APEX Cheat Sheet

Karen Cannell

kcannell@integratc.com

www.odtug.com

About Me (Speaker Qualifications)

Karen Cannell ~ Principal
Analyzed, designed developed, converted, upgraded, enhanced and otherwise worked on database applications for 20+ years, focused on Oracle since 1994. Currently migrating business processes from paper to web-based systems, leveraging the Oracle 9i and 10g suite of tools. Lately APEX, Discoverer upgrades. VOLUNTEER for IOUG, ODTUG, Oracle Magazine. ODTUG Journal Sr. Technical Editor
Volunteer to author ODTUG Journal Articles!!

Using APEX since the HTMLDB beginning

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About You (Audience Background)

New to APEX? APEX Experience? Previous Tools? APEX Training? Version 3.1?

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Session Objectives
NOT an APEX How-To Session NOT an Advanced APEX Session Learn APEX syntax; Know what to use when and where Learn common tricks to customize APEX to your needs Accelerate your APEX learning curve

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Why an APEX Cheat Sheet?

APEX is a blend of technologies A Rapid Application Development tool
Lots of syntax .. Syntax sensitive .. Lots of wizards Wizards are OK, defaults are OK, but we need more Mix of languages: HTML, PL/SQL, JavaScript, XML ..

We dont intuitively know everything!

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What well Cover:

f?p syntax
Learning from APEX

Validation
APEX JavaScript

Case Referencing Items

& . #...# V and NV

Report tips
Edit Link Embed Link in Query

Item Types, Positions, Defaults Layout Control

Page Region Region Templates Alignment

Popup Windows Sending Mail Custom Authentication References

Customizations
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APEX 30-second Intro

Part of Database Fully Supported Browser-based no client install
HTTP Server

Rapid Web Development Tool Declarative Programming Wizards Wizards Wizards All Applications are HTML - no applet downloads

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Application Builder SQL Workshop Utilities

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APEX Demonstration

Quick APEX Demo ?

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f?p Syntax
URL Reference to an APEX page All APEX pages are f?p calls Two Parts:
Path to Server: http://<hostname>:<port>/apex/pls/... Call to PL/SQL Procedure F with Parameter P
/f?p=<AppId:Page:Session:Request:Debug:ClearCache: Item Name:Value(s):PrinterFriendly>

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f?p URL

http://hostname:port/pls/ape x/

f?p=4000:4001:<session id>::NO:4001:FB_FLOW_ID:700

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f?p Part 1: Address to APEX Server

http://<hostname>:<port>/pls/apex/...
http:// hostname :port /pls /apex Host name Port number, usually 7777, 7778, 7779 Path to modplsql Name of the PL/SQL DAD used in APEX configuration. Apex is the default per configuration guide

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f?p Part 2: F Call and P Parameter

F is an APEX PL/SQL procedure that renders APEX pages Single parameter P P is a concatenation of 9 arguments: AppId :Page :Session :Request :Debug : ClearCache :Items :Values :PrinterFriendly
f?p=4000:4001:<session id>::NO:4001:FB_FLOW_ID:700
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f?p: parameter P args

Argument Definition Application identifier or alias Page number or alias Usage
APP_ID, APP_ALIAS Page number or alias, or use APP_PAGE_ID to reference the current page APP_SESSION or SESSION

App Id Page

Session Request Debug Clear Cache Item Name(s) Item Value(s) Printer Friendly

Session identifier HTTP page request Debug flag Clear cache for the listed page(s) Item names to pass to the page Item values to correspond to item names Printer Friendly flag
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The actual request: GO SAVE, ADD. YES, NO or DEBUG Page numbers or page alias, or APP to clear all P1_ITEM, P2_ITEM :P1_ITEM, :P2_ITEM or &P1_ITEM. &P2_ITEM. YES, NO or PRINTER_FRIENDLY

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f?p P Parameter String

Arguments Must be In Order Colon : to Separate Arguments Can Omit Arguments will Default Use : to Maintain Position If All Remaining Args are Default, can Omit
f?p=550::::::

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P = string of arguments
f?p=

AppId : Page : Session : Request : Debug : ClearCache : ItemNames : Values : PrinterFriendly

All Programmers Smartly Request Double Cash In Virtual Programs

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f?p Examples
Part of a URL:
http://tunahuntress.tunahunter.com:7777/pls/apex/f?p=710:6:361726 3641284922::NO::P6_COMMITTEE_CODE:459

Translates to:
Render page 6 of application 710 for the current session, no debug, using 459 as the value of P6_COMMITTEE_CODE

and looks like

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f?p Example APEX URL Target

In HTML, as in an APEX URL Target:
<a href= f?p=(&APP_ID.:12:&APP_SESSION.::NO::P12_COMMITTEE_C ODE, P12_COMMITTEE_NAME:&P10_COMMITTEE_CODE., &P10_COMMITTEE_NAME.)> A link to the current app, page 12, the current session, no debug, setting p12_committee_code and p12_committee_name with the values of p10_committee_code and p10_committee_name.

