ISBN: 0-9761573-1-4 ISBN 13 978-0976157311 Library of Congress Number: 2005928016 400 pages  Perfect bind - 9x7 Publication Date: March 2006 Shelving:  Databases/Oracle Easy Oracle Series # 3   Easy HTML-DB Oracle Application Express Create Dynamic Web Pages with Apex Michael Cunningham & Kent Crotty Retail Price $39.95 /  £29.95 Order now and get online access to the code depot! Only $27.95 (30% off)         Key Features   About the Authors Table of Contents Index   Reader Comments Errata         Get the Oracle Developer Pack Six for $79.95 - A $145.00 value Easy Oracle Application Express (HTML-DB) $39.95 Oracle 10g Reference Poster $8.95 Oracle Backup & Recovery Scripts download $16.95 Oracle PHP: Create web pages with Oracle $27.95 Oracle PL/SQL Programming $16.95 Oracle PL/SQL Tuning $34.95 Oracle Application Express (Apex, formerly called HTML DB) is one of the most exciting web application development tools on the market and this is the first and best HTML-DB Application express book. HTML-DB Application Express is a true Rapid Application Development environment that can take an idea from concept to a working production level application in a very short period of time and this book can help. This unique book provides easy step-by-step examples to guide you through the various features and removes the guesswork from learning Oracle HTML DB Application Express. This book describes the techniques necessary to build Easy HTML DB Apex applications, and shows working examples of HTML DB database access from the simple web page population to the complex database transaction enforcing multi-user concurrency. This book is unique because it describes all HTML DB Application Express concepts in an easy to understand language and contains step-by-step working examples of various HTML DB features. The HTML-DB Application Express book shows the when, where, why, and how of using each feature to build and deploy your web applications. It is designed for any Oracle professional including DBA's, application developers, Network Engineers and IT managers.     * See ready-to-use examples for creating HTML-DB applications * Learn step-by-step examples of HTML-DB data access and document formatting * Create dynamic web content with HTML-DB Application Express * See real-world techniques for managing Oracle HTML with DTD definitions * Understand how to update Oracle HTML-DB Application Express * Learn the best practices for developing HTML-DB Application Express (Apex) systems to improve productivity, performance, and security * Learn how to customize your application with Themes and CSS * Learn how to package your HTML-DB Apex system for easy deployment. * See Rapid Application Development techniques to create Oracle applications, fast About the Authors: Kent Crotty   Kent Crotty is Oracle Certified DBA and a graduate of the University of Maryland.  He is an IT professional with over 15 years in a variety of roles ranging from Programmer/Analyst (developer) to Systems and Database Administrator.  Kent is instrumental in developing complex Oracle systems architectures and specializes on web-based Oracle applications.  Kent is a well-rounded Oracle DBA with a broad range of experience and skills.         Michael Cunningham Michael Cunningham has been a Software Engineer and DBA working with Oracle for over 11 years. He has worked as technical consultant on applications ranging from Insurance to Biological/Chemical Analysis. Michael currently works as a DBA for an Insurance company in Northern California. Michael lives in the Napa Valley with his wife and two daughters and they love to travel around the country in their motor home – and drink wine, of course.   Table of Contents: Section I - Introduction, Installation, and Configuration The components that make up the HTML DB development environment. CHAPTER 1 - Installing Oracle HTTP Server CHAPTER 2 - Installing HTML DB Installation of HTML DB version 1.6 Upgrading to HTML DB version 1.6.1 CHAPTER 3 - HTML DB Basic Administration I Just the basics - a brief demonstration of getting started with HTML DB. More in depth information will be provided in a later chapter. Creating a workspace in manual mode, simple, just enough to continue with examples in the book Section II - Getting to Know HTML DB CHAPTER 4 - Oracle HTML-DB Data Workshop Importing Data Exporting Data CHAPTER 5 - HTML-DB SQL Workshop SQL Command Processor UI Defaults Explain Plan Browsing Database Objects Query by example Scripts CHAPTER 6 - Learning the HTML DB Application Builder Application Attributes Pages      Regions      Page Rendering      Regions      Buttons      Items      Computations      Processes Page Processing      Computations      Validations      Processes      Conditional Processing      Branches Shared Components      Application Level Items      Tabs      List of Values (LOV)      Menus      Lists      Theme      Templates      Security      Navigation Bar  Wizards Utilities CSS and Image Files Export/Import   Section III - Building Applications CHAPTER 7 - Creating Web Pages with HTML DB Forms Reports Charts Buttons Items List of Values (LOVs) Calendars Shortcuts Java CHAPTER 8 - Navigation Buttons Tabs NavBar Breadcrumb Menus Trees Section IV - Advanced CHAPTER 9 - Customizing HTML DB  Java Script  Themes     Copy, Customize  CSS  Templates     Copy, Modify     Substitution Strings CHAPTER 9- Application Deployment with Oracle HTML-DB Loading pictures and images Deploying your app to production Using Application Builder Utilities to Deploy Your App Export/Import CSS and Image Files The Export Repository CHAPTER 10- HTML DB Administration II Administration Home Service Administration Manage Engine Settings Workspace Provisioning Managing Requests Managing Workspaces Export Import Managing Users Security CHAPTER 11 - Tips and Tricks CHAPTER 12 - Debugging CHAPTER 13 - HTML DB API’s CHAPTER 14 - Best Practices Appendix Glossary Index

