from oracle forms to the future sten vesterli nordic … · oracle forms and reports ......

From Oracle Forms to the Future! Nordic ACE Director Tour 2015!

[email protected], www.vesterli.com!© Sten Vesterli 2015! 1!

From Oracle Forms !to the Future!

Nordic ACE Director Tour 2015!Sten E. Vesterli!

[email protected] !

New Threads on OTN!

Who am I?!•  Name: Sten Vesterli!•  Mission: To make the world a better

place by helping people use appropriate information technology to achieve their goals!

•  20 years of Oracle experience!•  Oracle ACE Director since 2007!•  ODTUG Best Speaker 2009!

Books!

Scott/Tiger Customers!



Oracle Forms and Reports Statement of Direction!

“Oracle has no plan to discontinue support of Oracle Forms. Furthermore, a new version of Forms, Oracle Forms 12c, is planned for delivery as a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c.”!

... But: !“This document is for informational purposes only and is intended solely to assist you in planning for the implementation and upgrade of the product features described. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described in this document remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.”!

Almost-promised dates! Options!•  Visual make-over!•  Integration in web!•  Re-develop in ADF!•  Re-develop in APEX!

Stop. Think. Act.!

Flickr/ianmyles

Makeover!•  House makeover!

– Throw out stuff!– Paint everything white!

•  Forms makeover!– Simplified screens!– White background!– Graphic buttons!



UI Design! UI Design!

UI Design! Integration in Web!•  Run Forms in an IFRAME!•  JavaScript integration!

– OraFormsFaces for 10g!– Built into Forms 11g!

•  Identity Challenges!–  Ideally: Forms SSO and Web/Portal SSO!– Assorted workarounds possible!

Re-developing!•  Your choices!

– ADF Faces (like Fusion Apps)!– Application Express!

•  Both are web technologies!– they are different from Forms...!

APEX or ADF?!•  ADF is strong when you!

– have a lot of logic in the application itself!– need features of Oracle Fusion Middleware

like BPM, WebCenter, and SOA!– have a large development team and need

extensive application development lifecycle support!

– generally prefer Java/JEE technology!



APEX or ADF?!•  APEX is strong when!

– Most of the application logic is PL/SQL in the database!

– You have a small development team and don’t require a lot of application development lifecycle support!

– You don’t know and don’t want to learn Java!

Forms to the Future!1.  Triage!2.  Pushdown!3.  Rethink!4. New application!5. High Value Add!6.  Stepwise migration!

1. Triage (Forms)!Oracle Forms!

Discard!Migrate eventually!

Migrate !immediately!

ADF or APEX!

ADF or APEX!

1. Triage (Reports)!Oracle Forms!

Discard!SQL reuse!

Embedded!

Interactive report or Excel

download!

Reporting tool!

2. Pushdown!•  Data logic goes into the database!

– SQL statements!•  UI Logic stays in Forms!

– Referring to UI elements on canvas!•  Your application still runs in Forms !

3. Rethink!•  Business processes not or only poorly

supported?!•  Should tasks be split differently

between screens?!• Make simpler screens?!• Display data graphically?!



4. New Application!•  Create shell application with menu!•  ADF: Place all Forms functionality inside

<af:frame>!•  APEX: Place all Forms functionality

inside <iframe>!

5. High Value Add!•  Implement a few features in new tool!

– Demonstrates new UI!– Reaps Business Benefit !

6. Stepwise Migration!•  Implement your Forms functionality in

smaller chunks!•  Supports agile, quick release cycle!

Silver Bullet, please!•  Many vendors offer migration tools!•  Oracle Consulting has JHeadstart!•  I haven’t seen a customer present a

success story...!

Application Drivers!

•  Data-driven!– Design starts with the data (product)!– The user interface is derived from the data

structures!•  User Interface Driven !

– Design starts with the UI (process)!– The data model is derived from the user

interface!ADF

Re-developing in ADF!•  Build Business Components!

–  Entity Objects on Tables!–  View Objects on Entity Objects!–  Application Modules on View Objects!

•  Build ADF Faces UI!–  Build page flow!–  Build pages with !

drag-and-drop!•  Do some tutorials and !

take some training !

Join the ADF Enterprise

Methodology Group!!



Re-developing in APEX!•  Build some simple and/or throw-away

apps to learn the tool!•  Possibly use Forms Conversion Utility as a

starting point!•  Don’t be fooled by the simplicity!

– APEX is powerful!– APEX does have a learning curve!

APEX Forms !Conversion Utility!

What are your plans to Modernize your Oracle Forms and Reports Applications ?

PITSS Forms Modernization Survey Results

Current Install Base

Target Platform Modernization Plans

Source: ~2000 participants in PITSS survey - April 2010

copyright 2010 PITSS America LLC www.pitssamerica.com

“And it is said: Go not to the elves

or advice, for they will say both yes and

no”! Frodo, in !Lord of the Rings!

Decision Support!

•  Default choice: !Stay with Forms!

•  Quick win: !Forms makeover!

•  ADF is future-proof!•  APEX is fast !

and cheap!

References!•  Oracle Forms Upgrade Center!•  If ADF: ADF Enterprise Methodology !

Group (google ”ADF EMG”)!•  My opinion on tools: !

www.oratoolwatch.com!•  Technology That Fits newsletter: !

www.techthatfits.com!•  Twitter: @oratoolwatch and @stenvesterli!•  My blog: www.vesterli.com!•  E-mail: [email protected] !

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