guide to oracle10g1 introduction to forms builder chapter 5

Guide to Oracle10G 1

Introduction ToForms Builder

Chapter 5


Lesson A Objectives

• Use a data block form to view, insert, update, and delete database data

• Create a data block form that displays a single record at a time

• Become familiar with the Object Navigator, and use the Object Navigator to change form object names

• Use the Data Block and Layout Wizards to modify form properties

• Create a tabular-style data block form that displays multiple records


Forms

• Application with a graphical user interface that looks like a paper form

• Used to insert, update, delete and view database data

• Count the number of records a query will retrieve


Using A Data Block Form —Definitions

• Block: group of related form items, such as text fields and option buttons

• Data block: corresponds to a specific database table, and contains objects, such as text fields or option buttons, that display values from the table’s data fields

• Data block form: one or more data blocks• Text items: display text input fields


Forms Services Window

• Form menu contains selections that allow you to manipulate the form

• Has a toolbar with buttons to insert, view, modify, and delete records

• At bottom of the window are lines that display information about form status

• Query button group allows you to query data, has two modes:– Normal mode - can view data records, insert new records,

sequentially step through the records, and change data values– Enter Query mode - can enter a search expression in one of the

form fields, and then retrieve the associated records


Forms Services Window


Using a Form to View Table Records

• Retrieve specific table records:– Click the Enter Query button– Type a search expression in one or more of the form text

items– Click the Execute Query button

• Retrieve all of the records in a table– Place form in Enter Query mode and do not type search

condition


Using a Form to Insert, Update, and Delete Records

• To insert:– Use blank record that appears when opening a form or as

last line of query results– In normal mode, click the insert record button, type data

values and click the Save button

• To update:– Retrieve record with a query, modify field and save

• To delete:– Retrieve record with a query, use Remove Record button to

delete


Viewing and Interpreting Form Errors

• Some errors are detected, or trapped, within the form and form issues the error message

• Other errors are not detected until the form sends the data values to the database and Oracle DBMS issues the error message

• To view information on database errors:– Click Help menu, Display Error– Dialog box displays error information


Viewing Information About Database Error


Closing a Form and Committing Changes

• To close a form:– Click Exit button– Click Action on the form menu and then click Exit– Close browser window

• If unsaved changes exist, dialog box will prompt to save changes


Creating a Data Block Form

• When creating a form for a table, Forms Builder automatically creates:– Labels– Text entry fields– Insert, update and delete and select

queries


The Object Navigator


Creating a New Data Block Form

• Create a new form module• Create a new data block using:

– Data block wizard– Manual process

• Using Data Block Wizard:– Select table name– Move editable fields from Available Columns list to Database

Items list

• Use Layout Wizard to create form layout


Layout Editor

• Use to customize form display

• Can add images and static text to enhance form appearance


Layout Editor


Running a Form

• Click Run Form button

• Form is compiled into a .fmx file for execution

• A text file with same name as form and .err extension holds errors that occur when running form


Form Components and the Object Navigator

• Use Object Navigator to view information about form components

• Use buttons to expand and collapse form items• Use Ownership View to group logically

associated components together• Use Visual View to group visually associated

components• Can rename objects


Modifying Forms Using the Data Block Wizard and Layout

Wizard

• Wizards can be used to modify existing forms and layouts in reentrant mode

• Start wizard when component is selected to modify component


Creating a Form to Display Multiple Records

• Use tabular layout to edit multiple table records at the same time


Lesson B Objectives

• Create a data block form that is based on a database view

• Learn how to modify form properties to improve form appearance and function

• Create a master-detail form that contains multiple data blocks

• Format form text items using format masks


Creating a Form Based on a Database View

• Similar to form based on table but read-only


Modifying Form Properties


Modifying Form Properties

• Use Property Palette of form object to modify desired properties– To access: right click object, select Property Palette from menu– Intersection mode modifies properties for multiple objects at

the same time– To open in intersection mode, select multiple objects before

opening Property Palette


Property Palette


Modifying Form Prompts and Prompt Properties Using the Layout Editor

• Edit prompts by changing text in layout editor

• Resize frame to realign items and view changes

• Use layout editor to modify font and point size of prompts


Modifying Text Item Properties Using the Property Palette


Creating a Data Block Form that Displays Data from Multiple Tables

• Can create data block forms that display data from multiple database tables which have master-detail relationships

• Master-detail relationship: one database record has multiple related records through foreign key relationships

• Use data block wizard to create master block (for master table) first


Creating a Data Block Form that Displays Data from Multiple Tables

• Create detail blocks next and specify relationship on master-detail tab– Use auto-join to allow Forms Builder to decide on join

condition– Use manual join to specify join fields

• Code is added to link form blocks together so that when new master is selected, new detail appears


Multiple Master-Detail Blocks


Using Format Masks to Format Character Strings


Lesson C Objectives

• Use sequences to automatically generate primary key values in a form

• Become familiar with different form items that you can use to enter and modify data values


Using Sequences to Generate Primary Key Values

• Form can be set up to automatically retrieve next sequence number and populate primary key field

• Form triggers respond to user events or system actions

• To create a trigger, specify:– Trigger’s object (i.e. specific button)– Trigger event (i.e. button press)– Code that executes

• Use PRE-FORM event to perform action when form loads

• Use Triggers dialog box to create triggers for objects


PL/SQL Editor


Using PL/SQL to Create Form Trigger

• Type code to select next sequence value• Refer to form item (ID text entry field)

as :block_name.item_name• Compile code before use to check for syntax

errors• Must connect to database before compiling

code• PL/SQL editor displays syntax errors


Syntax Error in PL/SQL Editor


Representing Data Values Using Other Item Types

• Use radio buttons and checkboxes instead of text fields for data entry

• Radio buttons represent small list of mutually exclusive values. Limits user to one of two or more related, mutually exclusive choices

• To use radio buttons:– Create a radio group containing mutually exclusive radio buttons– Specify radio buttons rather than text for item type when

creating form layout– Create individual radio buttons on canvas using radio button tool– Specify initial value for radio group using Property Palette


Creating Checkboxes

• Use to represent choice of two opposing values (i.e. On/Off)

• Use label to indicate what checked value represents

• Configure “Value when Checked” and “Value when Unchecked” to specify actual database values

• Can specify a third value that checkbox has when unmodified (such as NULL)


Summary• Forms Builder is used to provide users with graphical user

interface for manipulating database objects• Form can represent one or more tables• Form can be used to view, create, update and delete table

data• Form can be used to view data based on database views• Use wizards to create and modify form information• Use PL/SQL editor to edit, compile and debug code• Actions can be associated with form objects and events

via Form Triggers

guide to oracle10g1 introduction to forms builder chapter 5

Documents

form fields

data records

form properties

paper form

form text items

tabularstyle data block

table place form

interpreting form errors