Exporting an Application

25.3.2.3 Exporting an Application

Move or copy an application by exporting and then importing it into the target instance.

Exporting an application in Oracle APEX generates an export file. An application export includes the application definition, including templates, pages, regions, items, buttons, and so on.

As a best practice, Oracle recommends you export complete applications rather than individual components. If you wish to export an application and there are components such as pages that are not yet ready for testing, Oracle recommends you use Build Options to include or exclude various application components.

Tip:

In addition to exporting the actual application, you may also need to export other related static files such as cascading style sheets, images, and script files. See Managing Static Application Files.

To export an application:

Navigate to the Export page:
1. On the Workspace home page, select App Builder.
2. On the App Builder home page, select Workspace Utilities.
3. Click Export.
  
  The Export page appears.
  
  Tip:
  You can also access the Export page by selecting the application, Export/Import, and then Export.
Click the Application tab (if not already selected).
Application - Select the application to be exported.

A region appears displaying the application ID, name, number of pages, updated by, last updated, and schema owner.
Format - Select the format for the export file. Options include:
- SQL - Creates a readable script file with a .sql extension.
- APEXlang - Creates a human-readable and modifiable version which is delivered as a ZIP file using the naming convention applilcation-alias.zip. APEXlang exports are optimized for AI generation, human readability, and source control management systems.
Type - Select an export type. Options include:
- Standard Export - (Default ) Recommended for source control. Includes developer comments and audit information.
  
  Excludes runtime data such as workflow instances, task instances, and both private and public report settings.
- Runtime Export - For runtime environments (for example, test or production). Sets the build status to Run Application Only.
  Excludes developer comments, audit information, runtime data such as workflow instances, task instances, and both private and public report settings.
- Full Export - Complete export of the application, typically used to migrate to a new environment. Includes developer comments, audit information, and runtime data such as workflow instances, task instances, and both private and public report settings.
  
  Because this export typecontains environment-specific data, Oracle recommends not it for source control.
- Custom Export - Granular control over all export options.
  
  Selecting Custom Export displays an Advanced Options region. The attributes that appear change depending upon the selected Format (that is, SQL or APEXlang).
If Format is SQL and Type is Custom Export, configure the following Advanced Options:
1. Format - Select SQL.
2. Split into Multiple Files - Choose On to export the application as a ZIP archive containing separate files for each page, shared component, and so forth. Choose Off to export as a single SQL file containing the entire application.
3. Build Status Override - Select the build status of the exported application. Options include:
  - Run Application Only - Users can only run an application. Selecting this option is an effective way to protect an application from modifications from other developers.
    
    If you select Run Application Only, you cannot set the argument p_trace to Yes. The only way to change this setting after you import the application is to log in to APEX Administration Services
  - Run and Build Application - Developers and users can both run and edit an application.
  Note:
  The Build Status Override setting can be changed when importing using the Web interface in App Builder but not when using the command line interface.
4. Supporting Object Definitions - Specify whether to export supporting object definitions with your application. Supporting object definitions include all configuration options and scripts and enable an application export to include database object definitions, image definitions, and seed data SQL statements encapsulated in a single file. Options include:
  - Yes - Includes supporting object definitions in the application export. Does not automatically load supporting objects when invoked from a command line.
  - No - Does not include the supporting object definitions in the export.
  - Yes and Install on Import Automatically - Includes supporting object definitions and a call to install supporting objects in the application export. This option is valid only for command line installs. When application imports from the command line, it automatically installs or upgrades the supporting objects.
5. Public Reports - Specify whether to include public reports with your application. Public reports are the public shared report settings saved by users from an interactive report or interactive grid. Options include:
  - On - Include public reports in the application export.
  - Off - Do not include public reports in the application export.
6. Private Reports - Specify whether to include Private reports with your application. Private reports are the private customized settings saved by users from an interactive report or interactive grid. Options include:
  - On - Include public reports in the application export.
  - Off - Do not include public reports in the application export.
7. Report Subscriptions - Specify whether to include interactive report or interactive grid subscription settings with your application. This will be limited to the unexpired subscription settings of all users for all interactive reports or interactive grids in the application. Options include:
  - On - Include report subscriptions for the reports you are exporting in the application export.
  - Off - Do not include report subscriptions for the reports in the application export.
8. Comments - Specify whether to include Developer Comments in your application export. Options include:
  - On - Include Comments in the application export.
  - Off - Do not include Comments in the application export.
9. Translations - Specify whether to include translations with your application export. Translation Text Messages and Dynamic Translations are always included in the application export. Options include:
  - On - Include the translation mappings and all text from the translation repository.
  - Off - Do not include translation mappings or the translation repository.
10. Debugging - Specify if debugging is enabled or disabled. Options include:
  - Yes - Exports the application with debugging enabled. Enabling debugging is useful for applications under development.
  - No - Exports the application with debugging disabled. As a best practice, Oracle recommends turn off debugging for production applications to prevent users from viewing application logic.
11. Original IDs - Specify whether the export file should contain the application component IDs as of now or as of the last import of this application. Options include:
  - On - Include the IDs as of the last import.
  - Off - Include only the current IDs of the components.
  Examples of when enabling Original IDs can be beneficial:
  - Readable Format - Enabling Original IDs simplifies comparisons between different versions of app components and pages. It also minimizes changes to version controlled export files.
  - Shared Component Subscriptions - Enabling Original IDs ensure subscribed components stay linked to a source app when it is replaced with an updated version.
12. Owner Override - By default, the application is owned by the owner identified in the application attribute owner. Use this attribute to import this application as a different schema owner then you are exporting.
13. Audit Information - Specify the audit information to include in the export file. Audit information includes the Created By User, Created On Date, Changed By User and Changed On Date. Options include:
  - None - (Default) No audit information is included.
  - Names and Dates - Include names and dates in all audit information.
  - Dates Only - Only include date information and exclude user details.
14. As of - Specify a time in minutes to go to back to for your export. This option enables you to go back in time in your application, perhaps to get back a deleted object.
  
