Upgrade Oracle Forms to 11g

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Upgrade Oracle Forms to 11g version

Dmitry Nefedkin

Oracle ISV Migration Center FMW Consultant

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

ISV Migration Center Team

• Who we Are ISV Migration Center Team is a team of senior technical consultants

based in Eastern and Central Europe and represents Oracle's technical investment

for partners.

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implement Oracle latest technology

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solutions, including hosted Internet solutions or providing system integration and

implementation services for Oracle technology, IMC Team can help you succeed.

• How can we assist We offer a wide range of free services for partners such as

one2one assistance, webinars, seminars and hands-on workshops.

ISV Migration Center blog: http://blogs.oracle.com/imc

Contacts:

Ruxandra Radulescu, ISV Migration Center Manager, EE&CIS

[email protected]

http://blogs.oracle.com/imc


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Agenda

• Oracle Forms releases/support/license policy

• Oracle Forms 11g architecture

• Oracle Forms 11g new features

• Oracle Forms 11gR2 upgrade steps

– Installation of the Forms 11g environment

– Configuring the environment

– Upgrading Forms Modules

• Useful links

Oracle Forms Strategy

• March 2012, Oracle Application Development Tools Statement of Direction (www.bit.ly/OracleToolsSOD )

– “Oracle has no plan to discontinue support of Oracle

Forms. Furthermore, a new version of Forms, Oracle

Forms 12c, is planned for delivery as a component of

Oracle Fusion Middleware12c. “

• Clear statement of direction: – Upgrade

• Move to the latest versions of Forms to ensure support, certification, use new features

– Integrate

• Use non-Forms technologies when/as the business dictates

• Provide “Forms-like” experience for building with Java technologies

http://www.bit.ly/OracleToolsSOD

Lifetime Support Policy for Fusion Middleware

• http://bit.ly/OFMLifetime

http://bit.ly/OFMLifetime

Latest releases of Oracle Forms

• Oct, 2011 – Oracle Forms 11.1.2.0 (11gR2)

– Certified with Oracle Weblogic Server 10.3.5, Oracle SSO

10.1.4.3, Oracle Access Manager 11.1.1.5, Oracle Virtual

Directory 11.1.1.5, Oracle Internet Directory 11.1.1.5

• Feb, 2012 – Oracle Forms 11.1.1.6 (11gR1 PS5)

– Certified with Oracle Weblogic Server 10.3.6, Oracle SSO

10.1.4.3

Go to support.oracle.com to find the latest updates on

the certifications

Should the customer license Weblogic Server when

upgrading to Forms 11g?

This is the extract from the Oracle Technology Global Price List Supplement.

Weblogic Server Basic license

• The license for each edition of Oracle Internet

Application Server and for Oracle Forms and Reports

enables the right to full use of the WebLogic Server

Basic license

• This license has limitations to several Weblogic

Server features, check in Oracle® Fusion Middleware

Licensing Information 11g Release 1 (11.1.1),

Appendix A WebLogic Server Basic

• To verify that WebLogic Server is being used in

accordance with the WebLogic Server Basic license

you can run the script. See My Oracle Support

article: Doc ID: 885587.1

Oracle Access Manager Basic license

• This license is available within licenses for the

following Oracle products:

– Oracle Internet Application Server Standard Edition

– Oracle Internet Application Server Standard Edition One

– Oracle Internet Application Server Enterprise Edition

• Oracle Access Manager Basic is only for providing

single sign-on capabilities to Oracle Internet

Application Server and for custom Java applications

previously developed for Oracle Containers for J2EE

(OC4J). Products outside of this scope do not have

the right to use Oracle Access Manager Basic.


Agenda








• Useful links

Understanding the Architecture

Client/Server Forms

No more Client/Server version since January 2005 !!!

