrammer

Action: Make sure you have the most up to date driver for your plotter. If the plotter driver supports raster to vector conversion, the results will be better. Avoid using custom colors in your diagram.
Layout problems in Module Diagrammer for Components with two masters (bug 463149)
Cause: If a module component has two masters, layout can be poor.

Component Affected: CASEDE - Design Editor

Action: No workaround is currently available.
Best Fit Selection (bug 326606)
Cause: Edit > Select All, followed by Best Fit Selection may result in the diagram becoming very small in the center of the current window.

Component Affected: CASEFHD - CASE Function Hierarchy Diagrammer

Action: Instead of Edit > Select All, choose Edit > Select and then Select All from within the dialog box. In this case the Best Fit works.
Undo Autolayout not enabled (bug 315136)
Cause: The Undo layout option is not always enabled until autolayout has been performed a number of times.

Component Affected: CASEDFD - CASE Dataflow Diagrammer

Action: No workaround is currently available.

11.1.3 Database Design Transformer

Entities mapped to views

If a selected application system contains entities that you have mapped to views, these will be removed when the Database Design Transformer starts. You will be asked to confirm each removal with a dialog box which states that a table entity mapping will be removed.

Running the Database Design Transformer from the Entity Relationship Diagrammer locks diagrams (bug 1662205)
Cause: Entity relationship diagrams become inaccessible if the Database Design Transformer is opened from the Entity Relationship Diagrammer.
Action: Do one of the following:
  • Close the Entity Relationship Diagrammer before opening the diagram.

  • Do not run the Database Transformer from the ERD. Run it from the front panel.

11.1.4 Form Generator

To run generated forms locally after an Oracle Developer Suite installation:

  1. Ensure that JInitiator has been installed on the client.

  2. Start the Oracle Containers for J2EE (OC4J) instance by running the file startinst.bat (oracle_home\j2ee\Oracle9iDS\startinst.bat).

  3. Generate the Form module.

  4. Run the Form.

The specified browser will display the form.

To run generated forms locally after an Oracle Application Server installation:

  1. Ensure that JInitiator has been installed on the client.

  2. Set the Form Generator preference WEBURL to appserver_host_name:port/forms90/servlet.

  3. Generate the Form module, noting the location of the generated .fmx file.

  4. Create a sub-folder in the forms90 folder of the Oracle Application Server Oracle home (on the client where Oracle Application Server is installed).

  5. Locate the generated .fmx file and move it into the sub-folder that you created in the previous step.

  6. Open the file default.env (appserver_oracle_home\forms90\server\default.env) in a text editor.

  7. Uncomment the section "Forms90_Path" and add to it the path for the sub-folder where your .fmx file now resides.

  8. Save and close the default.env file.

  9. Start your web browser (preferably Internet Explorer) and enter a URL in the following form:

    app_hostname:port/forms90/servlet/?form=form.fmx&userid=user/pwd@connect

    The generated form will run in the web browser

OCX/OLE item types in Oracle Designer (bug 1978769)

It is possible to model an item of type OCX Control or OLE Container, but these types are now generated as a text item. Warning message 39 is issued when such generation is attempted.

Generating Form-level triggers at lower levels is no longer valid (bug 2037694)

For Oracle Forms, restrictions have been added for some triggers. The following are now only permissible at form or block level:

WHEN-CLEAR-BLOCK
WHEN-CREATE-RECORD
WHEN-DATABASE-RECORD
WHEN-NEW-RECORD-INSTANCE
WHEN-REMOVE-RECORD

The following is now only permissible at form-level:

WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE

Previously it was acceptable to create these triggers additionally at block or item level. Although Oracle Designer still supports this at the design stage, you should not use this facility.

Number of characters in names used in generation (bug 2061520)

Although the number of characters allowed for object names in Oracle Designer is nominally 30, eight of these are required for the prefix that is added during generation. This means that the practical maximum number of characters for an object name is 22.

Oracle Forms menu substitution parameters (bug 2067988)

Menu substitution parameters are not supported by Oracle Forms from version 9i (9.0.4) onwards. Because of this, Oracle Designer is unable to support generation of user-defined menu substitution parameters. From Oracle9i Designer onwards, any user-defined menu parameter (for instance, myparm) will simply appear in the menu's command line (that is, :myparm), with no run-time support. Oracle recommends that you replace the use of these parameters with other code/methods for achieving the same results.

Form generation with preserve layout option is not possible when there are sub-components (bug 1317873)

Generation preserving layout does not work with sub-components.

Names of tables, unique names

The Generator requires that the names of tables and their keys be unique within the first 21 characters. The table names are used to create names for program units, which are limited to 30 chars.

