Partner Webcast – Oracle Forms 12c Upgrade: Assessing the Business Benefits

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Oracle Forms 12c Upgrade: Assessing the Business Benefits Partner Webcast

Tshepo Madigage ISV Migration Center Consultant, SA & SADC A&C Technology Adoption Office February 11, 2016

Presented by


Safe Harbor Statement

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 Oracle’s products remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.


Program Agenda

Overview & Statement of Direction

Feature Comparison

New Features Overview

Improving Appliances with Color

Beyond v12.2.1

Q & A

1

2

3

4

5

6


Program Agenda

Overview & Statement of Direction 1



Product support timeline

Lifetime Support Policy

http://www.oracle.com/us/support/lifetime-support

Note: Oracle Forms and Reports 12c (12.2.1.0) will be added to the Lifetime Support Policy shortly after its release.


Highlighted features and enhancements

Oracle Forms

Oracle Forms 11.1.1

• WLS Integration

• JavaScript Integration

• Enhanced Java support

• Server-side events

• DB Proxy user support

• Enhanced sql logging

• Integration with ODL

GA 2005 GA 2009 GA 2011

Oracle Forms 10.1.2

• Runtime Pooling

• JVM Pooling

• Improved SSO Integration

• Improved EM Interface

• XML Conversion

Oracle Forms 11.1.2

• Support for OVAB

• Integration with OAM

• Schedule Runtime Prestart

• Forms Metric Agent

• Enhanced Net Diagnostics

• Oracle RUEI

• URLs in Image Items

• guiMode Parameter

• True window maximizing

Oracle Forms 12.2.1

• BI-Publisher integration

• System Events (5)

• Client configurations (3+1)

• JVM Controller improvements

• OPSS support for RADs

• SSO Logout support

• Tab canvas label icons

• Record Manager improvements

• New applet parameters

• Customizable colorSchemes

• And many, many more …

GA 2015


Program Agenda

Feature Comparison

2


Oracle Forms Removed Features

• Oracle Graphics

• Forms Listener and Load balancing

• Forms Server Cartridge and CGI

• Procedure Builder

• Translation Builder

• Oracle Terminal

• Project Builder

• Query Builder/ Schema

• Tuxedo Integration

6i Oracle Forms 6i Developer Suite 10g Oracle Forms

• Client-server Runtime

• Character mode Runtime

• Various runform command line options

• Character mode properties and logical attr

• Item type that are specific to OS

• Various properties and built-ins

• Various menu features

•Graphic Chart Wizard

• Graphics Integration

• Chart Items

• Pre-6i

• 10g then 12c

• 6i or later

• Directly to 12c

How-To Handle


Oracle Forms 12c

• Refer to documentation

• Install 64bit JDK (v8u51+)

• Install WebLogic Server 12.2.1 (Infrastructure)

• Install Forms/Reports 12.2.1 (and any other desired components)

• Create repository using RCU (11.2.0.4+ Oracle DB required)

• Create domain using Config Wizard

• Start all servers (Node Manager, Admin Server, etc)

Complete Installation and Configuration


Oracle Forms 12c

• Refer to documentation

• Install 64bit JDK (v8u51+)

• Install Forms/Reports 12.2.1

• Create instance using Form Builder Config Wizard – Standalone Report Builder is not available.

Form Builder Only Installation and Configuration


Program Agenda

New Features Overview

3


Runtime


Client Deployment Configurations

• Google Chrome 42+, no longer supports plugins. Java Plugin can no longer be used.

• Mozilla Firefox to support plugins until December 2016*.

• Microsoft plans to continue supporting IE-11 through the life of Windows 10 (~2020). Windows 10 supports both IE-11 and Edge. Edge does not support the Java Plugin.

*Reminder: Oracle Forms 11gR2 Premier Support ends December 2016


• Applet embedded in HTML

– Default configuration.

– Support for SSO, SSO Logout, and Java Script integration.

– Requires Java Plugin and browser.

• JNLP embedded in HTML

– Support for SSO, SSO Logout, and Java Script integration.

– Base64 encodes JNLP code in client side html source.

– Requires Java Plugin and browser.



• Java Web Start

– Limited SSO support (requires browser). SSO cookie will not be shared with browsers launched from Forms.

– No support for SSO Logout or Java Script Integration.

– Requires either JDK or Java Plugin (JRE).

– Browser optional (required with SSO).

– Presents application with native appearance.

• Standalone

– No support for SSO, SSO Logout or Java Script Integration.

– Requires either JDK or Java Plugin (JRE) installation.

– Browser not required.

– Presents application with native appearance .

