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-------------------------- Table of Contents --------------------------

1 Purpose of This Document

2 G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N
2.1 Server and Web Configuration Information
3 F o r m B u i l d e r
3.1 PL/SQL Version 1 to Version 2 Conversion
3.1.1 Possible Upgrade Problems
3.1.2 Upgrade Options Table
3.1.3 Upgrading PLD Files Not Supported
3.2 Sound Items on the Web
3.3 Version 2-Style Trigger Support
3.4 CHAR vs VARCHAR2 in Stored Procedures
3.5 FORMS60_MMAP environment variable
3.6 FORMS60_CATCHTERM environment variable
3.7 Web Deployment
3.7.1 Messages produced by the Forms Server
3.8 Upgrading Menus
3.9 ActiveX (OCX) Controls
3.9 Menu Separator Labels
3.9.1 Support for ActiveX (OCX) Controls
3.9.2 Implementing ActiveX (OCX) Controls
3.9.3 Tested Controls
3.9.4 Recommended Controls
4 R e p o r t B u i l d e r
4.1 Clustering
4.2 Undocumented Server Configuration Parameters
4.3 Integrating Report Builder with Oracle Express
4.3.1 Configuring your .ORA files
4.3.2 Error ORA-28575 When Creating a Report from Express Server
4.3.3 Dimension Sorting
4.4 Using REPORTS30_OWSNODIAG to disable debugging
5 P r o c e d u r e B u i l d e r
5.1 Editor Tab Size (Windows Only)
Page 2 Tuesday, October 13, 1998 9:46am

1 Purpose of This Document

This document notes the differences between Oracle Developer Release
6.0 and its documented functionality.

2 G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N

2.1 Server and Web Configuration Information

All server and web configuration related information is located
within the online manuals. To access this information, choose Help-
->Manuals.

3 F o r m B u i l d e r

3.1 PL/SQL Version 1 to Version 2 Conversion

3.1.1 Possible Upgrade Problems

The following is a list of possible upgrade problems to PL/SQL V2.3
from V1 in this release.

Problem 1: ERROR 307: too many declarations of 'this built-in'

match this call. If you are calling a built-in which requires
conversion of its parameters, you may hit this. One example is,
foo := to_char('char');

There is no built-in which matches to_char(varchar2), so we try to

convert 'char' to another datatype. As there are 2 possible
to_char's which match this [to_char(date) and to_char(number)], you
get the above error.

Problem 2: If you use PL/SQL version 1 style SUBTYPE

declarations,they will not be converted. You must manually convert
these lines of code. For example, if you have the following block of
code:

PROCEDURE foo IS
SUBTYPE mystr IS VARCHAR2(80);
cstr MYSTR;
BEGIN
NULL;
END;

is should be re-written as:

PROCEDURE foo IS
SUBTYPE mystr IS VARCHAR2;
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cstr MYSTR(80);
BEGIN
NULL;
END;

3.1.2 Upgrade Options Table

When converting from PL/SQL version 1 to PL/SQL version 2, the chart
below specifies if conversion takes place with the specified options
and if a log file is produced.

From To Options Conversion Log File

------- ------- ------------- ---------- --------
4.5 FMB 6.0 FMB None No No
4.5 FMB 6.0 FMB Upgrade No Yes
4.5 FMB 6.0 FMB Upgrade_PLSQL Yes Yes
4.5 FMT 6.0 FMB None No Yes (1)
4.5 FMT 6.0 FMB Upgrade No Yes (1)
4.5 FMT 6.0 FMB Upgrade_PLSQL Yes Yes (1)

(1) The log file (.PLG) will be placed in the current working
directory, which may differ from the directory containing the .FMT.

3.1.3 Upgrading PLD Files Not Supported

When upgrading PL/SQL libraries created in Developer/2000 release
1.x, you must convert all .PLD files to .PLL format before you
attempt to open them in Oracle Developer Release 6.0. Upgrading the
.PLD files is not supported.

3.2 Sound Items on the Web

Sound items are not supported on the web. If a form deployed on the
web contains a sound item, the sound will not work and an alert will
be displayed to the user.

3.3 Version 2-Style Trigger Support

If you convert a form that contains "Version 2.0 Style" triggers,
they will still run in Oracle Developer Release 6.0. You can view
these triggers, however, you cannot edit or modify them. You should
convert all of these triggers to PL/SQL.

Oracle Developer Release 6.0 will be the last version of Forms which
will support "Version 2.0 Style" triggers.

3.4 CHAR vs VARCHAR2 in Stored Procedures

In Oracle Developer 6.0, if a stored procedure is used as the data
Page 4 Tuesday, October 13, 1998 9:46am

source for a block, we do not support the use of CHAR columns in the
returned record set. Use VARCHAR2 instead.

