Oracle Forms 12c

New Features Rev. 1

ORACLE WHITE PAPER

JUNE 2016

Disclaimer
The following is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information
purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. 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 for Oracles products
remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.

ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Table of Contents
Disclaimer

Introduction

Forms Runtime and Administration Features

Oracle BI-Publisher Integration

System Events

Client-Idle (SYSTEM_CLIENT_IDLE)

DB-Idle (SYSTEM_DB_IDLE)

Single-Sign-Off (SYSTEM_SINGLE_SIGN_OFF)

EM Notification (SYSTEM_NOTIFICATION)

Media Completion (SYSTEM_MEDIA_COMPLETION)

Audio Playback

Single Sign-out

On Demand

On-Exit

Single Sign-out Event

Client Deployment

Embedded JNLP

Java Web Start

Forms Standalone Launcher (FSAL)

Custom Text on Logon and Password Change Dialogs

Tab Labels with Images

ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Record Counter

Item Level Mouse Cursor (Pointer)

Setting Max Event Wait Programmatically

10

Client IP Address

10

Form Query-Only Mode

10

Oracle Diagnostic Logging and Forms MESSAGE Built-in

11

JVM Controller

11

Child JVM Management

11

Load Balancing

12

Custom Color Schemes

12

New Applet Parameters

12

New Environment Variables

14

Oracle Platform Security Services (OPSS) Integration

15

Remote Access Descriptor Administration

15

Forms Design Time Features

16

Builder Preferences

16

General Tab

16

Runtime Tab

16

Module Converter

17

Product Documentation and Community

17

Java Developer API (JDAPI)

17

WebUtil without OLE

17

Conclusion

ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

18

Introduction
This document is intended to outline some of the many new features found in Oracle Forms 12c
(12.2.1). This document alone does not represent a complete collection of all the new features and
enhancements introduced into this new release. For a more information on these and other new
features, refer to the Oracle Forms Documentation Library and Oracle Form Builder Help.

1 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Forms Runtime and Administration Features

Oracle BI-Publisher Integration
In previous versions, Oracle Forms offered integration with Oracle Reports. In this release, Oracle Forms includes
integration with Oracle BI-Publisher. Developers can choose between using one or both reporting tools.
The integration with Oracle BI-Publisher has been designed to closely resemble the integration provided previously
for Oracle Reports. A new property named REPORT_OBJECT_TYPE will be used to identify if the referenced
REPORT_OBJECT is intended for Oracle Reports (OraReports) or Oracle BI-Publisher (OraBIP). This can only be
set at design-time. Most other related built-ins will remain the same as they were for Oracle Reports. New
properties have been added to accommodate BI-Publisher. Refer to the Form Builder Help topic
SET_REPORT_OBJECT_PROPERTY for a complete list of new properties and their descriptions.

The following assumes Oracle BI-Publisher has already been installed, configured, and is accessible from the
installation hosting Oracle Forms.

To integrate with BI-Publisher, the following basic steps are necessary.

1. In the Form Builder Object Navigator, create a Report object.

2. Access the properties for this new object in the Property Palette.
3. Set the Report Type property to OraBIP.
4. In the Property Palette, set any additional properties as desired. (Refer to the Builder Help for details)
5. Create the desired trigger or program unit that will be used to make the call to BI-Publisher.

The BI-Publisher username and password must be passed programmatically in order for the request to succeed.

DECLARE
bi_username

varchar2(20);

bi_password

varchar2(20);

repid

REPORT_OBJECT;

v_rep

varchar2(256);

rep_status

varchar2(256);

-- Because Forms calls BIP with Java, we want to trap any Java errors that may occur.
ex

ora_java.jobject;

ex_msg varchar2(255);
BEGIN
-- Identify the Report Object.
repid := find_report_object ('BI_EMP');
-- Before reaching this point be sure to obtain the username and password for BI-Pub.

2 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

-- Pass in the username and password.

