3 Introduction to Dynamic Data Services (DDS)

This chapter gives a brief introduction to the Dynamic Data Service Web Application.

What is DDS?

Dynamic Data Service (DDS) is a cloud based web application with functionality to remotely interact with databases. It has the ability to interact with many schemas at once in a database. The functionality also has the ability to interact with different databases as well.

Data can be viewed and modified through the application. It also has security built into it to restrict data access and modification.

Dynamic Data Service provides access to data in a database through RESTful services. Users can perform CRUD operations on the data using RESTful services. From a security perspective, access to data can be restricted to users at the table, column and row level.

Dynamic Data Service allows users to access data from any configured databases the time of install. Dynamic Data Service UI provides functionality to setup the security and perform CRUD operations on the data.

Need for DDS

DDS is useful for exposing data in a schema with data that is not directly visible to the user. Good examples for this would be a back-end schema of other Oracle applications. Any data that is not exposed by these applications can be viewed using DDS because users cannot connect to database schemas, from a cloud environment, using standard database tools without proper permissions.

Functionality Offered

DDS offers various functionality regarding databases. It can connect to various database connections. The application then discovers the schema inside the databases and allows the user to work and interact with the tables and data within the tables. The high level list of functionalities offered:

• Schema Discovery

• Viewing Table Definition

• Querying table data

• Creation, modification and deletion of records

• Bulk Updates and Deletion of data in tables

• Security setup for limiting data access and modification

Accessibility

Oracle JET components have built-in accessibility support that conforms with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0 at the AA level (WCAG 2.0 AA), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Accessibility involves making your application usable for persons with disabilities such as low vision or blindness, deafness, or other physical limitations. This means, for example, creating applications that can be:

• Used without a mouse (keyboard only).

• Used with assistive technologies such as screen readers and screen magnifiers.

• Used without reliance on sound, color, animation, or timing.

DDS provides the ability to support the above accessibility in the applications.

Users should be able to navigate to all parts and functions of the application using the Tab and arrow keys, without using any keyboard shortcuts. In addition to that, keyboard shortcuts merely provide an additional way to access a function quickly.

Keyboard shortcuts provide an alternative to pointing devices for navigating the page. There are five types of keyboard shortcuts that can be provided in OJET applications:

• Tab traversal, using Tab and Shift+Tab keys: Moves the focus through UI elements on a screen.

• Accelerator keys (hot keys): bypasses menu and page navigation, and performs an action directly, for example, Ctrl+C for Copy.

• Access keys: Moves the focus to a specific UI element, for example, Alt+F for the File menu.

• Default cursor/focus placement: Puts the initial focus on a component so that keyboard users can start interacting with the page without excessive navigation.

• Enter key: Triggers an action when the cursor is in certain fields or when the focus is on a link or button.