3.5 FORMS60_MMAP environment variable

By default, Forms Runtime will intercept abnormal terminations of an
application processes whenever possible. Some conditions, such as
kill -9 on Unix, cannot be intercepted. This usually enables the
Runtime Engine to clean up resources, such as database connections
and temporary disk files, before exiting. However, intercepting
terminations can make it difficult to determine where a problem
occurred. If a fatal exception is occurring, you may wish to see a
stack trace at the point where the exception occurred. In this case,
you should disable termination interception by setting the
FORMS60_CATCHTERM to "0" (zero).

3.6 FORMS60_CATCHTERM environment variable

By default, Forms Runtime will intercept abnormal terminations of an
application processes whenever possible. Some conditions, such as
kill -9 on Unix, cannot be intercepted. This usually enables the
Runtime Engine to clean up resources, such as database connections
and temporary disk files, before exiting. However, intercepting
terminations can make it difficult to determine where a problem
occurred. If a fatal exception is occurring, you may wish to see a
stack trace at the point where the exception occurred. In this case,
you should disable termination interception by setting the
FORMS60_CATCHTERM to "0" (zero).

3.7 Web Deployment

3.7.1 Messages produced by the Forms Server

All messages produced by the Forms Server are written to a specified
log file. Messages sent to this log file include information about
the start-up of the Server, connection requests, connection
establishment (can the request be satisfied), connection and
disconnection, and abnormal terminations. The log file also records
IP addresses, port numbers, and process ID information to enable the
server administrator to determine which processes belong to which
users.

To specify a log file, enter "log=<filepath>" in the command line

when you start your Forms Server. For example, on Windows NT, go to
Start --> Run and then enter:

f60srv32 log=c:\temp\f60srv.log

On Unix, enter:
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f60ctl log=/temp/f60srv.log

If no log file is specified in the command line, the messages

produced by the Forms Server will not be written to anywhere.

3.8 Upgrading Menus

To upgrade a SQL*Menu 5.0 module, you must first convert it using
Oracle Developer Release 1.x (Forms 4.5). When this is completed,
you will be able to open it using Oracle Developer 6.0.

3.9 ActiveX (OCX) Controls

3.9 Menu Separator Labels

You can no longer use the Set_Menu_Item_Property built-in to set a
menu separator label.

3.9.1 Support for ActiveX (OCX) Controls

As a container for ActiveX (OCX) controls and OLE2 objects, Oracle
Developer conforms to the standard published by Microsoft. Oracle
will support the use of any ActiveX control or OLE2 server that
conforms to this standard and that provides a standard IStorage
interface and a standard Automation interface. We will investigate
reported problems with any such ActiveX control and will provide
timely fixes in accordance with Support contracts where the problem
is found to be with our implementation of the published interface.

Note however, that some third-party control do not conform strictly

to the published standard and, therefore, may not work correctly in
Oracle Developer. Oracle cannot guarantee to support the use of such
controls, even if they appear to work correctly in other OLE2 or
ActiveX containers such as Visual Basic.

Also,the ActiveX(OCX) controls must have an ASCII interface not a

UNICODE interface.

3.9.2 Implementing ActiveX (OCX) Controls

In order to help you decide which ActiveX controls to implement into
your applications, we have provided a list of controls which we have
tested with Oracle Developer in section 4.10.3. We have also
provided a list of controls which we recommend you use should you
choose to implement ActiveX controls. These lists are not, by any
means, exclusive lists of supported controls. This list is in
section 2.9.4.
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3.9.3 Tested Controls

Vendor Control Name
--------- ---------------------------------
Crescent cscal32.ocx
cslist32.ocx
Dameware cal32.ocx
infotick.ocx
netlist.ocx
Farpoint btn32x10.ocx
tab32x10.ocx
ss32x25.ocx
Oracle mmvx32.ocx
mmix32.ocx
mmtx32.ocx
r30sxv32.ocx
ProtoView pvmarq.ocx
pvfntsel.ocx
pvshape.ocx
pvprgbar.ocx
pvline.ocx
pvdial.ocx
pvtext.ocx
pvcurr.ocx
pvmask.ocx
pvmltbtn.ocx
pvdate.ocx
pvpict.ocx
pvdate2.ocx
pctime.ocx
pvcalctl.ocx
pvxplore.ocx
pvnum.ocx
pvido32.ocx
pvtree.ocx
dtbl32.ocx
pvbutton.ocx
Sheridan sstabs32.ocx
sscala32.ocx
sscalb32.ocx

3.9.4 Recommended Controls

Of the controls listed above, we recommend the following. These
controls are included on the Oracle Open Tools Initiative CD.