Index Topics:

#COLUMN_VALUE# #GLOBAL_NOTIFICATION# #IMAGE_PREFIX# #SUM_COLUMN_HEADER# A Activity Logs Add Rows to a Tabular Form Add rows to tabular form Alias Allowed Operations analysis pages Apache APP_ID APP_PAGE_ID Application Alias Application Builder Application Builder home page Application Home page Application Level Components application level processes Application Page Logging Application Page Reuse Application Status Applications Administration Exporting Importing Authorization Scheme Autocommit Automated Row Fetch Automated Row Fetch (DML) Automatic Row Fetch Automatic Row Processing Adding a Page Item to Automatic Row Processing (DML) B Best Practices Bind Variable bookmark Branches Creating Branching Branching Points Branching Types Breadcrumb Menu Creating Creating the Breadcrumb Region Break Formatting Bubble Text Build Status Button Attributes button positions Buttons Creating Multiple displayed among region items in a region position C Cache Clearing Caching Calendars creating customizing Cascading Style Sheets adding to the repository Exporting External CSS Importing included with HTLM DB Inline CSS Internal CSS ch_.sql ch_.sql ch_.sql ch_.sql ch_.sql ch_.sql ch_.sql ch_.sql ch_.txt Change Requests Managing character counter See Text Area Charts Creating SVG Checkboxes in Reports in session state clear_user_cache clearing cache Clearing Cache Collections Creating Selecting data from Working with COLSPAN Column Attributes Column Definition Column Formatting Column Link column positions Columns User Interface Defaults Companion CD Computation Type Item Value Computation Types PL/SQL Function Body SQL Expression SQL Query Static Assignment Computations After Footer After Header After Regions Before Footer Before Header Before Regions Computation Locations Computation Points Creating Error Messages Page Processing Page Rendering Concurrency Conditional Display Conference_RSVP.csv Configuration - Build Option Copy and Subscribe Copy From Application Copy Image copy_image_process.sql Create Branch Computations Validations Create an Application from a Spreadsheet Create Mode Create Processes create_checkbox_data.sql create_easy_document_table create_easy_image_table.sql Creating Workspace Creating a New Theme Creating Forms Creating Multiple Items CSS See Cascading Style Sheets CSS Class - in report columns CSS Style - in report columns CSV Output Customization Customized Option Name D DAD dads.conf Data Definition Language Data Manipulation Automated Row Fetch Data Validation Data Workshop Database Access Descriptor Database Action database dependencies for a page database design Date Picker Dates PICK_DATE_FORMAT_MASK DDL Exporting Importing death detection Debugging

