Oracle Application Express 18: Universal Theme Migration (1 of 4) - Getting Started

Oracle by Example brandingOracle Application Express 18: Universal Theme Migration (1 of 4) - Getting Started

section 0Before You Begin

This 15-minute tutorial shows how to install and migrate an application from a previous release of Application Express to the Universal Theme.

This is the first tutorial in Oracle Application Express 18: Universal Theme Migration Series. In this OBE series you migrate an application that use older themes to the Universal Theme - 42. Read the tutorials in sequence:

Background

Universal Theme - 42 (Universal Theme) enables developers to build modern web applications without requiring extensive knowledge of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. Universal Theme is a responsive, versatile, and customizable user interface for your Application Express apps. It is designed uniquely for Oracle APEX to make it easy for developers to build beautiful, modern applications, at any scale, for any purpose, that work on any device.

This tutorial series demonstrates best practices for migrating the packaged application, Sample Database Application, from release 4.2 to the Universal Theme in release 18. These best practices are also described in the "Migration Guides" section of the Universal Theme application In this tutorial, you import and install the Sample Database Application, release 4.2. Then, you install a Bookmarklet to assist you with mapping your older templates to your newer templates. Finally, you migrate the Universal Theme.

What Do You Need?

Accessing Your Development Environment

How you sign in and access Oracle Application Express depends upon where Oracle Application Express resides. Oracle Application Express may reside in a local on-premises Oracle Database or in a hosted environment, such as the Oracle Cloud. The sign in credentials you use to sign in differ depending upon the installation type.

  • Free Workspace: Give Oracle Application Express a test run by signing up for a free workspace. To request an evaluation workspace, go to apex.oracle.com, and click Get Started for Free.
  • Oracle Cloud: Develop and deploy applications without worrying about infrastructure, repair, and downtime. Oracle Application Express is available in Exadata Express Cloud Service and Database Cloud Service. However, you need to manually customize your databases to install and enable Oracle Application Express. To learn more, see Oracle Database Cloud Service.
  • Oracle Application Express On-premises: Install Oracle Application Express directly within any Oracle Database and then sign in to your workspace using your sign in credentials. For details on your sign in credentials, contact your administrator or see Oracle Application Express Installation Guide.
  • Oracle Application Express Pre-Built VM: Install a Pre-Built Virtual Machine (VM) which includes an Oracle Database and Oracle Application Express 18.1. To learn more, see Hands-On Labs.
    Once the VM is installed, start the VM:
    • Click the big red circle labeled Start.
    • Click the APEX shortcut, or enter the following URL: http://localhost:8080/ords/f?p=4550:1
    • When prompted to sign in, enter the sign in credentials (unless given other credentials to use):
      • Workspace: obe
      • Username: obe
      • Password: oracle

section 1Check the Sample Database Application

In this section, you check if a Sample Database Application is installed. If not, you must install it.

To check and install Sample Database Application:

  1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express by entering the credentials (workspace, username, and password).
  2. On the workspace home page, click Packaged Apps. The Packaged Apps Gallery appears.
  3. In the Search field, enter Sample Database Application and press Enter to verify if the Sample Database is installed.
  4. If the Sample Database Application was not installed, install the application. To install the application:

section 2Import Sample Database Application (V4.2)

In this section, you import the Sample Database Application (V4.2) to your workspace. This application uses the tables, views, triggers and other database objects created in the previous section.

  1. Click the App Builder menu and from the drop-down select Import.
    2. select_import
    Description of the illustration select_import.png
  2. Select the file you wish to import to the export repository. Once imported, you can install your file.
  3. The Import: File Import Confirmation page appears. Click Next to confirm the file import.
    4. file_import_confirm
    Description of the illustration file_import_confirm.png
  4. The Install Database Application: Install page appears. Click Install Application.
    5. install_app
    Description of the illustration install_app.png
  5. The Install Application: Supporting Objects page appears. Given the supporting objects (like tables) are already installed:
    • Upgrade Supporting Objects: Select No.
    • Click Next.
    6. supporting_objects_page
    Description of the illustration supporting_objects_page.png
  6. Click Next. The Install Application: Confirmation page appears. Click Install.
    install
    Description of the illustration install.png
    The application is now installed.
    application_installed
    Description of the illustration application_installed.png
    • Click Run Application to review how the application looks before it is migrated to the Universal Theme.

section 3Install the Bookmarklet

The Bookmarklet assists you with mapping your older templates to your newer templates in the Verify Compatibility step of the Switch Theme wizard. It supports mappings from the three most popular legacy themes: Theme 24, 25, and 26. The Bookmarklet does most of the mappings correctly to produce the best results from the migration.

In this section, you install the Bookmarklet from the Universal Theme Migration Guide.

  1. Go to the Universal Theme. application in a new tab in your browser.
  2. Click Migration Guides. 
    3. universal_theme
    Description of the illustration universal_theme.png
  3. Navigate to the Bookmarklet section and click it.
    4. select_bookmarklet
    Description of the illustration select_bookmarklet.png

    The Bookmarklet for Template Mapping page appears.

  4. Navigate to the link Universal Theme Migration Helper V1.1 and drag it to the bookmark bar. Alternatively, you can bookmark the Universal Theme Migration Helper V1.1 page by right-clicking the link and selecting Bookmark This Link on Firefox.
    5. universal_theme_migration
    Description of the illustration universal_theme_migration.png

section 4Migrate the Universal Theme

In this section, you install the Universal Theme into your application and then switch your application theme.

  1. The first step in migrating the theme is to install the Universal Theme into your application.
  2. The next step is to switch your application theme.

next stepNext Tutorial

Oracle Application Express 18: Universal Theme Migration (2 of 4) - Upgrading Components

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