“Only the educated
are .” Epictetus (55 AD - 135 AD), Discourses |
Read
first then play the video:
FRM-VIDEO -Introduction
to complete Hands-On 01 to 06
FRM-VIDEO -Dasic
Intro about FORM Builder Tool
Forms Case Study
The FORM section consists
of several user requirements that we will call Hands-On Oracle Form
Builder. In these Hands-On, your client is a company that keeps track
of its customers’ orders. You have been assigned to develop a
customer order data entry application based on their requirements.
These are designed to
challenge your skills in developing user’s friendly applications.
Assuming, you as a developer gathered the requirements during
prototyping sessions with the client, using the Rapid Application
Development (RAD) model.
“Real success is
finding your lifework in the work that you love.” David
McCullough (1933) |
Introduction to From
Builder
Oracle Developer tool
Oracle Developer Tools
contain “back-end” and “front-end” development tools.
Back-End development tool
The “Back-End”
development tool consists of:
Schema Builder,
Query Builder, and
Procedure Builder.
Front-End development tool
The “Front-End”
development tool consists of:
Form Builder,
Report Builder, and
Graphics Builder.
Introduction
In this Hands-on book, we
focus on the Form Builder tool, a FRONT-END development tool. You use
the Form Builder tool to simplify the creation of data-entry
screens or Forms. Forms are the applications that connect to a
database, retrieve information requested by the user, present it in a
layout specified by the form’s designer, and allow the user to
modify or add information. Form Builder allows you to build forms
quickly and easily.
Form Builder components
The main Form Builder
components are:
FORM modules,
MENU modules,
PL/SQL libraries, and
Object libraries.
Form Module
The Form Module is a
binary program code that is generated by Form Builder (fmb).
Menu Module
The Menu Module is a
binary menu code that should be compiled and used by the Form Module (mmb).
PL/SQL libraries
The PL/SQL libraries
are storage for stored procedure (pll).
Object Libraries
The Object libraries
are storage for FORM objects.
The main objects in a Form
module are:
Windows,
Blocks,
Items, and
Canvases.
Windows
Window is an empty frame to
hold your object and it is the outermost boundary for a form.
Blocks
Block is a logical
container that holds form objects such as data items and control
buttons. There are two types of block: Data Block and Control Block. A
Data Block is a link to your database information and holds database
data. A Control Block holds information that has nothing to do with
database.
Items
An item could be a database
column or none database item. A canvas is a place to hold the objects.
Canvases
The four types of
canvases are: Content, Stacked, Tab, and Toolbar. All can coexist
within a single window. A content canvas is the basic
background for all windows. A stacked canvas lays on top of the
others. A tab canvas is the same as stacked canvases with handy
“tabs” at the top. It can simply move from one canvas to another.
A toolbar canvas contains push buttons giving users quick
access such as horizontal canvas or vertical canvas.
Object Navigator
When you open the Forms
Builder tool, the first window you will see is the Object Navigator
window. The Object Navigator will be used on all development
tools. It gives you a hierarchical listing of all the modules open in
your current session. You use this listing to navigate to, and work
on, those objects. It gives you access to all database objects you own
or have grant to, and a list of all the built-in functions and
procedures. Clicking on the plus sign next to an object in the Object
Navigator will expand the object and clicking on the minus sign will
collapse the object.
Property palette
Oracle tools are somehow
follow object oriented methodology. Although they are not pure object
oriented but there are not far from it either. Each item in the Oracle
tools can be identified as an object. To manipulate an object, you use
Property Palette. As you can see from now on, you can do much without
property palette. A Property Palette contains object
properties. The contents of the Property Palette are referred
to as the “Property sheet” for the object. You use the Property
Palette to modify object properties. To open the Property Palette of
an object, go to the object and right click on the mouse button then
select Property Palette. The Property Palette provides complete
control over your objects. It contains the property list of an object.
Remember that the properties of an object can be changed to
control the behavior of the object. The Item properties such as
Tooltip, Hint, and Display Hint automatically, will be used to
provide item-level assistance for the client and can be changed only
from property palette. A text item appearance can be modified by
manipulating properties such as Justification, or Format Mask
properties. For controlling the data within a text item or display
item, you can use properties such as Calculation Mode, and Lowest and
Highest value.
Data Block Wizard tool
You can use the Data
Block Wizard tool to create and modify data blocks.
Layout Wizard tool
You can also use the Layout
Wizard tool in Form Builder to create, and modify forms quickly
and efficiently. The Layout Wizard asks you a series of questions and
then generates a basic form that fulfills the criteria you have
specified. You can later use the Layout Wizard to modify the form if
you want to change its fundamental design or contents. You always can
modify the layout manually to better suit your applications’ needs.
“All you need in
this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.”
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), Letter to Mrs Foote, Dec. 2, 1887 |
Questions:
Q: What are the Oracle
Developer Tool components?
Q: The Back-End development
tool consists of ______
Q: The Front-End
development tool consists of ______
Q: The Form Builder
components are _____
Q: What is a Form Module in
the Form Builder?
Q: What is a menu module in
the Form Builder?
Q: What do you store in a
PL/SQL library?
Q: What do you store in an
Object Library?
Q: What are the main
objects of a Form Module?
Q: Describe a window object
in a Form Module?
Q: What is a block in a
Form Module?
Q: What is an item in a
From Module?
Q: Describe a canvas in a
Form Module?
Q: What are the types of
canvases in a Form Module?
Q: Describe the Object
Navigator in a Form Module?
Q: Describe property
palette in a Form Module?
Q: What does a property
palette for an object contain in a Form Module?
Q: Describe the Data Block
Wizard tool?
Q: Describe the Layout
Wizard tool?
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