Displaying Debug Information Default Properties Deployment Derive Item Source Developer Toolbar DHTML Lists Templates with Images Display Null Display Only Fields Display Position DML Fetch Mode Documents downloading Uploading Documets Creating an Upload Page Download Companion CD HTML DB drill down reports Dynamic LOV E Easy HTML DB Book application Easy Samples application easy_documents_report.sql easy_products_data.sql easy_region.css easy_region_template.txt easy_report_image.sql easydev EasyHTMLDB.pdf Edit Application Attributes Edit Links Hide Show Email Configuration encryptdad.bat encryptdad.sh Encryption PlsqlDatabasePassword Error Page template Events Page Processing Explain Plan Export Text Data XML Exporting Data F F Procedure File Browse... File Upload Troubleshooting Filter Criteria FLOWS_ FLOWS_FILES Forbidden Form Layout Form on a Table or View Form on a Table with Report Form Pagination Process Type Formatting a Date column Formatting a Numeric column From source each time item is displayed G Generating DDL get_cgi_env Global Notification H Headings Type Hello World Hidden Fields Highlighting Words in a Report Home Link Hosted Oracle Site hostname htf htf.anchor HTLM DB Source Code HTML Button HTML DB Logs HTML DB API HTML DB documentation HTML DB Packages HTMLDB_APPLICATION HTMLDB_COLLECTION HTMLDB_CUSTOM_AUTH HTMLDB_ITEM HTMLDB_MAIL HTMLDB_UTIL HTML DB repository HTML Expression Displaying an Image HTML Expressions HTML Header HTML Text htmldb_..zip htmldb_admin htmldb_application htmldb_book htmldb_item.checkbox htmldb_login HTMLDB_MAIL htmldb_mail.send htmldb_mail_push_queue HTMLDB_PUBLIC_USER htmldb_util.remove_sort_preferences htmldb_util.string_to_table htmldb_util.table_to_string HTTP HTTP Server Restart Stop All I ias-component Image Files Image Prefix IMAGE_DIR Images Creating page to display Display with HTML Expression Display with PL/SQL Exporting Referencing from repository Import Repository Spreadsheet Data Text Data XML Data Import an application Import/Export Inline Error Messages insert_document_process.sql Installing HTML DB Images Oracle HTTP Server pre-installation Item Containing Primary Key Column Value Item level validation Item Not Null Validation Item on Another Page Item on This Page Item Source Item String Comparison Item Value Computation Type J JavaScript #IMAGE_PREFIX# calling from a button calling onLoad in the repository on the file system L Link Label List Manager Lists Creating Creating a List Region DHTML Lists See DHTML Lists Lists of Values Logic Controls Logo