Forms

Engine FMX

File Data Manager

Appl. Logic

PL/SQL Engine

UI Presentation

Win

20

00

Win

XP

Ma

c

Win

NT

Mo

tif

“Thick” Client Database Tier

Forms Runtime

3-tier architecture

JVM

Web Browser Application Server Database Server

Forms

Engine

FMX

File Data Manager

Applic. Logic

PL/SQL Engine

UI Presentation

Client Tier Middle Tier Database Tier

Forms Runtime

3-tier architecture

UI Presentation

Web Browser Application Server Database Server

Forms

Engine

FMX

File Data Manager

Applic. Logic

PL/SQL Engine

Client Tier Middle Tier Database Tier

Forms Services

Application Tier Database Tier Client Tier

Web Container

Forms

Servlet

Forms

Listener

Servlet

Client 1

Oracle WebLogic Managed Server

HTTP

Server

HTTP Listener

Client launches Forms application using a URL

Forms Services


Web Container

Forms

Servlet

Forms

Listener

Servlet

Client 1


HTTP

Server

HTTP Listener

HTTP Server hands request to MOD_WEBLOGIC which forwards request to Forms Servlet

Forms Services


Web Container

Forms

Servlet

Forms

Listener

Servlet

Client 1


HTTP

Server

HTTP Listener

Forms servlet returns HTML page that contains Forms Client Java Applet

HTML

Forms Services

Application Tier

Database Tier

Client Tier

Web Container

Forms

Servlet

Forms

Listener

Servlet

Client 1


Forms

Runtime

1

Forms

Runtime

2

HTTP

Server

HTTP Listener

Forms Listener Servlet: Creates a new servlet session, Starts a Forms Runtime Process


Agenda








• Useful links

Oracle Forms 11gR1 new features

Asynchronous Event Calls

• Forms registers interest in an asynchronous event

(Event name, Type, Scope)

• New When-Event-Raised trigger

Demo: http://bit.ly/Forms11gExtEventsDemo

http://bit.ly/Forms11gExtEventsDemo


Integration with Client Side JavaScript

• Call JavaScript from Forms

Web.Javascript_eval_expr, Web.Javascript_eval_function

• JavaScript can raise Forms events

– When-Custom-JavaScript-Event

Demo: http://bit.ly/Forms11gJavaScript

Forms

Server

Forms

Client

Procedure

calls

http://bit.ly/Forms11gJavaScript


Integration with Enterprise Manager Grid Control 11g


• Integration with Oracle Access Manager 11g

– for authentication and authorization of your Oracle Forms

applications

• Reduced Installation Footprint

– limit the number of products and servers installed on the machine,

still allowing a developer to build, run and test their apps

• Performance and Monitoring

– Schedule Forms Runtime Prestart

– Log performance metrics to database tables for later analysis

– Enhanced Network Statistics Support


• Support for Unicode Columns

– New Forms datatype NCHAR corresponds to the SQL datatypes

NCHAR and NVARCHAR2

• Support for URLs in Image Items and Iconic Buttons

– READ_IMAGE_FILE built-in (Icon Name property)

• Disable/enable visibility of the default menubar and the

window title bar

– guiMode configuration parameter of the forms applet


Integration with Oracle Real User Experience Insight


Agenda








• Useful links

Installing Oracle Forms 11.1.2 (11gR2) environment

1. Install Oracle Weblogic binaries

2. Install Oracle Forms 11.1.2 binaries

3. Configure a Weblogic Domain and an Oracle

instance

4. Post-installation checks


Step 1 - Install Oracle Weblogic binaries

• Important points to be considered before downloading

the software :

– Determine your operating system versions : 32bit or 64bit

– Specific WebLogic Server installers for Windows 32bit and

Linux x86 32bit platforms include 32bit JVM/JDK

– To install Oracle WebLogic Server onto a 64bit system use

the WebLogic Server generic installer (wls1035_generic.jar)

that does not include a JVM/JDK, hence, a certified 64bit JDK

must be installed previously

• After the installation you will have:

– Middleware Home (MW_HOME)

– Weblogic home (MW_HOME\wlserver_10.3)


Step 2 - Install Oracle Forms 11.1.2 binaries

• Download Oracle Forms/Reports 11.1.2 binaries for

your platform (from OTN or edelivery.oracle.com)

• Start the installer and choose Install Software – Do

not configure option (this install just binaries)

• Specific ORACLE_HOME will be created inside

MW_HOME


Step 3 - Configure a Weblogic Domain and an Oracle

instance

• Start Configuration Wizard from Forms

ORACLE_HOME: $ORACLE_HOME/bin/config.sh

(cmd) . You can also use Configure Classic Instance

menu item in the Windows Start Menu.