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f?p Example APEX URL Target

Javascript PopupURL
javascript:popupURL('f?p=&APP_ID.:46: &APP_SESSION.::NO::P46_MEMBERID: &P44_MEMBERID.');

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Learn APEX from APEX

APEX Import Utility
Import <APEX install dir>/builder/f4000.sql (f4050.sql,f4155.sql,f4300.sql,f4411.sql ) On Install:
Renumber App Change Alias

Inspect Only (Cannot run)

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About CASE APEX is picky

APEX passwords ARE case sensitive! APEX item names work in either case, uppercase or lower. Reference to substitution strings should be in UPPERCASE
:APP_ID &SESSION. PRINTER_FRIENDLY.

Button name references should match case

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Referencing Items 6 ways!

Bind Variable :P1_ITEM Substitution String &P1_ITEM. PL/SQL value function V(P1_ITEM) or NV(P1_ITEM) Direct PL/SQL APEX_APPLICATION.G_FLOW_ID Template Substitution #P1_ITEM#
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Bind Variable
:P1_ITEM Within SQL, PL/SQL, Page Processes, Validations, Computations Most frequently used

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Substitution
&P1_ITEM. Use in APEX element, f?p and HTML references

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Substitution Syntax - Example

In the Messages Dialog of a Process:
Demo Email sent to &P2_EMAILADDRESS.

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V and NV Functions
V(P1_ITEM) and NV(P1_NUMBER) Use within PL/SQL modules Current session only
Do not work in spawned/background jobs

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V and NV Caution
Not DETERMINISTIC Potential Performance Impact
SELECT x,y,z FROM abc WHERE x = V(P1_ITEM) Executes once for each row of abc

Wrapper for V and NV Drop-in replacement available from Inside-Apex Blog at:
http://inside-apex.blogspot.com/2006/12/drop-in-replacement-forv-and-nv.html thanks Patrick!
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Template Substitution
#P1_ITEM# Page, Region and Report Templates Use to customize your own templates Be aware of #...# to understand APEX templates, button, nav bar, default region placement

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Template Substitution - Example

<table class="t12FormRegion" id="#REGION_ID#" summary=""> <tr><td class="t12Header">#TITLE#</td></tr> <tr><td class="t12ButtonHolder">#CLOSE##PREVIOUS##NEXT##DELETE##EDI T##CHANGE##CREATE##HELP#</td></tr> <tr><td class="t12Body">#BODY#</td></tr> <tr><td><img src="#IMAGE_PREFIX#themes/theme_12/t.gif" width="400" Template Substitution default placement for Region height="1"></td></tr> Buttons </table>
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Direct
APEX_APPLICATION.G_<name> Used in PL/SQL, similar to V and NV Current session only
Do not work in spawned/background jobs

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What to Use When

:Bind variables in SQL, Page Processes, Validations, Computations &__. Substitution In HTML V and NV or APEX_APPLICATION in PL/SQL #TEMPLATE# in page, region, report and other templates.

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Syntax Examples
HTML anchor in Header, Footer or HTML Region:
<a href=f?p=&APP_ALIAS.:4:&APP_SESSION.>Click here for Page 4</a>

PL/SQL htf.anchor:
htf.anchor(f?p=||APEX_APPLICATION.G_FLOW_ID||:4:||V(APP_SESSION),Click for Page 4); or htf.anchor(f?p=||V(APP_ID)||:4:||V(APP_SESSION),Click for Page 4);

Anchor in a SQL Query:

SELECT <a href=f?p=||:APP_ID||:4:'||:APP_SESSION||>Click for Page 4</a> FROM DUAL;

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Item Type, Position and Default

Item Types Position Options User Interface Defaults Know the Defaults ... Then Know How to Adjust

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Item Types APEX defaults

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Some Different Item Types

File Browse Multi Select Shuttle Stop/Start Table Text Area w/Counter, Spellcheck, HTML Editor

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Advanced Item Types

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Item Position Settings

Use the Displayed settings to adjust item placement relative to other items on the page
New Line Yes Field Yes ColSpan 1 RowSpan 1

New Line No Field No ColSpan 1 RowSpan 1

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Drag and Drop Item Layout

Access from Items element

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Drag and Drop Item Interface

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User Interface Defaults

Use them! Tedious now or later. Shared Components User Interface User Interface Defaults By Table or View Defines Defaults for Reports and Forms Grid or Individual Element Access

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User Interface Defaults

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Layout Control
Page Region Region Templates Know the Defaults ... Then Know How to Adjust

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Page Regions
Will vary slightly from theme to theme Region Position for Sidebar Note template Substitution Strings If you dont like it Edit the Template!