SET_REPORT_OBJECT_PROPERTY (repid, BIP_USER, bi_username);
SET_REPORT_OBJECT_PROPERTY (repid, BIP_PASSWORD, bi_password);
-- Ask BIP to run the report.
v_rep := RUN_REPORT_OBJECT(repid);
/* DO SOMETHING ABOUT CHECKING STATUS HERE
The call to BIP is asynchronous. Therefore, it will be necessary to check on its status periodically if
notifying the user is desired. The report_object_status built-in can be used for that check.
Likely a timer would be used to periodically check the status. Using a loop is not recommended.
Example: rep_status := report_object_status(v_rep);
*/
EXCEPTION
WHEN ora_java.exception_thrown THEN
ex := Exception_.new(ora_java.last_exception);
BEGIN
ex_msg := Exception_.toString(ex);
message('Java Exception occurred: ' || ex_msg);
ora_java.clear_exception;
EXCEPTION
WHEN ora_java.java_error THEN
message('Unable to call out to Java, ' || ora_java.last_error);
END;
END;

System Events
System Events allow developers to develop applications that can react to actions that occur relative to the running
application. The new System Events will include the following.
Client-Idle (SYSTEM_CLIENT_IDLE)
This event will be raised when the end-user has not performed any actions in the associated form for the
amount of time configured. The maximum idle time will be configurable using either a new applet parameter
idleTimeout or using a new SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY argument CLIENT_IDLE_TIME. Setting the
value to 0 will disable idle time monitoring. The configured values will be in seconds. The values set for this
event may not exactly represent the time specified. For example, an idle time setting of 60 seconds may not
immediately raise the event until 61 seconds have elapsed. Therefore, this event should not be used for critical
time conditions. Also, idle time will be ignored while the running form is displaying modal content (e.g. Alert or
error dialogs, etc). Here is an example of how to use the SYSTEM_CLIENT_IDLE event.
First, either set the Forms applet parameter idleTimeout (in seconds) or set the application property
CLIENT_IDLE_TIME (in seconds) to enable the monitoring of client interactivity idle time in the form.

3 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

-- Set CLIENT_IDLE_TIME to 10 minutes

SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY (CLIENT_IDLE_TIME, 600);

Next, in a WHEN-EVENT-RAISED trigger add something like the following.

DECLARE
al_button Number;
BEGIN
If :SYSTEM.LAST_EVENT = 'SYSTEM_CLIENT_IDLE' Then
al_button := SHOW_ALERT ('CLIENT_IDLE_ALERT');
End if;
END;

DB-Idle (SYSTEM_DB_IDLE)
This event will be raised when database interactions have not occurred in the associated form for the amount
of time configured. The maximum idle time will be configurable using either a new environment variable
FORMS_DB_IDLE_TIME or using a new SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY argument DB_IDLE_TIME.
Setting the value to 0 will disable idle time monitoring. Once this event is raised, it will not reset/restart until
another database action occurs. To enable continued monitoring, set DB_IDLE_REPEAT to TRUE
(SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY (DB_IDLE_REPEAT, PROPERTY_TRUE). This behavior differs from
CLIENT_IDLE, which monitors continually once enabled. The configured values will be in seconds. The
values set for this event may not exactly represent the time specified. For example, an idle time setting of 60
seconds may not immediately raise the event until 61 seconds have elapsed. Therefore, this event should not
be used for critical time conditions. Idle time monitoring will not begin until a value has been set for
DB_IDLE_TIME and the first database action has occurred (e.g. database query, etc). Here is an example of
how to use the SYSTEM_DB_IDLE.
First, either set the Forms environment variable FORMS_DB_IDLE_TIME (in seconds) or set the application
property DB_IDLE_TIME (in seconds) to enable the monitoring of database interactivity idle time in the form.
Next, in a WHEN-EVENT-RAISED trigger add something like the following:

BEGIN
If :SYSTEM.LAST_EVENT = 'SYSTEM_DB_IDLE' Then
-- Turn off DB Idle monitor so the logout action doesnt
-- cause the idle monitor to fire again. Then logout.
SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY (DB_IDLE_TIME, 0);
Logout;
END;

4 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Single-Sign-Off (SYSTEM_SINGLE_SIGN_OFF)
This event will be raised when single sign-off has occurred. The application developer can decide how the
application should respond to a logout condition. The Forms Server will not be notified of this event until the
next exchange from client to server (e.g. heartBeat, maxEventWait, user action, etc). Single Sign-out features
are not available when using Java Web Start or the Forms Standalone Launcher (FSAL). Here is an example
of how to use SYSTEM_SINGLE_SIGN_OFF.