The generator prepends the following example text when naming program units to support various areas of functionality:

CGRI$CHK_table_name or CGRI$DEL_table_name

Generate Preserve Layout does not support Blocks on Tabs layout functionality

It is not possible to preserve layout when modifications are made because the inclusion and dimensions of one block affect the sequence and dimensions of the others. If a form with Blocks on Tabs is generated in preserve layout mode, it may not run correctly. An alternative is to modify the form by hand, capture the design back to the repository and generate again.

Object Library Names

The standard object libraries shipped with the Oracle Forms generator have not changed names between releases 6i, 9i and 10g. A form generated with release 6i may not compile if compiled with the 9i or 10g object library (and vice versa). This may cause confusion if a user has .FMB files generated from both these releases in one area.

Preferences ITMMPW and ITMPPE

The preferences ITMMPW (minimum permitted width) and ITMPPE (permitted percentage expansion) are now applied to block titles, so if they are set at module or module component level they may add extra room to existing titles potentially changing the layout.

11.1.5 Web PL/SQL Generator

New "Concealed data" display type: the Web PL/SQL Generator library (WSGL) must be reinstalled

During generation, Web PL/SQL Generator makes use of the WSGL PL/SQL library package of procedures, functions and constants. This package has been reconstructed to incorporate the new "Concealed data" display type and must be reinstalled if you want to use this facility.

The package specification file is wsgl.pks and the package body is wsgl.pkb. Both files appear in the CGENW61\CVWETC directory of your Oracle Designer installation and they must be installed on the PL/SQL Toolkit schema. Instructions are contained in the help topic "Setting up the PL/SQL Toolkit schema".

DAD (database access descriptor) configuration for Web PL/SQL generated modules with Single Sign On (bug 2288798)

Even though the WSGSSO package provides SSO authentication to your WSG applications, the DAD used to access your generated applications should use "Basic Authentication" as its authentication mode.

This is because generated applications using the WSGSSO security package cooperate with the SSO server for authentication, but still use their own set of user and responsibility tables.


Note:

For information on how to set up DADs, refer to the Oracle Application Server administration documentation.

Port number required for setup of Portal Single Sign-On with Oracle Application Server

When setting up OracleAS Portal single sign-on (SSO) in an Oracle Application Server environment, you will need to specify a port number. This port number must be the one specified in the virtual hosts section of the HTTP server page of Oracle Enterprise Manager.

This port number will be required:

  • when adding partner application on the OracleAS Portal instance, for the home URL and the success URL

  • when editing REGAPP.SQL, for the value of p_listner_token (for example, devweb.uk.oracle.com:3340)

  • when specifying the Web PL/SQL Generator option "Web Agent URL" (for example, http://devweb.uk.oracle.com:3340/BASIC902_DAD/)

Additionally, the Portal administrator, after creating the appropriate DAD, has to give the Web Agent URL with the correct port number to the Portal user.

Error Message PLS-00593
Cause: Error message PLS-00593 ("Default value of parameter P_REFRESH_URL in body must match that of specification") is displayed during the creation of WSG single sign-on packages.
Action: Manually change the default value of P_REFRESH_URL in WSGSSO.PKB to WSGSSO_CONSTANTS.G_CANCEL_URL, then rerun WSGSSO.SQL.

11.1.6 Report Generator, Design Capture and Application Logic Capture

Report Generator restriction on module short name and implementation name

Currently there is a restriction imposed by the Report Generator on the module short name and implementation name which means they cannot contain any spaces. This causes generation to fail with the following error :

CGEN-03448 ERROR: Module: Name is not a valid Oracle name; try 'module_name'

where module_name is the name of the module without spaces.

The workaround is to make sure that the module short name and implementation name do not contain spaces.

Unable to capture ORDER BY clause from RDF files

The design capture tool does not support capturing of ORDER BY sequences where the syntax is based on a number relating to the item order in the select statement, for example:

select empno, deptno, job from emp order by 2;

Here the ORDER BY sequence is based on deptno; however it will not be recovered.

If the select statement is in the following syntax the ORDER BY information will be recovered:

select empno, deptno, job from emp order by deptno;

Do not modify generated tags prior to application logic recovery

Report Generator includes a tag in a generated program unit to identify the repository element for which the event or named routine was defined. When capturing application logic, Report Generator uses this tag to associate application logic with the correct repository element.If you modify or remove the tag and attempt to capture the application logic, Report Generator is unable to identify the repository element associated with the captured application logic. Report Generator therefore associates the captured application logic with a repository window definition.If you intend to capture a generated program unit, do not modify or remove the tag embedded in generated program units.