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Region Templates
Will vary slightly from theme to theme Edit as you like

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Region Templates
alt. theme

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Forcing Alignment
Regions
Specifically set Height and Width
<table height=400 width=400><tr><td>

and close with

</td></tr></table>

Use a Spacer image to force height or width

<img src="#IMAGE_PREFIX#/1px_trans.gif" width="355" height="0">

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Forcing Region Alignment

Spacer (pixel) image in header, footer, source

Img src=#IMAGE_PREFIX#/1px_trans.gif width =355 height=0>

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Forcing Item Alignment

Use the HTML Form Element Attributes field: Select Lists
style=width:80;

Form Fields
style=width:80;

Set other Item attributes:

style=text-transform:uppercase; onFocus=javascript:this.maxlength=30;
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Force Item Alignment, Attributes

Text Area:
Set height, width, a scrollbar and force the data to Uppercase
style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10px; height:50px;width:300px;overflow:auto;" onBlur="javascript:{this.value = this.value.toUpperCase(); }"

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Customizations
Header Logo Corporate Interface / Look-and-Feel

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Header Logo or Text

Application Edit Attributes Definition Logo.

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Corporate User Interface

Yes, Is Doable Best Reference:
Cloning your Corporate UI with HTML DB blog series at http://www.orablogs.com/scott/archives/001189.html Scott Spendolini

My Experience: 1 Hour to Useable, 4+ for all page templates complete with substitution tags Advice: Go for It weighing costs, of course.
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To Change Default Templates

Application Shared Components Create/Edit Theme Here can edit all default templates Themes

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Validations
APEX JavaScript

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Validations - APEX
Item or Page Level NOT NULL, String Comp, Reg Exp, SQL, PL/SQL

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Validations - JavaScript
In HTML Form Element Attributes field

Not a JavaScript wiz? Search online

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JavaScript Example - SSN

In HTML Form Element Attributes:
onBlur="javascript:SSNValidation(this.value);

Function goes in the Page Header, or, in an include file that contains all the JavaScript for the page.

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JavaScript function in Header

function SSNValidation(ssn) { var matchArr = ssn.match(/^(\d{3})-?\d{2}-?\d{4}$/); var numDashes = ssn.split('-').length - 1; if (matchArr == null || numDashes == 1) { alert('Invalid SSN. Must be 9 digits or in the form NNNNN-NNNN.'); msg = "does not appear to be valid"; } else if (parseInt(matchArr[1],10)==0) { alert("Invalid SSN: SSN's can't start with 000."); msg = "does not appear to be valid"; } }
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Reports
Edit Link URL(f?p) in SQL Query Interactive Reports (3.1)

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Report Edit Link

Report Region Region Attributes Column Link

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Embed Link in SQL Query - example

Embed a link in SQL Query
SELECT http://www.ioug.org/open_link.cfm? OPEN, MEMBER_ID, LAST_NAME, SELECT f?p( ) PLINK, MEMBER_ID, LAST_NAME,

The link is now part of your report. Too Simple!

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Interactive Reports
Includes a Select Bar and an Action Bar Settings are Options in Report Attributes

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Select Dropdown

Action Bar

Link to Single Row Page

Custom Edit Button

(in Query, not part of IR)

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Interactive Reports - Limitations

Single Template
Customize by CSS only (no template edits)

One IR per page Cannot be an Updateable Report

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Popup Options
APEX JavaScript built-in popupURL
javascript:popupURL('f?p=&APP_ID.:46:&SESSION.:: NO::P46_MEMBERID:&P44_MEMBERID.');

Build Custom Popup Page

OTN APEX How-To Build Custom Popup Pages http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/ application_express/howtos/how_to_create_custom _popups.html

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Build Custom Popup - steps

Build Calling Form Page Build Popup Page Add JavaScript to call the Popup Page, passing values as needed Add Popup Link or Button Add JavaScript to Popup Page to pass values back
See the How-To for Syntax details!
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Sending Email
Configure Email Server Settings HTMLDB_MAIL package HMTLDB_MAIL.SEND HTMLDB_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE

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Environment Settings

SMTP Mail Server

Set by the APEX Administrator for the installation

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APEX_MAIL.SEND
APEX_MAIL.SEND ( p_to IN VARCHAR2, p_from IN VARCHAR2, p_body IN VARCHAR2 | CLOB, p_body_html IN VARCHAR2 | CLOB, p_subj IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT NULL, p_cc IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT NULL, p_bcc IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT NULL);

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APEX_MAIL.SEND - Function
v_mail_id := APEX_MAIL.SEND ( p_to IN VARCHAR2, p_from IN VARCHAR2, p_body IN VARCHAR2 | CLOB, p_body_html IN VARCHAR2 | CLOB, p_subj IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT NULL, p_cc IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT NULL, p_bcc IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT NULL);

