oracle forms : multiple forms

Creating Multiple Form Applications

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Objectives

• Describe the different ways of invoking additional forms

• Open, call, and close forms

• Navigation between forms

• Control opened forms and called forms

• Manage transaction processing for opened forms and called forms

• Choose the most appropriate method for invoking forms

• Pass form parameters


OPEN_FORM Built-in

A B

OPEN_FORM(’form_name’, activate_mode,

session_mode, data_mode, paramlist);

• Modeless

• Different transaction scopes


Characteristics of OPEN_FORM

• Restricted

• Not valid in Enter Query mode

• No savepoint issued

• Modeless with respect to other opened forms

• Session run time option: FORMS60_SESSION


Navigating Between Forms

Built-ins for navigation between forms:

• NEXT_FORM

• PREVIOUS_FORM

• GO_FORM


Navigating Between Forms

Navigation and validation aspects:

• Each open form has a current item.

• There is no validation when navigating between forms.

• No triggers fire when navigating between forms, except the When-Window-Activated/Deactivated and When-Form-Navigate triggers.

• Click the noncurrent item in the other form.


Open Forms with the Same Session

• Commit processing in all forms within the same session, in a certain order

• If error occurs, then focus set to initiating form

• Messages per open form within the same session

• CLEAR_FORM usually causes a ROLLBACK statement


Open Forms in Different Sessions

Runform Server

Connection

A

B

C

Session


CALL_FORM Built-in

A B

CALL_FORM(‘form_name’, display,

switch_menu, query_mode,

data_mode, paramlist);

• Modal

• Returns to calling form


Characteristics of CALL_FORM

• Unrestricted

• Valid in Enter Query mode

• Savepoint issued

• Modal with respect to calling form

• Does not cause navigation and validation

• Forms called from query-only form are always query-only

• Exiting a called form


Save Not Allowed in Post-Only Mode Form

A calling form has unapplied changes. Save not allowed.


Transaction Processing for Called Forms

• Characteristics of Post-Only mode:– Commit not allowed, only a post

– Full rollback not allowed, only a rollback to savepoint

• Rollback behavior of called forms• Call savepoints and post savepoints



IF <form called> THEN

POST;

ELSE

COMMIT_FORM;

END IF;

• Examples of adjusting defaulttransaction processing:

• Key-Commit on form



Key-Exit on form

Adjust labels of corresponding buttons and menu items

IF <form called> THEN

EXIT_FORM

ELSE

EXIT_FORM;

END IF;


NEW_FORM Built-in

A B

NEW_FORM(’form_name’, rollback_mode,

query_mode, data_mode,

paramlist);

Replaces calling form


Controlling Opened and Called Forms

Form A

CALL_FORM

Form B

Form C

OPEN_FORM

Form DOPEN_FORM

CALL_FORM

Form E

Form F

CALL_FORM

Form A+B+E = Call form stack


Different Ways of Invoking Forms

• When to use OPEN_FORM• When to open a form in a new session• When to use CALL_FORM• When to use NEW_FORM


Closing a Form

• CLOSE_FORM:

– form_name

– form_id

• Characteristics of CLOSE_FORM:

– Restricted

– Not valid in Enter-Query mode

– CLOSE_FORM or EXIT_FORM

– Cannot close a form that called another form


Using Form Parameters

• What is a form

parameter?• How to

create a

form parameter?


Passing Values to Form

P1

P2

P3

Runform

command line

Design-timeparameters

Form B

Parameterlist

OPEN_FORMCALL_FORMNEW_FORM

Form A

Run time


Using Form Parameter Values

• Passing a form parameter at run time: from command line.

• ifrun60 module=empl.fmx userid=scott/tiger@trn9 dept_id=30

• Referencing form parameters from within a module:– :PARAMETER.parameter_name– ‘PARAMETER.parameter_name’


Parameter Lists

OPEN_FORM( …, )

CALL_FORM( …, )

NEW_FORM( …, )

DEPT_ID

CUST

TEXT_PARAMETER

DATA_PARAMETER

‘30’

‘CUST_RG’

Parameter List

The default parameter list is DEFAULT


Parameter List Built-ins

DEPT_ID

CUST

TEXT_PARAMETER

DATA_PARAMETER

‘30’

‘CUST_RG’

Key Type Value

ADD_PARAMETER

GET_PARAMETER_ATTR

SET_PARAMETER_ATTR

DELETE_PARAMETER

DESTROY_PARAMETER_LIST

Name

Parameter

list ID

CREATE_PARAMETER_LIST


Passing Data Between Forms

P1P2P3

P1P2P3

OPEN_FORM(*)

1. If a parameter list exists, destroy it.2. Create a parameter list.3. Add a text parameter to a list with the value

of an item.4. Open a form with this parameter list.

Design-timeparameters

Form B

Run timeparameters

Form A


Passing Data Between Forms

• Characteristics of form parameters:– Can be used only as input parameters

– Have data type CHAR, NUMBER, or DATE

– CHAR parameter can be up to 64 K long

– Can be design-time objects

• Characteristics of global variables:– Are programmatic constructs

– Have type CHAR(255)

– Are visible to all forms in the current Runform session


Summary

• Open, call, and close forms:– OPEN_FORM, CALL_FORM, and CLOSE_FORM

– Multiple database sessions

• Navigate between forms: – NEXT_FORM,

PREVIOUS_FORM, and GO_FORM

• Identify restrictions on the call form stack• Passing parameters to forms.


oracle forms : multiple forms

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