Updated Oracle Visual Builder Studio

Here are some key things you can now do to extend your application pages using Visual Builder Studio:

  • Improvements for Edit Page in Visual Builder Studio workflow

When you use the Edit Page in Visual Builder Studio option to customize Oracle Cloud Applications, you can now take advantage of these enhancements:

    • Option to re-use existing workspaces for multiple extensions

If you have an existing workspace in a project, you can now re-use it, even if it's for a different extension. In fact, VB Studio will automatically open that workspace for you, enabling you to work on multiple extensions in the same workspace. You'll receive a prompt to choose if your workspace is linked to multiple extensions.

    • Prompt to clone Git repository and create workspace

If you want to work on a configuration that someone else has already started, you can now follow the prompt to clone the team member's existing Git repository and create a new workspace. Previously, you had to clone the repository manually to create your workspace.

    • Option to request project membership

You can now request membership to a project directly from the wizard. VB Studio sends a request to the project owners on your behalf and notify you when you're added to the project. Previously, you had to take note of the project owner's email and follow up on your own.

For more information, see Configure an Oracle Cloud Application.

  • Support to customize constants or components displayed in Page Designer's properties

You can customize how constants and dynamic components are organized and displayed in the Properties pane of the Page Designer. Instead of an alphabetical list of extendable components and constants that show in separate tabs, you can now use a new page-level Design Time editor to organize items in a particular order, even group them in sections. For more information, see Organize How Constants are Listed in the Properties Pane.

  • Business rule enhancements
    • Improved condition builder

You can now select which criteria you want to include in a business rule's conditions and add and remove conditions in the condition builder. You can also now group conditions to create more complex rule conditions. For more information, see Set Conditions for an Extension Rule. This functionality is also supported in Express mode for HCM extensions. For more information, see Set Conditions for an Extension Rule.

    • Ability to nest business rules

It's now possible to nest business rules. Nested rules enable you to use simple conditions to build more complex sets of rule conditions. For more information, see Use Nested Rules. This functionality is also supported in Express mode for HCM extensions. For more information, see Use Nested Rules.

  • Role-based security for App UIs

You can now use roles defined in your Oracle Cloud Applications instance to control access to your App UI, as well as to individual flows and pages in the App UI. For more information, see Control Access to Your App UI.

  • Local server for backends/service connections

You can now use a local server to override a backend's default server, allowing you to use a server definition more suitable for development. This way, you can connect to a server using (for example) Basic Authentication and add a static Authorization header that's used only during development, without those details going into the source code. For more information, see Add a Local Server to Use a Different Backend Definition During Development.

  • Extension ID in the Deployments tab

The Deployments tab now includes the extension ID, which you can use in a build step to delete an extension. Previously, you had to retrieve the identifier from the vb-extension.json file. For more information, see step 12 in Configure a Job to Delete an Extension.

  • Classic application extensions are no longer supported

Classic application extensions are no longer supported. With this change, you can no longer create new classic extensions from the Workspaces page or the New Project wizard. If the older version of your Oracle Cloud Application has been migrated to the newer App UI structure, you can find the new version of your app, which typically has a URL in the <hostname>/fscmUI/redwood/<appname> format. Once you find the new version of your app, click the Edit Page in the Visual Builder Studio option to start building and configuring App UIs. Contact Oracle support if you need help.

  • Page Designer improvements
    • Option to reopen closed tabs

To reopen recently closed tabs, you can now right-click a space on the tab bar in the Page Designer and select Reopen Closed Tab until you get to the tab you want to reopen. For visual apps, see Tour the Designer. For extensions, see What is the Designer.

    • Live/Design toggle change

To switch between Live and Design modes using the Ctrl key (Cmd on Mac), the cursor must now be on the canvas. This way, the mode won't switch when the canvas is not in focus. Releasing the key to switch the toggle back works anywhere. For visual apps, see Use the Page Designer. For extensions, see Use the Page Designer.

  • JavaScript action chain enhancements
    • New options for local functions

You can convert a local function to an action chain that can be used by other action chains. Right-click the local function and then, select the new Convert Function to Chain option. You can also create a local function from an action on the canvas. Drag an action on the canvas onto the Create Function button or onto the green line that appears before or after a local function. For visual apps, see Design Editor. For extensions, see Design Editor.

    • Summary button to simplify action chain view

You can now visually simplify your view of an action chain by hovering over the canvas's upper-left corner and clicking the Summary button. The Summary button hides the input parameter details of each action (except for the Assign Variable and Reset Variables actions). Click the Full button to switch back to the complete view. For visual apps, see Design Editor. For extensions, see Design Editor.

    • Simplified display for action parameters

We've simplified and enhanced the look and feel of how parameters are displayed in different actions. The display of parameters in actions, such as Open URL, Call REST, and Fire Data Provider Event are now grouped. Also, the Store Result In variable has been added to the header to make it more readable.

  • New behavior type for custom events

The transform behavior type for custom events is deprecated and replaced by the new tranformPayload behavior type for new event listeners. The change does not impact existing apps with events configured to use the transform type, but the new tranformPayload type addresses issues with invoking event listeners in the correct order. You are, therefore, encouraged to switch to the new behavior type for your existing apps. For visual apps, see Choose How Custom Events Call Event Listeners. For extensions, see Choose How Custom Events Call Event Listeners.

  • Fragment improvements
    • Fragments as sections for dynamic containers

It's now possible to add fragments as sections in a dynamic container. By default, all fragments tagged as pageContent become available for selection when you add a section to a dynamic container. You also have the option of indicating a particular fragment as preferred content for all sections in the container. For visual apps, see Add Fragments as Sections in a Dynamic Container. For extensions, see Add Fragments as Sections in a Dynamic Container.

    • InstanceFactory types for fragments

Types from code, known as InstanceFactory types, can now be defined in fragments, making these types accessible to fragments. As with all fragment artifacts, these types are local to the fragment. For visual apps, see Create a Type From Code. For extensions, see Create a Type From Code.

    • New properties for fragment slots

The Fragment Slot component now provides several new properties to help you configure a named slot, including a Preferred Content option that indicates the type of content the slot can contain. For visual apps, see Add Slots to a Fragment. For extensions, see Add Slots to a Fragment.

    • Drag and drop for fragment slots

Fragment consumers can now drag and drop their component of choice onto a fragment slot in the Properties pane of the fragment, in addition to the Insert Component option. For visual apps, see Add Slots to a Fragment. For extensions, see Add Slots to a Fragment.

    • Improvements on customizing fragment variable display in the Properties pane

The new Visual Builder Studio functionality provides you with a platform to extend your Fusion Applications extensively.

Steps to Enable

You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.

Key Resources