If :SYSTEM.LAST_EVENT = 'SYSTEM_SINGLE_SIGN_OFF' Then

EXIT_FORM (NO_VALIDATE);
End if;

EM Notification (SYSTEM_NOTIFICATION)
This event will be raised when a notification has been received from Fusion Middleware Control (FMC). FMC
will be able to send one of five notification levels to any or all of the running Forms sessions from the Forms
User Sessions page. The application developer will code the desired action for each notification level.
Notification levels can be determined using the new System variable :SYSTEM.NOTIFICATION_VALUE. Here
is an example of how to use the SYSTEM_NOTIFICATION event.

DECLARE
notification_level

varchar2(1);

BEGIN
-- NOTIFICATION_VALUE is the value/number sent from Fusion Middleware Control
notification_level := :SYSTEM.NOTIFICATION_VALUE;
If :SYSTEM.LAST_EVENT = 'SYSTEM_NOTIFICATION' Then
CASE notification_level
-- Each message should be customized as needed.
-- Customize these actions as needed.
WHEN '1' THEN MESSAGE ('Received Notification #1 from Fusion Middleware Control.');
WHEN '2' THEN MESSAGE ('Received Notification #2 from Fusion Middleware Control.');
WHEN '3' THEN MESSAGE ('Received Notification #3 from Fusion Middleware Control.');
WHEN '4' THEN MESSAGE ('Received Notification #4 from Fusion Middleware Control.');
WHEN '5' THEN MESSAGE ('Received Notification #5 from Fusion Middleware Control.');
END CASE;
End if;
END;

Media Completion (SYSTEM_MEDIA_COMPLETION)

This event will be raised when a media (audio) file, started with the PLAY_AUDIO built-in, has reached the end
of its play time. This will allow developers to programmatically react to this completion. Here is an example of
how to use the SYSTEM_MEDIA_COMPLETION event.

If :SYSTEM.LAST_EVENT = 'SYSTEM_MEDIA_COMPLETION' Then

MESSAGE ('Thank you for playing this audio file');
End if;

5 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Audio Playback
Oracle Forms application will now be able to play audio files. This feature is not fully supported when using early
versions of Java 7 on the client tier. Therefore, using Java 8 is recommended. The feature provides a new built-in
called PLAY_AUDIO and will offer various arguments. Valid arguments include the following.
<audio file name>
ACTION_PAUSE
ACTION_STOP
ACTION_RESUME
ACTION_TOGGLE_MUTE
Audio files will be accessible via a properly signed jar file (recommended) or URL. Using a URL may result in Java
security warnings being presented to the end-user. Audio files will be stored on the servers local file system (e.g.
middle tier), similar to how images for iconic buttons might be stored. Supported formats will include the following.
MP3
AIFF containing uncompressed PCM
WAV containing uncompressed PCM
MPEG-4 multimedia container with Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) audio

-- Begin playing the welcome audio file

PLAY_AUDIO (welcome.mp3);

Single Sign-out
Support for single sign-out and its detection are included with these variations; on demand (programmatic), on-exit,
and a new System Event (for detection of logout occurrences). The System Event will allow applications to react to
a single sign-out occurrence or explicit sign-out when commanded. Single Sign-out features are not supported
when using Java Web Start or the Forms Standalone Launcher (FSAL).
On Demand
On demand single sign-out provides a new built-in, LOGOUT_SSO, which allows the developer to
programmatically cause single sign-out to occur. Executing this built-in will cause a new web browser
window/tab to open briefly and call the SSO logout API, similar to what would occur in a full SSO partner
application.
On-Exit
On-exit single sign-out is activated using a new applet parameter, ssoLogout. Setting this parameter to TRUE
in the Forms Web Configuration (formsweb.cfg) will cause cleanly exiting forms to terminate the current SSO
session, if one exists. The applet parameter ssoLogoutRedirect can be used to redirect the browser to a target
URL upon successful SSO logout. The ssoLogoutRedirect parameter only works when used in conjunction
with ssoLogout and when an SSO session exists.
Single Sign-out Event
The Single Sign-out event, described in detail above, allows developers to design applications that can react to
a single sign-out action occurring.