• The wizard will configure an Weblogic Domain (for java

components) and an Oracle Instance (non-java

components – OHS, WebCache…)

• You should choose from configuring for development or

for deployment (more on this on the next slide)

• You can also specify link to OID and specify SSO

integration type (Oracle SSO or OAM 11g)



instance

•Deployment – dedicated WLS managed server for both Forms and Reports. EM Agent and OHS are installed

•Development – Forms and Reports servlets are deployed on WLS Admin Server. No OHS and EM Agent



instance

•Specify the locations of your binaries (Oracle Forms home);

•Pick the name and the location of the Oracle Instance;



instance

•Weblogic domain will be created, so you need to provide it’s name, location and the administrative user credentials



instance

•Check only the components that you need in your environment

•Here is the example of the available components for the development configuration


Step 4 - Post-installation checks

• After completion of the Configuration Wizard your

Forms environment will be up and running (both

Weblogic server(s) and OPMN-managed

components)

• You can access

– Test Form

– Weblogic Console

– Fusion Middleware Control (if you has configured for

deployment)



• Accessing FORMS from the browser

– Development install:

• http://<adminserverhost>:7001/forms/frmservlet

– Deployment install:

• http://<formsmanagedserverhost>:9001/forms/frmservlet

http://10.10.10.10:9001/forms/frmservlet

http://10.10.10.10:9001/forms/frmservlet



• Accessing WLS console

http://<adminserverhost>:7001/console

http://10.10.10.10:7001/console



• Accessing EM console (deployment install only)

http://<adminserverhost>:7001/em

http://10.10.10.10:7001/em

http://10.10.10.10:7001/console

http://10.10.10.10:7001/em


Agenda





– Installation of the Forms 11gR2 environment



• Useful links

Configuring Oracle Forms 11g environment

Configuration is already done by installation. You only

need to customize Forms Services

• formsweb.cfg

• default.env

• forms.conf

• registry.dat


• formsweb.cfg

– Located into :

• $DOMAIN_HOME/config/fmwconfig/servers/WLS_FORMS

/applications/formsapp_11.1.2/config

– Specifies runtime parameters for Forms apps

– Client-server equivalent of command line options

– All parameters listed in the documentation :

• Deployment Guide for Forms Services

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24269_01/doc.11120/e24477.pdf

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24269_01/doc.11120/e24477.pdf


formsweb.cfg

• Runtime parameters

• All settings can be set in the

default section

• Application sections override

default

• You can have many

environments using the single

installation


• default.env

– Located into :

• $DOMAIN_HOME/config/fmwconfig/servers/WLS_FORMS

/applications/formsapp_11.1.2/config

• Specifies runtime environment variables

• equivalent of environment variables or Windows

Registry entries

• each application can choose to use its own ENV file

with the envFile setting in formsweb.cfg:

envFile=summit.env


• default.env

• Environment variables

• Each app section can have an env file

summit.env File … ORACLE_HOME=E:\OFMW11gR2Forms32\Oracle_F

orms ORACLE_INSTANCE=E:\OFMW11gR2Forms32\inst1

1gR2Dev FORMS_PATH=D:\Orders

…


• forms.conf

– In 11g, forms.conf is the Oracle HTTP listener configuration file

for Oracle Forms Services

• It defines WebLogic handler mappings for the Managed

Server where the Forms Services applications are deployed

– forms.conf is an Oracle HTTP Server directives file. In Oracle

Fusion Middleware, the forms.conf file is included in the Oracle

HTTP Server configuration directory at

$ORACLE_INSTANCE/config/OHS/<OHS INSTANCE NAME>/moduleconf


• forms.conf (when OHS is NOT installed)

– Located into :

• <INSTANCE_HOME>\config\FormsComponent\forms\server

– Includes Virtual Paths


• Registry.dat contains the default font, font mappings, and icon

information that Forms Services uses.

