5.8.1 Editing the Application Definition
Use the Application Definition page to change general application attributes such as the application name, version number, and control various properties and behaviors (such as logging, debugging, feedback, compatibility mode, application availability, error handling, and substitution strings).
Parent topic: Managing Application Attributes
5.8.1.1 Accessing the Application Definition Page
To access the Application Definition page:
Parent topic: Editing the Application Definition
5.8.1.2 Application Definition Page
The Edit Application Definition page is divided into the following regions: Name, Properties, Application Icon, Availability, Error Handling, Gloal Notification, Substitutions, and Build Options.
Note:
Required values are marked with a red asterisk (*).
- Name
- Properties
- Progressive Web App
- Application Icon
- Availability
- Error Handling
- Global Notification
- Substitutions
- Build Options
- Report Printing
- Copyright Banner
Parent topic: Editing the Application Definition
5.8.1.2.1 Name
Use Name attributes to define basic characteristics of your application, including the application name, an optional alphanumeric alias, and a version number.
Table 5-4 Application Definition, Name
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.2 Properties
Use Properties attributes to configure logging, debug behavior, feedback, compatibility, email from address, and the application proxy server.
Table 5-5 Application Definition, Properties
Attribute | Description | To Learn More |
---|---|---|
Friendly URLs |
Determines whether URLs generated to navigate to
other pages in the application should be easier to read. Options include:
Note: The friendly URL will include the workspace Path Prefix in the URL. To modify the Path Prefix, go to Workspace Administration, Manage Service, Set Workspace Preferences. |
See:
|
Allow Feedback |
Enables support for end user feedback for this application. Select Yes or No. If you select Yes, you must create a feedback feature page to use this attribute. If you enable this option, a Feedback icon displays. Uses can click the Feedback icon to leave feedback. Disabling this option hides the Feedback icon. This enables you to turn on feedback for testing and turn it off for production |
|
Logging |
Determines whether user activity is recorded in the Oracle Application Express activity log. Select Yes to log every page view and enable an administrator to monitor user activity for each application. Disabling logging may be advisable for high volume applications. This attribute can only be modified if the Application Activity Logging attribute in Oracle Application Express Administration Services is set to Use Application Setting. |
See Enabling Application Activity Logging in Oracle APEX Administration Guide |
Debugging |
Controls debug mode for the current application. Available options include:
Running an application in debug mode is useful when an application is under development. For production applications, Oracle recommends disabling debugging and thus preventing users from viewing application logic. Debug can be enabled programmatically regardless of this debug setting. If the application is run from the Application Express development environment, debugging can always be enabled. |
n/a |
Compatibility Mode |
Controls the compatibility mode of the Application Express runtime engine. Certain runtime behaviors change from release to release. To not break or change the behavior of existing applications, this attribute is automatically set during upgrade if necessary. Use this attribute to obtain specific application behavior. To keep applications maintainable, set Compatibility Mode to the latest release after reviewing the changed behavior in the Release Notes and making the necessary changes. Note: In order to refresh any theme in release 21.2, you must set Compatibility Mode to 21.2. |
See:
|
Application Email from Address |
Determines the email address to use as the from address in the application. Enter a valid email address to use as the from address when sending email from an email download or subscription. The value can be a literal string containing a valid email or a static substitution reference defined in the application using substitution syntax john.doe@abc.com &MY_APP_EMAIL_FROM. Oracle does not recommend using an item substitution at the application or page-level since it only works in email download, but not for subscriptions. Tip: You can also specify the Email from Address by editing interactive report attributes. See "About Emailing from an Interactive Report." |
n/a |
Proxy Server |
Specify a proxy server. For example, App Builder may require a proxy server when using a region source type of URL. The URL region source embeds the results of the URL (that is, the page returned by navigating to the URL) as the region source. If you use a firewall and the target of a URL is outside the firewall relative to App Builder, you may need to specify a proxy server. You can reference values entered into this field from PL/SQL using the PL/SQL package variable For example:
|
n/a |
Oracle Text Function |
The Oracle Text query syntax is very complex and powerful and provides
a rich set of query operators to deal with wildcards, stemming, fuzzy searches and
so on. But for end users, this syntax is most often hard to understand. Use this
attribute to specify the name of a PL/SQL function which converts end user input to
an Oracle Text query. The function takes the end user input as
For a detailed example, see item Help. |
Understanding Oracle Text Application Development in Oracle Text Application Developer's Guide |
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.3 Progressive Web App
Use Progressive Web App attributes to create application that are fast, responsive, installable to a home screen, reliable (online or offline), and engaging (providing support for push notifications).