– Example page available at: /forms/html/fsal.htm



Oracle Forms and Microsoft Edge Oracle Forms and Google Chrome


BI-Publisher integration

Oracle Forms

• Provides an optional alternative to using Oracle Reports. • Can be used in conjunction with Oracle Reports. • Communicate with Oracle BI-Publisher via Web Services. • Send report output to several delivery destinations simultaneously. • All calls to BI-Publisher are asynchronous. • Coding syntax similar to integration with Oracle Reports.


• DEJVM load balancing.

– Random (default)

– Least Loaded First

– Round Robin

• DEJVM auto removal of child JVMs.

• DEJVM free global references.

• DEJVM enhanced logging.

– off

– debug

– warn

– error

– crit

– info (default)

JVM Pooling


Oracle Forms

• By default, leverage in-memory archive record storage rather than disk.

• Reduces record memory usage for both Data Blocks and Record Groups.

• Customizable.

• Access Record Manager statistics with new built-in (GET_RECMGR_STATS).

• New System Variables to inspect memory used by Record Manager.

Record Manager

Client

Forms Runtime

Record Manager

DE MM

TK VGS

DB Servlet


New System Events

• Allows applications to react to a variety of events.

• Developers decide how to react.

– Client-Idle

– DB-Idle

– Single-Sign-Off

– Notification

– Media Completion


Single Sign-off

• On demand single sign-off (built-in)

– LOGOUT_SSO;

• SSO Logout on exit (applet parameter)

– ssoLogout=TRUE

– ssoLogoutRedirect=http://www.oracle.com


Audio Playback

• Provides audio playback support. • Audio files stored in jar files on a remote server and delivered to client. • End of file playback can be detected using the Audio Completion System Event. • Audio playback is based on JavaFX, therefore most audio formats supported by

JFX will be supported by Forms with the exception of the streaming formats. • Playback control includes PLAY, PAUSE, STOP, TOGGLE MUTE.


Add custom text

Logon and Change Password Dialogs

• Add up to 255 single-byte characters of alphanumeric to either of these dialogs by setting FORMS_LOGON_HINT and/or FORMS_CHANGE_PASSWORD_HINT

Password change example (210 characters): Password must; contain at least 2 letters, be at least 8 characters long, contain at least 1 number, contain at least 1 uppercase letter, not match or contain user ID, not match or contain first or last name.

Logon example (48 characters): Username and password fields are case sensitive.


Design-time


New object group excluding third party libraries

WebUtil Object Library

• WEBUTIL_NO_OLE can be used when OLE functionality is not used in the module. • JACOB libraries are not needed when WEBUTIL_NO_OLE is used. • Existing modules need to be manually altered to replace WEBUTIL with WEBUTIL_NO_OLE


Program Agenda

Improving Appliances with Color

4


• Create a customized colorScheme without changing application code. • Colors are set in Registry.dat. • Nine attributes are settable in this release. More planned for future releases. • Uses new applet parameter “customColorScheme” (e.g. customColorScheme=sample).

Customizable ColorSchemes

# Sample custom color scheme colorScheme.sample.description=Sample custom color scheme colorScheme.sample.lightest=0xFFFF33 colorScheme.sample.lighter=0xFFCC33 colorScheme.sample.light=0xCC3333 colorScheme.sample.dark=0x993333 colorScheme.sample.darker=0x660033 colorScheme.sample.darkest=0x003333 colorScheme.sample.selection=0x4169E1 colorScheme.sample.pinstripe1=0xEE82EE colorScheme.sample.pinstripe2=0xF5DEB3


Tab Label Icons

• Supports web formatted images (e.g. gif, jpg, etc).

• 16x16 pixel size recommended.

• Can only be set in plsql. Builder support planned in a later version.

SET_TAB_PAGE_PROPERTY(‘tab1’, ICON_NAME, ’blueDot.gif’);


Form Builder Enhancements


Program Agenda

Beyond v12.2.1

5


On-going development

Oracle Forms

Features being reviewed for future releases:

• Oracle Cloud • Application packaging and deployment utilities • Fusion Middleware Control Forms Advanced configuration • New applet parameters • Enhancements to customColorScheme feature • Form Builder improvements • New and/or enhanced UI components • WebUtil improvements • New and improved security features • Improved diagnostic features • Enhancements to client deployment options • Installation/configuration improvements


Summary • ‘Protect the investment you have in your existing technology by upgrading to the latest release ensuring the

best possible support for newer operating systems, hardware, browsers, and database releases and features’

• ‘Leverage the power of Oracle Fusion Middleware - Oracle Fusion Middleware provides not only a rich platform to run existing Forms and Reports applications, but it provides a platform for integration with new and complementing features and technologies such as:’

– User experience insight

– Content management

– Business intelligence

– SOA and process management

– Data services

– Security

– Identity management

– Enterprise manager


Q&A

Tshepo Madigage ISV Migration Center Consultant, SA & SADC [email protected] ISV Migration Center blog: http://blogs.oracle.com/imc ISV Migration Center email: [email protected]



mailto:[email protected]


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