– Located into :

• $DOMAIN_HOME/config/fmwconfig/servers/WLS_FORMS/applications/formsapp_11.1.2/config/forms/registry/oracle/forms/registry

• Can be modified via FMW Control

– Specifies icon path

– Equivalent of Registry Entry UI_ICON

– Font mapping

default.fontMap.appFontnames=Courier New,Courier,courier,System,Terminal,Fixed,Fixedsys, …..

default.fontMap.javaFontnames=MonoSpaced,MonoSpaced,MonoSpaced,Dialog,MonoSpaced, …..


Transform .ico into .gif

– Icons must be converted into .gif or .jpg files

– Package .gif into a Java archive .jar file

> cd <location with the .gif>

> <ORACLE_HOME>\jdk\bin\jar cvf myicons.jar *.gif

– Copy the jar file into <ORACLE_HOME>\forms\java

– Add the jar file name to the ARCHIVE parameter of the

right section in the formsweb.cfg

– Set the Applet parameter ImageBase=codebase

Archive=frmall.jar, myicons.jar

imageBase=codebase


Agenda




• Oracle Forms 11g upgrade steps



– Upgrading your Forms Modules

• Useful links

Upgrade Process

Some notes on the starting point

• Upgrading from Oracle Forms before 4.5

– It is not possible directly.

– Convert first modules to Oracle Forms 4.5 before to

convert them to Oracle Forms 6i and finally convert

them to Oracle Forms 11g.

• Upgrading from Oracle Forms 4.5 or 5 to Oracle

Forms 11g

– It is not possible directly

– Convert first modules to Oracle Forms 6i and then

convert them to Oracle Forms 11g.

Upgrading Forms Modules

Tools Available

• Forms Builder (Interactive)

• Forms Compiler (Batch)

• Forms API (Programmatic/Batch)

• Migration Assistant (Optional)


Forms Builder (Interactive)

• Open the Form Module in the Forms Builder

• Compile the Module

• Save the Module

Pro: Instant feedback

on any errors

Con:

Least time efficient


Forms Compiler (Batch)

• Create batch or shell script, run it, check the output set ORACLE_HOME=I:\OFMW11gR1PS1\Oracle_Forms

set PATH=I:\OFMW11gR1PS1\Oracle_Forms\bin;%PATH%

set FORMS_PATH=F:\Workshop_Forms_Upgrade_10g_11g\Material\summit_10gR2_11g

@ECHO OFF

rem COMPILE FIRST REFERENCE FORM

Echo compiling Library .....

for %%x in (*.pll) do start /w frmcmp MODULE=%%x MODULE_TYPE=LIBRARY USERID=summit/summit@v11 BATCH=yes COMPILE_ALL=yes window_state=minimize

Echo compiling Forms Modules .....

for %%x in (*.fmb) do start /w frmcmp MODULE=%%x MODULE_TYPE=FORM USERID=summit/summit@v11 BATCH=yes COMPILE_ALL=yes window_state=minimize

Echo compiling Menu Modules .....

for %%x in (*.mmb) do start /w frmcmp MODULE=%%x MODULE_TYPE=MENU USERID=summit/summit@v11 BATCH=yes COMPILE_ALL=yes window_state=minimize

ECHO FINISHED COMPILING


Forms API (Programmatic/Batch)

• Forms API (Programmatic/Batch) – Since Forms 5.0

– Programmatically manipulate Forms modules

– Written in C

– For advanced users

– You can use it just to upgrade from one version to another

• Load the module, Compile the module, Save the module

– Build C projects to upgrade the whole set of modules : Forms,

Libraries, Menus


Forms API (Programmatic/Batch)

• Forms JDAPI (Programmatic/Batch) –

Since Forms 9i

– Programmatically manipulate Forms

modules

– Written in Java

– For advanced users

• You can use it just to upgrade from one

version to another

– Load the module, Compile the

module, Save the module

• Add a library pointing to

<ORACLE_HOME>\jlib\frmjdapi.jar to

the Project

import oracle.forms.jdapi.*;

….

public static void main(String[] args) {

FormModule fmd = FormModule.open(args[0]);

Jdapi.connectToDatabase(args[1]);

fmd.save(args[0]);

try {

fmd.compile();

} catch (Exception ex) {

ex.printStackTrace();

}

// Clean Up

Jdapi.shutdown();

}


Migration Assistant

– A utility provided with Forms 11g.