Protoview Controls
pvmarq.ocx pvfntsel.ocx
pvshape.ocx pvprgbar.ocx
pvline.ocx pvdial.ocx
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pvtext.ocx pvcurr.ocx
pvmask.ocx pvmltbtn.ocx
pvdate.ocx pvpict.ocx
pvdate2.ocx pctime.ocx
pvcalctl.ocx pvxplore.ocx
pvnum.ocx pvido32.ocx
pvtree.ocx dtbl32.ocx
pvbutton.ocx

Note: We strongly recommend that you do not write your own

ActiveX(OCX) controls.

4 R e p o r t B u i l d e r

4.1 Clustering
Clusterconfig is the configuration of slave servers to the master
server. Clustering allows you to run reports on multiple Reports
Servers. The master server can identify available slave servers and
start their engines as needed. You can set up many servers as slaves
to the master server.

Syntax
In the master server configuration file:
clusterconfig="(server=server_name minengine=0 maxengine=1
initengine=1
cachedir=m:\cache)"

Note: The entire parameter value must be surrounded by double

quotation marks. Each slave server definition must be surrounded by
parentheses.

See the Oracle Developer Server Configuration document (ODCFG.HTM)

for more information on the values associated with the clusterconfig
parameter.

4.2 Undocumented Server Configuration Parameters

Failnotefile
Failnotefile is path and file name of the notification message
template for jobs that fail to run.

Succnotefile
Succnotefile is the path and file name of the notification message
template for jobs that run successfully.
Page 8 Tuesday, October 13, 1998 9:46am

4.3 Integrating Report Builder with Oracle Express

4.3.1 Configuring your .ORA files

In order for Report Builder to make external callouts to Oracle
Express, your TNSNAMES.ORA,SQLNET.ORA, and LISTENER.ORA files must
contain the following entries:

TNSNAMES.ORA
------------
extproc_connection_data.world =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS =
(PROTOCOL = IPC)
(KEY = EXTPROC%ORACLE_HOME_ID%)
)
(CONNECT_DATA = (SID = extproc)
)
)

SQLNET.ORA
----------
names.default_domain = world
name.default_zone = world
automatic_ipc = off

LISTENER.ORA
------------
PASSWORDS_LISTENER= (oracle)

STARTUP_WAIT_TIME_LISTENER = 0

LISTENER =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = oracle.world))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = ORCL))
(ADDRESS = (COMMUNITY = NMP.world)(PROTOCOL = NMP)(SERVER =
YourServer)(PIPE = ORAPIPE))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(Host = <my machine>)(Port = 1521))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(Host = <my machine>)(Port = 1526))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(Host = 127.0.0.1)(Port = 1521))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL=IPC)(KEY=EXTPROC %ORACLE_HOME_ID%))
)

CONNECT_TIMEOUT_LISTENER = 10

SID_LIST_LISTENER =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(GLOBAL_DBNAME = <my machine>)
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(SID_NAME = ORCL)
)
(SID_DESC =
(SID_NAME = extproc)
(PROGRAM = extproc)
)
)

TRACE_LEVEL_LISTENER = 0

Note: The TNS listener must also be running even if 8.0.5 is

installed on the same machine as Oracle Developer, and you're not
connecting to the DB via Sql*Net.

4.3.2 Error ORA-28575 When Creating a Report from Express Server

This error occurs when the default TNSNAMES.ORA file (which was
created when you installed Oracle8) is overwritten. To work around
this error, add the following entry to your TNSNAMES.ORA file:

extproc_connection_data.world =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS =
(PROTOCOL = IPC)
(KEY = EXTPROC%ORACLE_HOME_ID%)
)
(CONNECT_DATA = (SID = extproc)
)
)

4.3.3 Dimension Sorting

If you are using Report Builder with Oracle Express, you may want to
take advantage of dimension sorting. For an example of dimension
sorting in Report Builder, open the following example report and
PL/SQL library:

%ORACLE_HOME%/report60/demo/bitmap/expdcsrt.rdf
%ORACLE_HOME%/report60/demo/bitmap/expdcsrt.pll

4.4 Using REPORTS30_OWSNODIAG to disable debugging

Setting REPORTS30_OWSNODIAG to yes (or to any other value),
disables all debugging/diagnostic output from R30OWS (e.g.,
http://your_webserver/r30ows/help? will not work).

5 P r o c e d u r e B u i l d e r
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5.1 Editor Tab Size (Windows Only)

To set the tab size in the Program Unit or Stored Program Unit
editor, create the registry entry DE60_PREFS_TABSIZE and assign it a
value between 2 and 100.

If you use a value outside this range or if you do not set the tab
size environment variable, the value will default to 2.

You must restart Procedure Builder for the tab size value to take
effect.