6 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Client Deployment
Traditional Oracle Forms web applications ran in a parent web browser, using the Java Plug-in. HTML sent to the
client from the Forms Servlet included the appropriate applet tags, which caused the Java Plug-in to load and launch
the Forms applet while embedded in a browser. Unfortunately, this method of deployment came with problems and
limitation. Some of those limitations included, insufficient display space, accidental navigation away from the
running Forms application, extra overhead of supporting the browser, limited support for the Java Plug-in, and
compatibility issues between browser version and Plugin version.
New client deployment options include; Java Web Start, embedded JNLP, and Standalone. Traditional HTML will
also continue to be supported and configured as the default.
Embedded JNLP
Embedded JNLP is a hybrid of traditional HTML and Java Web Start. As with traditional HTML, the Forms
Servlet delivers the needed HTML file for starting the applet. However, in the case of embedded JNLP,
parameters specific to the Oracle Forms applet are contained within a base64 encoded entry (the JNLP
contents). This entry is then surrounded by the needed HTML code to make up a surrounding web page.
Using this option offers several advantages. Those include; familiar look and feel to traditional HTML, ability to
use some JNLP features in addition to HTML features, support of Forms Java Script and SSO features, support
of Forms audio feature when using Java 8+.

Java Web Start

Java Web Start allows users to run Oracle Forms applications without having a parent web browser. Although
a browser may be used to initially obtain the applications Java Web Start launcher file (.jnlp), the browser is not
responsible for hosting the application and can be closed after the application has been started. When a
browser is used to request the Java Web Start configured application, Single Sign-on can be used to protect
this download and login to the application. The user can choose to launch the application subsequently from
the browser or use the downloaded Java Web Start launcher stored in the Java Cache Viewer (only if not SSO
protected). If the application is SSO protected, all requests to run this application must be made from the
browser. A desktop shortcut can also be created, however the same restriction will apply regarding SSO.
Regardless of whether or not SSO is used, by always calling the application from the browser, users will be
assured of having the latest configuration for the application. So, calling from a browser is recommended.
Because Java Web Start runs the application without a browser, features that are browser dependent are not
supported in this mode. These will include Java Script, and Single sign-off. Single sign-on is supported when
calling from a browser, as mentioned above.

Forms Standalone Launcher (FSAL)

The Forms Standalone Launcher, also known as FSAL offers a modern style of client/server. FSAL allows
users to run Oracle Forms 12c applications similarly to how a typical Java application might be run from their
local machine. With FSAL, no browser used to launch the application. All that is needed is a certified Java SE
installation on the end-user machine. The Java installation needs to be either the Java Development Kit (JDK)
or Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Server JRE.

7 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Because FSAL runs the application without a browser, features that are browser dependent are not supported
in this mode. These will include Java Script, Single sign-off, and Single sign-on. FSAL should only be used for
internal applications where the environment is fully trusted.

Custom Text on Logon and Password Change Dialogs

Oracle Forms provides a default logon feature, as well as a default password change feature. Both of these
features present the user with a default dialog box that contains no informative text other than the field labels. By
using this new feature, a custom message can be included on these dialogs as needed. To customize these dialogs
set the desired environment variable and include the text to be displayed. The environment variables
FORMS_LOGON_HINT and FORMS_CHANGE_PASSWORD_HINT can be set in the Forms Environment
Configuration (default.env or your custom .env) file. The text or hint will be limited to 255 single-byte characters,
which should be sufficient to provide details. For example:

FORMS_LOGON_HINT=Username and password fields are case sensitive.

Figure 1 : FORMS_LOGON_HINT shown.