Hint: If you intend to add user application logic using Report Builder, Oracle recommends that you create a skeletal event code segment or named routine for the appropriate repository element. When you generate the report, Report Generator will generate the code and include a valid tag. You can then use Report Builder to modify the code. During design capture, Report Generator will capture the application logic and use the tag to assign it to the correct Repository element. If you do not define the application logic in the Repository to begin with, a valid tag will not exist and Report Generator will capture the application logic and associate it with the window definition.

Indication of modified generated application logic

You can modify generated application logic in Report Builder. To retain this modified application logic during subsequent generations, you must capture it into the repository. By default, Report Generator does not capture generated application logic unless you indicate that you have modified it.To indicate that you have modified generated application logic, add one or more alpha-numeric characters (not a space) between the comment symbol (--) and the start of the generated tag.For example, the line containing the generated tag might appear as follows:

-- CG$PV0001.5642752

To indicate that you have changed this application logic and that it is to be captured, you might change the tag as follows:

-- modified CG$PV0001.5642752

Report generation may fail when attempted from the batch generation tool (bug 2106132)
Cause: You cannot generate reports from the batch generation tool if forms are also generated in the same batch.
Action: Generate Reports and Forms separately.
Header and footer sections in reports templates no longer available (bug 1386933)
Cause: Up to Designer 2.1.2 you could apply header, body and trailer templates to Reports. However, because of the changed functionality of Oracle Reports 6.0 onwards you can no longer use templates on report headers and trailers.
Action: No workaround is currently available.

11.1.7 Server Generator

Not all features are suitable for generating to all databases

Oracle Designer allows you to model many sophisticated database features. However, not all of these can be implemented in every database type. If you generate a feature that is not supported by your chosen database type, you will see an error message.

Default values for columns cannot be derived from user-defined functions (bug 2030889)

Oracle Database does not allow the default value for a column to be derived from a user-defined function. In the Design Editor, if you create a table with such a column, the table is created without any apparent error, but while generating the design to the database, the generator fails, stating that user-defined functions are not allowed as default values.

ODBC drivers for Server Generator

To connect to Microsoft SQL Server 7.0, use the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver that is supplied with the SQL Server 7.0 client software. (Server Generator has been tested with SQLSVR32.DLL version 3.70.06.23).

When specifying the logon details for an IBM DB2/MVS v5 ODBC connection, the username must be entered in uppercase to be able to see any objects for a server model capture. (see bug 1314224)

When connecting to DB2/MVS v5, use the IBM DB2 ODBC driver to connect. (see bug 1314307)

Server Generator provides connections to online databases using either ODBC or the Oracle Network layer.

During testing it has been found that using an old driver designed for an earlier version of an RDBMS can produce unpredictable behavior, such as a failure to recognize legitimate types or syntactic constructs introduced with the newer RDBMS.

Oracle recommends that you obtain ODBC drivers for non-Oracle databases from either the database provider or a specialist supplier.

Using Server Generator with a Sybase System 11 database

A patch from Sybase (ref. EBF 7704) must be applied to Sybase clients before attempting access to Sybase System 11 databases for generation or capture. If this patch is not applied, the Design Editor can terminate unexpectedly.

Generate Distributed Capabilities Doesn't Work (bug 771052)
Cause: Server Generator does not generate synonyms that reference objects across database links. Therefore the Generate Distributed Capability check box on the Database Generator Options dialog box has no effect.
Action: No workaround is currently available.
Replication Group Generation From Design Editor Doesn't Generate Correct Files (bug 675058)
Cause: Server Generator does not generate code for Master Replication Groups or Replicated Groups. Therefore the Generate Replication Statements check box in the Generate Database Administration Objects dialog box, and the Assign Objects to Replication Code check box in the Database Generator Options dialog box, have no effect.
Action: No workaround is currently available.
It is possible to open the same server model diagram twice (bug 641532)
Cause: The same server diagram can be open any number of times in the server diagrammer in the Design Editor.
Action: Open each diagram only once.

11.1.8 Repository Reports

Default date format

The following situations are all resolved by explicitly setting the default date format to "DD-MON-YYYY". To do so, choose Options > General Settings in the Design Editor or Repository Object Navigator and enter this value in the Date Format field.

  • On a newly installed repository, the factory default date setting is "DD-MON-YYYY". However, unless you explicitly set this date format manually, Repository Reports uses a default date format of "DD Month YYYY" (large gap between month and year).

  • If you enter a date in the format "DD-MON-YY" and either select another parameter with the mouse or immediately run the report, no validation warning is shown for the correct date format of "DD-MON-YYYY". The validation message is shown only if you press Tab on the date field or run the report subsequently. Even after the validation message, the report can be run with dates specified (for example) as "01-Jan-99" which is converted to "01 January 0099" (bug 1308455).