Tip:
Progressive Web App attributes only display if Properties, Friendly URLs attribute is On. See Properties, Friendly URLs.Table 5-6 Application Definition, Progressive Web App
Attribute | Description | To Learn More |
---|---|---|
Enable Progressive Web App |
Only displays if the Properties, Friendly URLs attribute is On. Enable this option to create a Progressive Web App. Progressive Web Apps are web applications designed to be capable, reliable, and installable. Enabling this option:
|
|
Installable |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App is On. A Progressive Web App can be installed on devices. Installing a Progressive Web App, adds an icon to the device home screen to feel like a native application. Enabling this option:
|
|
App Description |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App and Installable are On. Enter description which explains what the application does. This option provides more information to users when they are prompted to install the application. |
|
Display |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App and Installable are On. Determines the preferred display mode for the application. Options include:
Note: Some devices and browsers ignore this attribute. APEX is only relaying this information to the device which handles the Progressive Web App appropriately. |
|
Screen Orientation |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App and Installable are On. Select the preferred screen orientation when using this Progressive Web App. This option applies mostly for mobile devices. Note: Some devices and browsers ignore this attribute. APEX is only relaying this information to the device which handles the Progressive Web App appropriately. |
|
Theme Color |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App and Installable are On. Defines the default theme color for the application. This affects how the operating system displays the application (for example, for an Android's task switcher, the theme color surrounds the application). Note: Some devices and browsers ignore this attribute. APEX is only relaying this information to the device which handles the Progressive Web App appropriately. |
|
Background Color |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App and Installable are On. The background color defines a placeholder background color for the application to display before its stylesheet is loaded. Therefore, the background color should match the theme body background color for a smooth transition between launching the web application and loading the application content. Note: Some devices and browsers ignore this attribute. APEX is only relaying this information to the device which handles the Progressive Web App appropriately. |
|
Icon URL |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App and Installable are On. This icon can be used on the home screen of a mobile device or desktop among a list of other applications, or to integrate the web application with an OS's task switcher and/or system preferences. The icon should be a |
|
Custom Manifest |
Only displays if Enable Progressive Web App and Installable are On. Used to store additional JSON properties for the Web App Manifest file. The properties found here will be used to extend the declarative options above, by overriding existing properties or appending new properties. |
See Creating a Progressive Web Application (PWA) For more information on building a Custom Manifest, you can read the Web App Manifest specifications: https://www.w3.org/TR/appmanifest/. |
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.4 Application Icon
In Icon File Name, enter the file name of an image which displays as the Application Icon in App Builder. The image should be 64 x 64 pixels, must be uploaded as Application Image within Shared Components, and must be present at the 'root' level (that is, not within a folder).
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.5 Availability
Use Availability attributes to manage your application by defining an application status and build status. For example, if you select the status Restricted Access, you can specify which users have access and can run the application.
Table 5-7 Application Definition, Availability
Attribute | Description | To Learn More |
---|---|---|
Status |
Specifies whether the application is available or unavailable for use. Options include:
|
See:
|
Build Status |
Identifies the build status of the current application. Options include:
|
See Changing Application Build Status in Administration Services in Oracle APEX Administration Guide |
Message for unavailable application |
Use this attribute with Status. If you set Status to Unavailable, Unavailable (Status Shown with PL/SQL), or Unavailable (Redirect to URL) , the text you enter in this attribute displays. If you set Status to Available, the text you enter in this attribute does not display. |
n/a |
Restrict to comma separated user list (status must equal Restricted Access) |
Use this attribute with the Status Restricted Access. If you set Status to Restricted Access, only the users listed in this attribute can run the application. To use this attribute:
|
n/a |
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.6 Error Handling
Use the Error Handling attributes described to control or modify how an application logs errors.
Tip:
Error handling functions specified here are overridden by similar page-level attributes.
Table 5-8 Application Definition, Error Handling
Attribute | Description | To Learn More |
---|---|---|
Default Error Display Location |
Identifies where the validation error messages display for basic validations performed by Application Express or by plug-ins. Validation error messages can display in a notification area (defined as part of the page template), or within the field label. Options include:
|
n/a |
Error Handling Function |
Enter the name of a PL/SQL error function to be called to modify the existing error message and display a more user-friendly message or log the error if one occurs. This function can reference a package function or standalone function in the database. For example:
When referencing a database PL/SQL package or standalone function, use the
You must implement error handling functions using the syntax described in the
Note: Error handling specified at the page-level overwrites any error handling function specified here. |
See APEX_ERROR in Oracle APEX API Reference |
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.7 Global Notification
Use the Global Notification attribute to communicate system status to application users. If the page templates used in your application contain the #GLOBAL_NOTIFICATION#
substitution string, the text entered here displays in that string's place. For example, you can use this attribute to notify users of scheduled downtime, or communicate other messages regarding application availability.
To create a global notification:
-
Include the
#GLOBAL_NOTIFICATION#
substitution string in your page template. -
Navigate to the Edit Application Definition page and enter a message in the Global Notification attribute.
-
Click Apply Changes.
See Also:
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.8 Substitutions
Use Substitutions to define static substitution strings for your application. You can use static substitution string for phrases or labels that occur in many places within an application. To create a substitution string, enter the string name in the Substitution String column and the string value in the Substitution Value column.
Defining static substitution strings centrally enables you to change text strings in multiple places in your application by making a single change to the Substitution Value defined on this page.
See Also:
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.9 Build Options
Build Options displays existing build options in the current
application. Most applications have a build option attribute. Build Options have two
possible values: INCLUDE
and EXCLUDE
. If you
specify an attribute to be included, then the Application Express engine includes
and enables it at runtime. However, if you specify an attribute to be excluded, then
the Application Express engine disables it and excludes it at runtime.
Do not specify a build option unless you plan to exclude that object from specific installations.
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.10 Report Printing
-
Native Printing - Use native printing. No external print server required.
-
Remote Print Server - Choose a remote server of the type Print Server that is configured in the Workspace Utilities.
-
Use Instance Settings - Use the Report Printing settings defined in Instance Administration.
Click the Add Remove Print Server button to open a wizard to create a Remote Print Server, including the credentials. To create a Remote Server, choose the Print Server Type, specify an Endpoint URL and click Next. If Authentication is required, specify the credentials. Click Apply Changes to add the Remote Print Server and Credentials to your workspace, and update the Report Printing attributes for the application. For detailed steps, see Configuring Report Printing at the Application-Level.
See Also:
-
Configuring Report Printing in Oracle APEX Administration Guide
Parent topic: Application Definition Page
5.8.1.2.11 Copyright Banner
Use Copyright Banner for copyright banner text. This text will
be included in the application export file. You can use #APP_NAME#
substitution string to refer to current application name and #YEAR#
to refer to the current year, for example:
Name: #APP_NAME#
Copyright (c) 1999, #YEAR#, Company Name.
Parent topic: Application Definition Page