Tab Labels with Images

In this release, tab canvas label can now display images. Images must be of a common web format (e.g. gif, jpg,
png). Although images cannot be added declaratively in the Form Builder for this release, adding them
programmatically is easy.

SET_TAB_PAGE_PROPERTY (<tab page name>, ICON_NAME, <icon name>);

The image can be include in a signed jar file or accessed via a URL (virtual path), however using a jar file is
recommended. Image size should be restricted to 16x16 pixels. Larger size images can be used, however this will
cause the tab label size to increase to match the size of the image. This may not be desirable.

Figure 2 : With tab label images.

8 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Record Counter
The new SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY argument, RECORD_COUNT_DISPLAYED, allows developers to
programmatically control when the message bars record counter is displayed or not. This can often be helpful when
the current form is not showing content that contains an obvious record, like a custom logon screen. By hiding the
record counter, users are less likely to be confused by what is presented.

SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY (RECORD_COUNT_DISPLAYED, PROPERTY_FALSE);

Figure 3 : Record counter displayed.

Figure 4 : Record counter hidden.

Item Level Mouse Cursor (Pointer)

The SET_ITEM_PROPERTY argument, CURSOR_STYLE is used to change the mouse cursor (pointer) while
hovering over an item. In earlier versions it was only possible to set the cursor style at the application level. This
resulted in the cursor appearing the same regardless of where the mouse was pointed. Possible cursors are:

ARROW

BUSY

CROSSHAIR

DEFAULT

INSERTION

HAND

MOVE

Resizing pointers
o

NRESIZE

SRESIZE

ERESIZE

WRESIZE

NERESIZE

NWRESIZE

SERESIZE

SWRESIZE

9 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

SET_ITEM_PROPERTY (block1.displayItem1, CURSOR_STYLE, 'HAND');

Figure 5 : Mouse HAND cursor.

Setting Max Event Wait Programmatically

The applet parameter maxEventWait was added in a previous release to assist in the Forms integration support with
Streams (Advanced Queuing). This parameter is used to act similar to HEARTBEAT, however on a more frequent
basis. One issue with using this applet parameter is that it can result in a significant increase in network traffic and
degrade application performance. MAX_EVENT_WAIT can now be programmatically controlled. This allows
developers to enable, disable, and change MAX_EVENT_WAIT as needed. Its value in PL/SQL is set in seconds.
Setting the value to 0 will return control back to the HEARTBEAT, essentially disabling MAX_EVENT_WAIT.

SET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY (MAX_EVENT_WAIT, 10);

Client IP Address
In previous versions, the only way to obtain the client IP address was either with a custom Java Bean or by WebUtil
enabling the application. A new application property USER_IP_ADDRESS can be used to get the user IP address
without the need for Java Beans or WebUtil.

v_clientIP := GET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY (USER_IP_ADDRESS) ;

Form Query-Only Mode

The new GET_FORM_PROPERTY, FORM_QUERY_ONLY returns TRUE/FALSE depending on how a form was
opened/started.

Declare
x varchar2(6);
Begin
x := GET_FORM_PROPERTY('myForm',FORM_QUERY_STATUS);
message (x);
End;

10 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Oracle Diagnostic Logging and Forms MESSAGE Built-in

Oracle Diagnostic Logging (ODL) was introduced in Fusion Middleware 11g. This diagnostic logging was a
significant improvement over traditional logging methods. In Forms 12c, it is now possible to programmatically send
entries to ODL. This can be helpful for both troubleshoot and auditing. One of four new MESSAGE built-in
arguments can be included. When included, output will be sent to ODL rather than the user interface. Possible
arguments are as follows:

ODL_DEBUG
Generates FRM-91930 in ODL followed by the text provided in the "message_string".

ODL_NOTIFICATION
Generates FRM-91934 in ODL followed by the text provided in the "message_string".

ODL_WARNING
Generates FRM-91935 in ODL followed by the text provided in the "message_string".

ODL_ERROR
Generates FRM-91936 in ODL followed by the text provided in the "message_string".