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APEX_MAIL - Example
DECLARE l_body_html varchar2(4000); lv_tolist varchar2( 2000) := joedba@yourcompany.com; BEGIN l_body_html := '<p> || To view matching KALEIDOSCOPE Contacts click the link: </p>'|| '<a href="http://tunahuntress.tunahunter.com:7777|| '/f?p=550:33:::::||'P33_REPORT_SEARCH:'||:P1_LAST|| '">View KALEIDOSCOPE Contacts</a></p>'; APEX_MAIL.SEND( P_TO => lv_tolist, P_FROM => :P1_EMAIL, P_BODY => l_body_html, P_BODY_HTML => l_body_html, P_SUBJ => 'New Mail Message from APEX; END;
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APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE
Mail Queue Sent Pushed every 10 min. PUSH_QUEUE to send immediately
APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE( p_smtp_hostname IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT, p_smtp_portno IN NUMBER DEFAULT);

APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE; Useful for Debugging No Wait

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APEX Mail Attachments

Not possible via APEX_MAIL til APEX 3.1 Can do via UTL_SMTP or Java Stored Procedure See OTN APEX Forum thread
http://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?message ID=1383936

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APEX_MAIL.ADD_ATTACHMENT
APEX_MAIL.ADD_ATTACHMENT( p_mail_id IN NUMBER, p_attachment IN BLOB, p_filename IN VARCHAR2, p_mime_type IN VARCHAR2);

Use function version of APEX_MAIL.SEND to return a mail id. Query filename from APEX_APPLICATION_FILES Add multiple attachments by multiple ADD_ATTACHMENT calls

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APEX Mail Attachments - Example

DECLARE l_id number; BEGIN l_id := APEX_MAIL.SEND( p_to => 'fred@flintstone.com', p_from => 'barney@rubble.com', p_subj => 'APEX_MAIL with attachment', p_body => 'Please review the attachment.', p_body_html => '<b>Please</b> review the attachment' ); FOR c1 IN (SELECT filename, blob_content, mime_type FROM APEX_APPLICATION_FILES WHERE ID IN (123,456)) loop -APEX_MAIL.ADD_ATTACHMENT( p_mail_id => l_id, p_attachment => c1.blob_content, p_filename => c1.filename, p_mime_type => c1.mime_type); END LOOP; COMMIT; END;

Example from APEX User Guide

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Custom Authentication
Custom Authentication Wizard Most defaults are OK
Page Sentry function (here or redirect?) Session Verify function (valid session?) Invalid Session Target (where to go if failed login) Pre-Authentication (cookies? audits?) Authentication Process

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Custom Authentication, contd

Authentication Process:
Boolean function 2 parameters: Username, Password
return authenticate_kaleidoscope_user; NO arguments in the call!

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Final Words
SAVE OFTEN Apply Changes Business Logic in Packages Export Periodically (a simple backup!)

Apply Sound Development Practices

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APEX Resources
APEX Forum
http://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=137

APEX Studio
http://apex.oracle.com/i/index.html

APEX OTN Technology Center

http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_e xpress/index.html

Oracle Metalink
http://metalink.oracle.com
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APEX Resources, contd

Blogs, Blogs and More Blogs
Scott Spendolini:
http://spendolini.blogspot.com and the older http://blogs.oracle/com/scott

Carl Backstrom: http://carlback.blogspot.com APEX Blogs

John Scott, http://jes.blogs.shellprompt.net/ Dimitri Gielis, http://dgielis.blogspot.com/ Mark Swetz http://marcsewtz.blogspot.com/index.html Denes Kubicek, http://deneskubicek.blogspot.com/ Dietmar Aust, http://daust.blogspot.com/ Patrick Wolf Inside APEX. http://inside-apex.blogspot.com and the ApexLib add-on at http://apexlib.sourceforge.net

and more blogs off of these! Many thanks to Mike ,Joel ,Raj, David
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APEX Resources, contd

Textbooks Oracle HTMLDB Handbook, Develop and Deploy Fast,
Secure Web Applications by Bradley Brown, Lawrence Linnemeyer, Oracle Press, 2006.

Easy Oracle HTML-DB, Create Dynamic Web Pages with

Oracle by Michael Cunningham and Kent Crotty, Rampant Press, 2006.

Pro Application Express by John Scott, Scott

Spendolini Coming Soon!

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Share Your Knowledge !

Call for Articles/Reviewers
ODTUG Journal IOUG SELECT Journal

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Questions ?
APEX Cheat Sheet

KarenCannell
kcannell@integratc.com
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Thank You ~
APEX Cheat Sheet
KarenCannell
kcannell@integratc.com
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