– Provided as a command line utility (<Middleware

Home>\asinst\bin\frmplsqlconv.bat) and in GUI mode

– Wizard interface alerts you if using obsolete features

– Makes changes if possible

– Saves FMB in Oracle Forms 11g format

– Use before Forms Builder or Compiler, but not necessary

– Forms Compiler will find errors if you don’t use Migration

Assistant


Migration Assistant – GUI Mode

The Upgrade Process – Migration Assistant

• Migration Assistant – Batch sample

set ORACLE_HOME=I:\OFMW11gR1PS1\Oracle_Forms

set PATH=I:\OFMW11gR1PS1\Oracle_Forms\bin;I:\OFMW11gR1PS1\asinst_1\bin;%PATH%

set

FORMS_PATH=F:\Workshop_Forms_Upgrade_10g_11g\Material\summit_10gR2_11g;I:\OF

MW11gR1PS1\Oracle_Forms\forms

set CLASSPATH=I:\OFMW11gR1PS1\Oracle_Forms\jlib\frmjdapi.jar;%CLASSPATH%

for %%i in ("*.pll") do call frmplsqlconv module=%%~nxi log=conv_%%~ni.log

userid=summit/summit@v11

for %%i in ("*.mmb") do call frmplsqlconv module=%%~nxi log=conv_%%~ni.log


for %%i in ("*.fmb") do call frmplsqlconv module=%%~nxi log=conv_%%~ni.log


Upgrade Process from C/S to the Web

• Features which work differently when Web deployed :

– HOST

– ORA_FFI

– Read_Image_File

– Text_IO

– Tools_Res

Run on the Server not on the Client !!

• Alternatives :

– Java Beans

– WebUtil


• Features which Performance Implications :

– Synchronize Built-ins (network traffic)

– Timers (1 roundtrip per execution)

• ie: 1 timer per second x 500 users = 500 roundtrips/sec)

– Tabbed Canvases (large initial download size)

• ie: Use hidden Stacked Canvases on each Tab to defer

download (Visible=No, Raise on Entry=Yes)

– Alternatives :

• Java Beans

• Pluggable Java Component (Pjc)

• External Events with AQ (New in 11g)


• Features which don’t work on the Web :

– Mouse Triggers

(When-Mouse_Move,When_Mouse_Enter/Leave)

– Icons need to be converted into .gif or .jpg

– VBX / OCX

– OLE containers

– Sound Items

• Alternatives : – Java Beans

– WebUtil


Agenda




• Oracle Forms 11g upgrade steps

– Installation of the Forms 11gR2 environment


– Upgrading your Forms Modules

• Useful links

Useful links

• Oracle Forms page on OTN: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/forms/overview/index.html

• Oracle Forms 11gR2 documentation: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24269_01/index.htm

• Oracle Forms 11g demo pack: http://download.oracle.com/otndocs/demos/forms/11g/demos_11g.zip

• Oracle Forms Community - Pluggable Java Components & Java Beans' library: http://forms.pjc.bean.over-blog.com/

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/forms/overview/index.html



http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24269_01/index.htm

http://download.oracle.com/otndocs/demos/forms/11g/demos_11g.zip

http://download.oracle.com/otndocs/demos/forms/11g/demos_11g.zip

http://forms.pjc.bean.over-blog.com/



Questions

Dmitry Nefedkin

Oracle ISV Migration Center FMW Consultant

[email protected]

ISV Migration Center blog: http://blogs.oracle.com/imc


http://blogs.oracle.com/imc