The FRM error code can be used to easily find the desired entry in the log. Here is an example.

Declare
usr_name varchar2(20);
Begin
usr_name := GET_APPLICATION_PROPERTY(USERNAME);
MESSAGE (usr_name || ' attempted to insert a record.', ODL_NOTIFICATION);
END;

JVM Controller
The JVM Controller is used to manage the extra memory used by Forms applications. Specifically, the JVM
Controller manages memory used by Java calls made by the Forms Runtime. Java is used by the Forms Runtime
when calls are made to Oracle Reports, Oracle BI-Publisher, or Java that has been imported into a Forms
application. In previous versions, the JVM Controller was either on or off. It can now be configured to work in the
most efficient configuration appropriate for specific conditions.
Child JVM Management
Children JVMs are spawned as needed. When these extra JVMs are no longer needed, the Controller can be
configured to terminate them.

OFF (default)
JVMs would not be removed automatically by JVM Controller.

AGGRESSIVE
The frequency of removing Child JVMs is at its highest.

MODERATE
The frequency of removing Child JVMs is lower than AGGRESSIVE.

CONSERVATIVE
The frequency of removing Child JVMs is lower than the previous two options.

11 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Load Balancing
Load balancing options include the following:

Random (default)

Least Loaded First

Round Robin

More details about using and configuring the JVM Controller can be found in the Forms Deployment Guide.

Custom Color Schemes

Oracle Forms delivers nine (9) runtime color schemes. The desired color scheme is set as a Web Configuration
parameter (in formsweb.cfg). The parameter is colorScheme and the default value in Forms 12.2.1 is SWAN. It
is now possible to create custom color schemes. The desired values of the custom color scheme are set in the
Forms Registry.dat configuration file. This is accessible in the Forms Font and Icon Mapping configuration area of
Fusion Middleware Control. An example is provided in the installation. The example has been named sample. To
enable this example, simply set the Web Configuration parameter customColorScheme=sample. More information
can be found in the Forms Deployment Guide.

New Applet Parameters

With new applet parameters, applications can gain new behaviors and appearances without making risky code
changes. More information about applet parameters and how to use them can be found in the Oracle Forms
Deployment Guide.

Applet Parameter

Description

idleTimeout

Specifies how much idle time (in seconds) can elapse before a
SYSTEM_CLIENT_IDLE event will fire.

ssoLogout

Specifies if the session should be SSO logged out when a successful Forms
logout occurs. If the application does not exit cleanly, SSO Logout may not
occur. Default is FALSE.

ssoLogoutRedirect

Used in conjunction with ssoLogout, sets the URL used for browser redirection
after a successful ssoLogout.

logoutTargetURLParamname

Specifies an alternative OAM logout URL other than the default.

java_version

Specified which Java version is to be used on the client environment. Default

value is 1.7+

customColorScheme

Specifies the name of the custom colorScheme created in Registry.dat to be

used. Setting this will override the colorScheme parameter.

12 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

webstart

Specifies whether or not Java Web Start should be enabled. Set

webstart=enabled to enable. See example in Web Configuration
(formsweb.cfg).

webstart_codebase

Specifies the URL to the application Codebase. This may be required when
using Java Web Start and the Forms managed server (WLS) is behind a proxy
server.
Example: webstart_codebase=http://proxy_server:port/forms/java

alwaysOnTop

Specifies if the Forms MDI window (separateFrame=true, Java Web Start,

Standalone Launcher) will remain on top of all other open windows. This is
not supported with Java Web Start in version 12.2.1.0. Default is FALSE.

centerOnStartup

Specifies if the Forms MDI window (separateFrame=true, Java Web Start,

Standalone Launcher) will start centered on the screen. This is not supported
with Java Web Start in version 12.2.1.0. Default is FALSE.

isResizable

Specifies if the Forms MDI window (separateFrame=true, Java Web Start,

Standalone Launcher) is resizable by the end-user. Default is TRUE.

dynamicLayout

Specifies whether or not the Forms applet should notify the server while
resizing the parent window. Enabling causes an increase of network traffic
while resizing is in progress.

hideActivityBar

Specifies whether or not the Forms activity bar (also known as progress bar)
should be hidden. Default is FALSE.

