1 Configuring mod_plsql

This chapter describes how you can set up and use mod_plsql. It contains the following sections:

Verifying Requirements
Installing Required Packages
Configuring a DAD for Your PL/SQL Application
Accessing mod_plsql Configuration
Diagnostic Output of mod_plsql

1.1 Verifying Requirements

Before you run mod_plsql, you must satisfy the following requirements:

You must have a SYS user password on the database where you plan to load PL/SQL Web Toolkit packages required by mod_plsql.
The database to which you plan to connect mod_plsql must be up and running.
Oracle HTTP Server mod_plsql ships with OWA package version 10.1.2.0.4. It is recommended that the OWA packages installed in the database are at least version 10.1.2.0.4.

1.2 Installing Required Packages

After installation, if you need to use Oracle HTTP Server mod_plsql with a database that is not shipped with the product, you must manually install additional required packages using the owaload.sql script.

Note:

Even if a full database export is made with the Export utility you still must reinstall mod_plsql in the new target instance by running the OWALOAD.SQL script as SYS. Objects in SYS are not imported with the Import/Export mechanism, and the PL/SQL toolkit has to be installed in SYS.

Navigate to the directory where the owaload.sql file is located. This directory is ORACLE_HOME/Apache/modpsql/owa.
Using SQL*Plus, login to the Oracle Database as the SYS user.
You can check the version of the OWA packages currently installed by running the following query:
```
select owa_util.get_version from dual;
```
- If the query succeeds, but shows a version less than 10.1.2.0.4, it is recommended that you install the newer OWA packages.
- If the query fails, you either do not have the OWA packages installed, or are running a very old version of OWA packages, and it is recommended that you install, or upgrade to the new OWA packages.
  
  Note:
  To detect older OWA packages, see "How do I detect and clean up duplicate OWA packages installed in the database?" in Appendix A, "Frequently Asked Questions".

At the SQL prompt, run the following command:

@owaload.sql log_file

Table 1-1 Installing Required Packages Parameters

Elements	Description
owaload.sql	Installs the PL/SQL Web Toolkit packages into the SYS schema. It also creates public synonyms and makes the packages public so that all users in the database have access to them. Therefore, only one installation for each database is needed.
log_file	The installation log file. Make sure that you have write permissions to create the log file

Scan the log file for any errors.

Note:

The owaload script checks the existing version of the OWA packages in the database and installs a new version only if:

No OWA package exists or,
Older OWA packages were detected. If your database already has the latest OWA packages or has a newer version installed, the owaload script does nothing and reports this in the log file.

Perform a manual recompile.

Note:
Installing the OWA packages might invalidate all dependent objects. These packages automatically recompile on first access, but a manual recompile is recommended after the reinstallation.

After the install, check the version of the OWA packages by running "Select owa_util.get_version from dual;". Confirm that the version shown is 10.1.2.0.4 or later.
Note that public access is now granted to:
- OWA_CUSTOM
- OWA
- HTF
- HTP
- OWA_COOKIE
- OWA_IMAGE
- OWA_OPT_LOCK
- OWA_PATTERN
- OWA_SEC
- OWA_TEXT
- OWA_UTIL
- OWA_CACHE
- WPG_DOCLOAD
- OWA_MATCH
Note also that the following public synonyms are created:
- OWA_CUSTOM for OWA_CUSTOM
- OWA_GLOBAL for OWA_CUSTOM
- OWA for OWA
- HTF for HTF
- HTP for HTP
- OWA_COOKIE for OWA_COOKIE
- OWA_IMAGE for OWA_IMAGE
- OWA_OPT_LOCK for OWA_OPT_LOCK
- OWA_PATTERN for OWA_PATTERN
- OWA_SEC for OWA_SEC
- OWA_TEXT for OWA_TEXT
- OWA_UTIL for OWA_UTIL
- OWA_INIT for OWA_CUSTOM
- OWA_CACHE for OWA_CACHE
- WPG_DOCLOAD for WPG_DOCLOAD
- OWA_MATCH for OWA_MATCH

1.3 Configuring a DAD for Your PL/SQL Application

To access a Web-enabled PL/SQL application, you must first configure a PL/SQL Database Access Descriptor (DAD) for mod_plsql. A DAD is a set of values that specifies how mod_plsql connects to a database server to fulfill an HTTP request. Besides the connection details, a DAD contains important configuration parameters for various operations in the database, and for mod_plsql in general. For detailed information on mod_plsql configuration parameters, refer to the mod_plsql section in the Oracle HTTP Server Administrator's Guide.

1.4 Accessing mod_plsql Configuration

To configure mod_plsql, refer to the mod_plsql section in Oracle HTTP Server Administrator's Guide.

1.5 Diagnostic Output of mod_plsql

mod_plsql is an Oracle HTTP Server module that enables you to invoke PL/SQL applications over HTTP. As mod_plsql is an Oracle HTTP Server module, its logging is performed through Oracle HTTP Server.

Logging is controlled by the LogLevel parameter found in the configuration file httpd.conf, which is usually located at:

ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf

Valid values for LogLevel are the following:

emerg
alert
crit
error
warn
notice
info
debug

The values build incrementally. For example, if LogLevel is set to notice, then notice, warn, error, crit, alert, and emerg messages are recorded. If the value of LogLevel is altered, then Oracle HTTP Server must be restarted for this change to take effect.

mod_plsql Log File Contents

The location of the mod_plsql diagnostic information is dictated by the Oracle HTTP Server parameter called ErrorLog found in the httpd.conf file. Although this parameter is called ErrorLog, the file it describes can contain more than just error messages. A typical value for the ErrorLog parameter is the following:

ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/logs/error_log

Two types of mod_plsql messages appear in the Oracle HTTP Server error log:

Standard mod_plsql Messages
Performance mod_plsql Messages

Standard mod_plsql Messages

The following is an example of a standard mod_plsql message found in the Oracle HTTP Server error log:

[Thu Jun 30 08:34:20 2005] [warn] mod_plsql: 'PlsqlCacheCleanupSize' is deprecated.

The content of the standard mod_plsql message is as follows:

Date and time: Thu June 30 08:34:20 2005
Message level: warn
Indicates this message comes from mod_plsql: mod_plsql
Message text: 'PlsqlCacheCleanupSize' is deprecated.