Initial Value (Item) Property
Description
Specifies the default value that Oracle Forms should assign to the item whenever a record is created. The default value can be one of the following:
- raw
value (216, 'TOKYO')
- form
item (:block_name.item_name)
- global
variable (:GLOBAL.my_global)
- form
parameter (:PARAMETER.my_param)
- a
sequence (:SEQUENCE.my_seq.NEXTVAL)
Applies to check boxes, display items, list items,
radio groups, text items, and user areas
Set Oracle Forms
Null
Required/Optional Optional for all items except radio groups, check boxes, and list items.
For a radio group, a valid Initial Value is required unless
a) the radio group specifies Mapping of Other Values or,
b) the value associated with one of the radio buttons in the group is NULL.
For a list item, a valid Initial Value is required unless
a) the list item specifies Mapping of Other Values or,
b) the value associated with one of the list elements is NULL.
For a check box, a valid Initial Value is required unless
a) the check box specifies Mapping of Other Values or,
b) the value associated with Checked or Unchecked is NULL.
Usage Notes
- When using the default value to initialize the state of items such as check
boxes, radio groups, or list items, keep in mind that the default value does
not get assigned until Oracle Forms creates a record in the block.
- Subordinate mirror items are initialized from the master mirror item’s Initial
Value property. The ON-SEQUENCE-NUMBER trigger is also taken from the master
item. If the subordinate mirror item specifies Initial Value and ON-SEQUENCE-NUMBER,
Oracle Forms ignores them and issues a warning.
- At runtime, the initial value set by this property will be ignored if all
of the following are true for the item (or an item that mirrors it):
- the item is a poplist, T-list, radio group, or check box
- there is no element corresponding to the initial value
- the item does not allow other values
- For compatibility with prior releases, a reference to a form item or to
a sequence may be specified with a leading ampersand (&) instead of a
leading colon (:).
To specify a raw value that begins with a leading ampersand (‘&’) or a leading colon (‘:’), specify two of them (that is, ‘&&’ or ‘::’). (This is a change in Forms behavior, beginning with Release 6.5.)
Initial Value (Item) property Restrictions
- For a text item, the value cannot be outside the range defined by the Lowest
Allowed Value and Highest Allowed Value properties.
- For a radio group, the default value must be either the name (not the label)
of one of the radio buttons, or the value associated with one of the radio
buttons. Oracle Forms checks first for a radio button name.
- For a list item, the default value must be either the name of one of the
list elements, or the value associated with one of the list elements. Oracle Forms checks first for a list element name.