WebUtilVersion

Specifies whether or not to display the WebUtil version in the client side
console. Default is FALSE.

hideAppletVersion

Specifies whether or not to display the Forms applet version in the client side
console. Default is FALSE.

hideClientExceptions

Specifies if Java exceptions should not be displayed to the end-user in both

the Java console and error message dialog. Default is FALSE.

fsalcheck

Specifies whether to perform checksum comparison of Forms stand-alone app

launcher or not. When enabled, it triggers a comparison to be made on server.
The checksum of FSAL on the client machine will be compared with the
checksum of FSAL archived on the server.

13 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

New Environment Variables

Environment variables for Oracle Forms are used to control and customize the Forms Runtime. Settings are made
in the Environment Configuration (default.env or custom env file if used). More information about applet parameters
and how to use them can be found in the Oracle Forms Deployment Guide.

Environment Variable

Description

FORMS_SELECT_ON_CLICK

Specifies whether or not the text in a field should be selected when using
the mouse to enter the field.

FORMS_LOGON_HINT

Specifies the text that should be displayed in the default logon dialog
box. The total number of characters cannot exceed 255.

FORMS_CHANGE_PASSWORD_HINT Specifies the text that should be displayed in the default logon dialog
box. The total number of characters cannot exceed 255.
FORMS_HTTP_PROXY_HOST

Specifies the HTTP enabled proxy host. Proxying may be necessary for
calls to Oracle BI-Publisher, or when a form uses server-side Java
(Imported Java) to make HTTP/HTTPS. If using the JVM Controller,
refer to the Java documentation:
https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/net/doc-files/netproperties.html

FORMS_HTTP_PROXY_PORT

Specifies the HTTP enabled proxy port number.

FORMS_HTTPS_PROXY_HOST

Specifies the HTTPS enabled proxy host. Proxying may be necessary

for calls to Oracle BI-Publisher, or when a form uses server-side Java
(Imported Java) to make HTTP/HTTPS requested call. If using the JVM
Controller, refer to the Java documentation for information on how to use
proxy settings: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/net/docfiles/net-properties.html

FORMS_HTTPS_PROXY_PORT

Specifies the HTTPS enabled proxy port.

FORMS_PROXY_BYPASS

Specifies a list of hosts that should not be accessed using a proxy. Hosts
in the list are separated by '|' character and individual host can include
wildcard character '*'.

FORMS_HIDE_LOGIN_RESET

Specifies whether or not the logon dialog should be displayed in the

event a database logon fails when SSO is enabled.

FORMS_LOGIN_DIALOG_BLANK

Specifies whether or not the logon dialog displayed after a failed

database logon contains the username and database name.

FORMS_DB_IDLE_TIME

Specifies the amount of time, in seconds before the Forms DB Idle Time
System Event will fire.

14 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Oracle Platform Security Services (OPSS) Integration

In Forms versions prior to 12.2.1, integration with single sign-on (SSO) required that the LDAP server used by the
authentication server be Oracle Internet Directory (OID). Remote Access Descriptor (RAD) data that was previously
stored in OID can now be stored in the Oracle Platform Security Services (OPSS) repository. As a result, Forms no
longer has a direct dependency on any LDAP server. Users can now choose any LDAP server that is compatible
with Oracle Access Manager (OAM). This feature is not supported with Oracle Reports.

Figure 6 : Forms SSO and OPSS integration flow.

Remote Access Descriptor Administration

Remote Access Descriptor (RAD) data includes the database connection information required by Forms applications
to connect to the database when integrated with SSO. These records can now be administered directly in Fusion
Middleware Control (FMC). This administration can be accomplished in FMC, regardless of whether configured to
use the legacy option that uses OID or using OPSS. Also included is a utility page that allows administrators to
easily migrate data from OID to OPSS.

Figure 7 : OPSS RAD administration in FMC.