  • No validation is performed if the parameter value for a Start Date is later than that for an End Date (bug 1308455).

  • If you change the date format in the Design Editor or Repository Object Navigator to "DD-MON-YY" and then invoke Repository Reports, the reports become non-Y2K compliant. No validation for date format is performed, and no output is produced even if you enter dates in the format "DD-MON-YYYY".

11.1.9 Matrix Diagrammer

Matrix Diagrammer: invoking the VHV from a matrix diagram

When you try to start the VHV from a matrix diagram the first time, the following error is displayed:

CDR-03103: Attempted Diff/Merge but ran out of memory.

The workaround is to invoke the VHV from elsewhere in Designer.

Matrix Diagrammer: some element types cannot be created, updated, deleted or versioned

Using Matrix Diagrammer, you cannot create, update, delete or version containers, workareas or configurations. Also, you cannot create or delete configuration memberships between elements and configurations.The workaround is to use the Repository Object Navigator to perform these operations.

Matrix Diagrammer GPFs when the intersection if a foreign key (bug 1456480)

When the intersection is a foreign key, for example if you select Table Definition vs Relational Definition, the Matrix Diagrammer GPFs. It works correctly when the intersection is not a foreign key.

11.1.10 Accessibility

General (bug 2023560)

In Microsoft Windows 2000, mnemonics (the underscores that indicate a shortcut) do not appear in a dialog or menu in Oracle Designer until the ALT key has been pressed. (See also bugs 1522303 and 1962540.)

Form Generator (bug 2055467)
Cause: There is limited keyboard access to generated navigation action items.
Action: Set the focus on action items by using the menu option Block > Next. Then use the Enter key to select an item.
Repository Reports (bug 1549890)
Cause: When using the Repository Reports navigator, and when the focus is moved between different nodes, JAWS sometimes reads out inappropriate prose.
Action: This problem will not occur if the navigator is not accessed using the mouse.
Design Editor (bug 1549933)
Cause: When using the navigator in the Design Editor, pressing INSERT+UP ARROW sometimes causes JAWS to behave inappropriately.
Action: This problem will not occur if the navigator is not accessed using the mouse.

11.1.11 Other problems and restrictions

Copyright

Please note that where you see Copyright 2002 this is also covered by Copyright 2003.

Export of repository data requires appropriate version of Import and Export utilities in different Oracle home

If you wish to export any repository data, you must install and use the appropriate version of the Oracle8i Import and Export utilities (IMP & EXP) against your repository. That is, you must use the 8.1.6 utilities for an 8.1.6 database and the 8.1.7 utilities for an 8.1.7 database. These utilities must not be installed into the same Oracle home as Oracle Repository.

Limitations when using Oracle Designer/Oracle Developer Automation

In some circumstances, you may not be able to get an instance of Oracle Forms Developer running from the Design Editor. For example, if you click on the action item list, after generation of a form, and choose the option to run Form Builder, nothing happens, that is, Oracle Forms Developer does not open. In this case, you should change the following entry in the registry file from:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \CLSID\{4271DF00-B54A-11CF-864B-0020AF1D40D7}\LocalServer32 ifbld90.exe /AUTOMATION

to

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \CLSID\{4271DF00-B54A-11CF-864B-0020AF1D40D7}\LocalServer32oracle_home\ifbld90.exe /AUTOMATION

Generating forms in non-English environments

After generating a form in a non-English Oracle Designer environment, you will need to compile and run the form externally using Oracle Forms Developer.

Screen resolution types

Oracle Designer can be run under SVGA (recommended) or VGA.

System font size

Oracle recommends that you set the system font size to Small Fonts (Control Panel > Display > Settings > Font Size).

SQL or PL/SQL reserved words

It is possible to create instances of elements with names that are SQL or PL/SQL reserved words. Users should beware of this where these element names are likely to be used in SQL or PL/SQL statements. Also, if a systems modeling element is created with a name that is a SQL or PL/SQL reserved word, it may not be possible to transform it into a systems design element.

ORA-12514 Message not found
In some circumstances message ORA-12514 is displayed without its intended text. The message should read ORA-12514 : TNS:listener could not resolve SERVICE_NAME given in connect descriptor
Cause: The SERVICE_NAME in the CONNECT_DATA was not found in the listener's tables.
Action: Check to make sure that the SERVICE_NAME specified is correct.

This error will be returned if the database instance has not registered with the listener; the instance may need to be started.

11.2 Platform-specific Issues and Workarounds

There are currently no platform-specific issues

11.3 Configuration Issues and Workarounds

There are currently no configuration issues.

11.4 Administration Issues and Workarounds

There are currently no administration issues.

11.5 Documentation Errata

There are currently no known problems with the documentation.