PITSS Tech Blog
News zu Java, PL/SQL, Entwicklung & TechnologiewechselQ&A Move and improve your Oracle Forms
More than 140 Oracle Forms interested persons dedicated to using Forms as a modern application.
Thanks to Oracle guest speaker Michael Ferrante, who showed us how good-looking Forms can be!
The Session cover a lot of topics for upgrading to the latest release, how to benefit from new features and to ease Maintainability and future enhancement requests.
See the List of Q&A to find your specific question. If not already answered, please use the form at the bottom of the page. With the help of Michael Ferrante we try to cover all of them.
List of questions to Forms Development
Will the Oracle Forms be responsive and accessible through mobile device?
Oracle Forms is primely intended for developing desktop applications. If you need a responsive application, consider a web technology or a mobile technology.
We are currently on version 12.2.1.3. Would there be advantges to upgrade to 12.2.1.4?
Moving to 12.2.14 is important as it includes bug fixes, security fixes/improvements, new features, and full support at least until Aug 2022
Will there be any solution to get away from the dependence on Internet Explorer? I believe webstart won't work for us because we use javascript to open items. If IE goes away, we're in trouble.
Using Forms 12.2.1.4, you can use most Java Script integration functionality. Check out the Forms New Features Guide for details. https://www.oracle.com/a/tech/docs/oracleforms-1221-newfeatures.pdf
How do you support Multi-lingual screen (previously Translation Hub)?
A new translation utility is being developed. It will be based on XLIFF standards. Although planned to be included in 14.1.2, I am hoping to make it available as a download on Oracle.com sometime early next year.
In between you could use PITSS.CON Forms&ReportsManager to manage multilanguage support in your App. This is future save to XLIFF. See this quick video Youtube PITSS.CON Demo ML
Is there any built in feature in Oracle Forms to pass data back and forth with APEX pages?
Forms 12.2.1.x supports Java Script integration. Meaning, using JS you can pass information back and forth between Forms and any properly crafted web page. Refer to the Forms New Features Guide for details. Oracle Forms New Feature Guide
On the other hand you can share any message with payloads on the backend site with AQ.
Will Oracle Report Builder still be available in the post 12.1.2.4 world? Basically I am asking about an ability to generate a report without using Oracle Report Server features.
If Reports is included in 14 at all, it would include both design time and runtime. However, I (Michael Ferrante) do not recommend continuing to expect it to be available. Migration sooner rather than later will help to ensure you don’t end up in a panic situation.
Please see REPORTS REPLACER KIT to migrate your Reports.
Is there any new features in the WebUtil features?
Several minor improvements were added to 12.2.1.4 of Forms WebUtil. Refer to the Forms New Features Guide for details. https://www.oracle.com/a/tech/docs/oracleforms-1221-newfeatures.pdf
Did you know, that there is a Webutil without OLE is available. If you can use this, the jacob.jar is no longer necessary. With PITSS Forms&Reports-Manager you could easy search for OLE occurrence and change the attached objects.
Just to confirm - if we have Oracle Reports license, we can now swtich to using Oracle BI Publisher for free - no additional cost?
Yes. However, be sure to review the FMW Licensing Guide for details and restrictions. https://docs.oracle.com/en/middleware/fusion-middleware/fmwlc/
Is there an estimated release year for version Oracle Forms 14?
At this time, 14 is in very early stages of development. We (Oracle Forms Product Development Team) have not committed to a timeframe yet. That said, late 21 or early to mid 22 is possible
Is it required to have OAM and OID setup if using OPSS?
If you choose to SSO protect your Forms application, you are not required to use OID as your LDAP server. You can choose any LDAP server supported by OAM. This feature is not available with Reports
Any paln for the new releases to be more light and depolyed on different webserver other than weblogic?
Not for production server. WLS is the planned app server of choice of the next release. We are investigating the possibility of a lighter weight option for design time, but that discussion is still in the very earily stage.
Does Oracle Reports work with OPSS without OID?
No. Reports requests OAM with OID as the LDAP server. It does not support the OPSS functionality like Forms does.
We would like to do SSO for Oracle Forms using OKTA IDM. Is it supported?
The only external authentication supported by Forms is OAM. So unless you can integrate what you want with OAM then it would not be possible with Forms. In the end, Forms must get its authentication information from OAM
Are there any docs or tutorials to explain how to change our grey 1980's looking Forms to the modern look?
Fortunately, Forms design time is mostly declarative. Meaning, all that’s necessary is to (at design time) select the item of choice to change and simply make the change in the Property Palette – from GRAY to WHITE (or whatever). If you want to make changes in bulk (many modules or many objects) you can use PITSS Forms&Reports Manager.
Can we use the Reports Builder 11g, to build Reports for 12c.?
Technically this is possible although generating with v12 would be necessary. That said, I would not recommend doing it. Doing a v12 installation for development purposes is not difficult.
Will you change status bar look?
Currently, how much you can customize the status/message bar is a bit limited. However, I will discuss your request with Development and see what we might be able to expose
If Oracle Report Server is not SSO protected, is it implicitly protected if integrated with Forms via run_report_object?
SSO has nothing to do with how security the communication between Forms and Reports is. Enabling SSL/TLS is important to help security communication
Can you declare fields to automatically expand vertically and push other fields down like a web page does?
No. If you wanted such functionality („responsive design“) you would have to code that on your own
FORMS & REPORTS MANAGER from PITSS allow to insert such kind of functionality in your .entire application
Is there a easy way to expand the field and window in forms without modifying each form?
Yes, PITSS FORMS & REPORTS MANAGER can do this for an entire application.
With FSAL, if there is a code to open a link using web.show_document, will there be any issues?
FSAL will not change the way your app works. So no, there won’t be an issue.
Any question left?
Could you find all the answers to your questions on this page? If not, we will be happy to be there for you personally and clarify all open points. Just fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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