15 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Forms Design Time Features

Builder Preferences
General Tab

Hide PL/SQL Compile Dialog

When checked, causes the PL/SQL compilation results window to automatically close if no errors are
detected. When unchecked, the compilation progress dialog will remain open until the user clicks on OK.

Web Browser
Previously located on the Runtime tab, this preference has been moved to the General tab. The dropdown list can hold several browser locations which will be used by the Builder to both launch a form and
display other web content. By storing multiple browser locations, the developer can easily switch between
different browsers when testing.

Compiler Output
Enter the full path to the directory where generated modules (fmx, mmx, plx) should be saved. The user
must have read/write on the directory set in this field. This feature makes it easier to separate source code
from generated modules.

Auto Backup Time (new in version 12.2.1.1)

Enter a number to represent the number of minutes the Form Builder will wait before creating a backup of
any recent changes. The number entered can include fractions of a minute (e.g. 2.5), however the value
must be 1 or greater. These backups are intended for crash recovery only. In the unlikely event the
Builder is unintentionally terminated, upon its next startup and the user attempting to reopen the previously
opened module(s), the user will be prompted to either use the back or use the previously save version of
the file. Backups will only be created for the current module and while the Builder is the active window. To
disable Auto Backup, set the value to 0 or leave the field blank.

Runtime Tab

Show URL Parameters

When checked, using the Builders RunForm Button will display the complete URL in the browser. This
includes configuration options and username/password details. This can be very helpful when testing
and/or troubleshooting. Because checking this box will show the username/password details in the URL,
care should be taken when using this feature. When unchecked, all details typically exposed in the URL
will not be shown.

16 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Module Converter
In a previous version, an XML conversion utility was provided which allowed for the conversion of Forms binary
menu and form modules to an XML format and back to binary. This utility was provided as a command-line only
tool. In this release, the utility is accessible directly from within the Builder. The XML conversion utility is now
integration with the previous binary to text converter. In addition to the necessary fields for choosing and converting
to and from XML, the dialog includes a check box to determine if overwriting an existing file should occur during
translations and whether or not the dialog should remain open after a conversion completes successfully. This can
be accessed by selecting File > Convert from the Builder menu.

Figure 8 : Module converter dialog.

Product Documentation and Community

The Builder Help menu now includes links to Builder Help, the Documentation Library, Oracle Forms Forum on
OTN, and the Oracle Forms product page on OTN. These can be found by selecting Help from the Builder menu.

Java Developer API (JDAPI)

The Forms Java Developer API allows developers to create Java applications that can manipulate Forms modules
in mass. This can be extremely helpful if the same change is required in many modules. In previous versions of the
JDAPI, it was not possible to generate a PLX file using the JDAPI. This limitation meant that developers using
JDAPI needed to make their changes then separately generate new PLX files. In this version, PLX files can now be
generated programmatically. It is also now possible to execute the compile_all option prior to generating new FMX
or MMX files. The compile_all option does not apply to PLL/PLX files.

WebUtil without OLE

WebUtil is a Forms optional add-on that provides client side functionality not natively available. Previously, using
this add-on required the inclusion of third party libraries (i.e. JACOB). These third party libraries needed to be
signed with a trusted digital certificate. JACOB provides the integration components necessary for Oracle Forms to
communicate with OLE functionality, generally for interaction with Microsoft Office products. For some users,
although some features of WebUtil are needed, OLE functionality is not needed or used in their applications.
WebUtil is now delivered with an updated Object Library that includes an alternative object group which does not
contain the OLE components. This allows developers, who do not plan to use OLE, to have a lighter weight WebUtil
option with no need for third party libraries.

17 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

Conclusion
Oracle Forms 12c (12.2.1) includes many new features and enhancements. These new features range from the
very complex to the very simple. By introducing new features into new and existing applications, those applications
take on a more modern presence. More importantly, by leveraging the power of new features and enhancements
an end-users interaction with the application becomes more efficient. Additional information about Oracle Forms
12c and its features can be found in the Oracle Forms 12c Documentation Library.

18 | ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES

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ORACLE FORMS 12C - NEW FEATURES
June 2016
Author: Michael Ferrante
Contributing Authors: Michael Mullennex