Oracle Forms

Oracle Forms (part of the Oracle Developer Suite - formerly Developer 2000 or D2K) is a Rapid Application Development (RAD) environment for developing database applications using Oracle's PL/SQL database language.

How it works

Oracle Forms is accesses the Oracle database and generate a default form that presents the data. The source form (*.fmb) is compiled into an "executable" (*.fmx), that is run (interpreted) by the forms runtime module. The form is used to view and edit data in business applications. Various GUI elements, such as buttons, menus, scrollbars, and graphics can be placed on the form. The environment supplies built-in record creation, query, and update modes, each with its own default data manipulations. This minimizes the need to program common and tedious operations, such as creating dynamic SQL, sensing changed fields, and locking rows. As is normal with event driven interfaces, the software implements a complex algorithm, consisting of special functions called triggers, which occur at critical steps in the processing of records, the receipt of keyboard strokes, and the receipt of mouse movements. Different triggers are called before, during, and after each critical step. Each function is initially a stub, containing a default action or nothing. Programming Oracle Forms therefore generally consists of modifying the contents of these triggers in order to alter the default behavior. Some triggers, if provided by the programmer, replace the default action, others augment it. As a result of this strategy, it is possible to create a number of default form layouts which possess complete database functionality yet contain no programmer-written code at all.

History

Oracle Forms had its origin in the character-cell video tool called Interactive Application Facility (IAF), subdivided in two components (Interactive Application Generator (IAG) and Interactive Application Processor (IAP)) which accompanied Oracle Version 2, the first commercial version of Oracle. The character-cell video tool called FastForms was introduced with Oracle version 4 - an additional tool to help the programmer to generate a default form to edit with standard tool (IAG). Renamed to SQL*Forms version 2 with the Oracle 5 database Oracle Forms 2.3 was character based. It did not include PL/SQL. The source file was an *.INP ASCII file. It was common for developers to edit the INP file directly although that was not supported by Oracle. This version used its own primitive built-in language, augmented by user exits--compiled language code linked to the binary of the Oracle-provided run-time code. Oracle Forms 3 was character based. It could run under X but did not support any X interface specific features such as checkboxes. It added a new built in PL/SQL engine that vastly increased its power and ease of programming. The source file was an *.INP ASCII file. The IDE was vastly improved from 2.3 which dramatically decreased the need to edit the INP file directly, although this was still a common practice. Forms 3 automatically generated triggers and code to support some database constraints. Constraints could be defined, but not enforced in the Oracle 6 database at this time, so Oracle used Forms 3 to claim support for enforcing constraints. Oracle Forms version 4.0, was GUI based although a character based runtime was still available for certain customers. 4.0 Accompanied Oracle version 6 and featured a common graphical interface designed to operate under Windows and X. This version was notoriously buggy and introduced an IDE that was unpopular with developers. This version was not used by Oracle Financials. The 4.0 source files were named *.FMB and were binary. Oracle Forms version 4.5 was a major new release rather than a "point release" of 4.0. It contained significant functional changes and a brand new IDE (replacing the unpopular IDE introduced in 4.0). It is rumoured that it was named 4.5 in order to meet contractual obligations to support Forms 4 for a period of time for certain clients. Due to conflicting operational paradigms, Oracle Forms version 5, which accompanied Oracle version 7, featured custom graphical modes tuned especially for each of the major systems. However, its internal programmatic interface remained system-independent. In the Internet era, Oracle Forms version 6, which accompanied Oracle version 8, included a Forms Server which solved the problem of adapting Oracle Forms to a three-tier, browser-based delivery, without incurring major changes in its programmatic interface. The complex, highly interactive form interface was provided by a Java applet which communicated directly with the Forms server. The naming and numbering system applied to Oracle Forms subsequently underwent several changes due to marketing factors, without altering the essential nature of the product. The ability to code in Java, as well as PL/SQL, was added in this period. Oracle Forms is sold and released separately from the Oracle database. However, major releases of an Oracle database sometimes result in a new major version of Oracle Forms to support new features in the database. Recent versions of Oracle Forms, from 9i onwards, no longer support the client-server or character-based interfaces, with three-tier, browser-based delivery being the only deployment choice.

Version Summary

(*1) Each version of Oracle Forms can connect to numerous versions of the ORACLE database and is sold and released separately from the ORACLE Database. Oracle Forms is generally forward and backward compatible with the Oracle database - for example: Oracle Forms 9 can connect to at least Oracle 8,9 and 10. The database versions listed here are the primary version that was available at the time of the Form release (*2) Oracle products have historically followed their own release-numbering and naming conventions. This changed with Oracle RDBMS 9i release when Oracle Corporation started to standardizing Oracle Forms (and Reports and Developer) to use the same major version number as the database. This explains the jump in Oracle Forms versions from 6i to 9i (there was no v7 or v8)

Integration with Oracle Designer CASE Tool

Oracle Designer is a CASE tool that is sold by Oracle. It is able to generate various software modules including Oracle Forms and Oracle Reports

Current Status

Whilst Oracle's preferred approach for new development is its Java based Oracle Application Development Framework, Oracle's development tools statement of direction is quite clear in its commitment to continuing to support Oracle Forms and continue to develop and enhance it in the following areas:

• Making the upgrade to the web and to new releases as smooth as possible
• Allowing Forms and Reports applications to take full advantage of the application server services and inter-operate with J2EE applications.

External links

• Official Oracle Forms Home
• Oracle Forms/Reports/Designer Statement of Direction
• Oracle FAQ
• Oracle FAQ (no longer maintained)