  This utility uses the DBMS_FLASHBACK package. Because the timestamp to System Change Number (SCN) mapping is refreshed approximately every five minutes, you may have to wait that amount of time to locate the version for which you are looking. The time undo information is retained and influenced by the startup parameter UNDO_RETENTION (the default is three hours). However, this only influences the size of the undo tablespace. While two databases can have the same UNDO_RETENTION parameter, you are able to go back further in time on a database with fewer transactions because it is not filling the undo tablespace, forcing older data to be archived.
15. Workflow Instances - Specify whether to include the workflow instances in your application export. Available options include:
  - On - Include workflow instances in the application export. Workflow instances in an Active state are set to Suspended in the export.
  - Off - Does not include workflow instances in the application export.
16. Task Instances - Specify whether to include task instances in your application export. Available options include:
  - On - Includes task instances in the application export.
  - Off - Does not include task instances in the application export.
If Format is APEXlang and Type is Custom Export, configure the following Advanced Options:
1. Format - Select APEXlang.
2. Build Status Override - Select the build status of the exported application. Options include:
  - Run Application Only - Users can only run an application. Selecting this option is an effective way to protect an application from modifications from other developers.
    
    If you select Run Application Only, you cannot set the argument p_trace to Yes. The only way to change this setting after you import the application is to log in to APEX Administration Services
  - Run and Build Application - Developers and users can both run and edit an application.
  Note:
  The Build Status Override setting can be changed when importing using the Web interface in App Builder but not when using the command line interface.
3. Comments - Specify whether to include Developer Comments in your application export. Options include:
  - On - Include Comments in the application export.
  - Off - Do not include Comments in the application export.
4. Debugging - Specify if debugging is enabled or disabled. Options include:
  - Yes - Exports the application with debugging enabled. Enabling debugging is useful for applications under development.
  - No - Exports the application with debugging disabled. As a best practice, Oracle recommends turn off debugging for production applications to prevent users from viewing application logic.
5. Owner Override - By default, the application is owned by the owner identified in the application attribute owner. Use this attribute to import this application as a different schema owner then you are exporting.
6. As of - Specify a time in minutes to go to back to for your export. This option enables you to go back in time in your application, perhaps to get back a deleted object.
  
  This utility uses the DBMS_FLASHBACK package. Because the timestamp to System Change Number (SCN) mapping is refreshed approximately every five minutes, you may have to wait that amount of time to locate the version for which you are looking. The time undo information is retained and influenced by the startup parameter UNDO_RETENTION (the default is three hours). However, this only influences the size of the undo tablespace. While two databases can have the same UNDO_RETENTION parameter, you are able to go back further in time on a database with fewer transactions because it is not filling the undo tablespace, forcing older data to be archived.
Click Export.
Import the Application Export into the target instance.