M Mail Log Mail Queue Manage Service Managing the Developers and Users Many-to-many Master Detail form Max Row Count maxlength for Tabular Form column mod_plsql Monitoring Moving a Page Item MSG_COPYRIGHT Multi Row Delete Multi Row Processes Multi Row Update Multiple Browsers Multiple Buttons Multiple Select Lists N Navigation Bar Creating displaying images in niagara_falls.jpg nobody NULLS and spaces Number of Rows (Item) O obfuscation dads.conf On Demand On New Instance OPMN opmnctl ORA- error Oracle HTTP Server Oracle Process Management Notification OracleOHS_HOMEProcessManager Output to Excel OWA_COOKIE OWA_UTIL P P procedure p_trace Page Page Definition Page Events View Page Groups Page HTML Body Attribute Page Items multiple edits Re-Sequencing Page level validation Page Locks Page Objects View Page Processing defined Events Page Rendering defined Page Zero pagination Pagination Scheme Parent Child Select Lists Parent Tabs Parsing Schema Password Fields PBL PICK_DATE_FORMAT_MASK PL/SQL Referencing session state PL/SQL Function Body Computation Type plsql_display_easy_image.sql plsql_shortcut.sql PlsqlDatabaseConnectString PlsqlDatabasePassword Encryption PlsqlDatabaseUsername PlsqlDocumentTablename Plural Name Post Element Text Preferences Primary Key Column print_cgi_env Printer Friendly Page template Process Points Application Level On Submit - After Computations and Validations On Submit - Before Computations and Validations Process Types Data Manipulation Form Pagination On Demand PL/SQL Reset Pagination Session State Processes After Footer After Header After Regions Before Footer Before Header Before Regions Processing Points Detailed Explanation Provisioning Public User Publish and Subscribe Q Query Builder Query By Example Quick Buttons R Radio Buttons Read Only Reference Types Refresh LOV Region HTML table cell attributes Region Name Region Source Region Types Regions Placement on page Regular Expression Report Attributes Report Export Report Link Report Pagination Report Wizard Reports Perfomance Conciderations Reset button Reset Preferences restartproc Restrict Access by IP Address Return Key Into Item Row Level Concurrency ROWSPAN Run and Build Application Run Application Only S schemas Schemas FLOWS_ FLOWS_FILES HTMLDB_PUBLIC_USER Script Repository Scripts Exporting Search Field Security Attributes Select Lists Returning URL redirect with Branch to Page with Redirect with Submit Service Requests Managing

Session State Administration and Management Processes Set Memory Cache On Display Set Memory Cache on Fetch set_focus.txt setFocus Shared Components defined Shortcuts SINCE Singular Name Site Specific Tasks Spread Sheet SQL Expression Computation Type SQL Injection SQL Loader SQL Query Computation Type SQL Report SQL Trace SQL Workshop SQL*Plus SQLPlus Standard Attributes Standard Tabs startall startproc Static Assignment Computation Type Static Files Exporting Importing Static LOV Stop and Start Table stopall stopproc stored procedures calling with multiple parameters String Substitutions Strip HTML Substitution String Substitution Strings #IMAGE_ID# used in a Report user defined SVG Charts Switching Themes T tab set Table Properties Tablespace HTMLDB Tabs Adding to Application Pages Editing Parent Tabs Standard Tabs Tabular Form Element Tabular Forms Adding a Column to Creating Tasks Site Specific Template Based Button Template Body Template Substitution Templates Creating a Page Template Creating a Region Template Template Classes Text Area character counter Text Area Fields Text Data Import Repository Text Field (always submits) Text Fields Themes Defaul Templates Exporting Importing Switching Themes tkprof tnsnames.ora TO_CHAR TO_DATE Trace Trees Creating Creating on Application Pages Troubeshooting Troubleshooting a Performance Problem Troubleshooting SQL Errors U uppercase URL f?p= explained p?n= explained URL Arguments User Interface Defauls User Interface Defaults Exporting user_dump_dest Users Creating V Valid Request Values validateLogin Validation Levels Validation Methods Item Not Null Item String Comparison PL/SQL - Expression PL/SQL – Function Returning … Regular Expression SQL - Exists SQL - Expression SQL – Not Exists Validations Create Multiple not null validations Creating Item level validation Page level validation Version Virtual Private Database VPD W wschools Web Services Process Type When more data found message Workspace Creating Manually Workspace Management Workspace Security Workspaces Creating Exporting Importing Removing viewing Existing Workspace to Schema Assignment WWV_FLOW.DEBUG WWV_FLOW.SHOW_ERROR_MESSAGE wwv_flow_file_objects$ WWV_FLOW_FILES

Reviews:

Thorough and well organized with great examples, July 19, 2006   Reviewer: JEFFREY M. HUNTER "Jeffrey M. Hunter" (Butler, PA) - See all my reviews    I am currently working on a project that requires Oracle Application Express (OAE) and was fortunate to have this book. Note that although the book's title indicates HTML-DB, it is based on the latest Oracle Application Express 2.0. The authors have done an exceptional job in providing great technical content along with useful examples. The major topics on OAE are covered in an organized fashion with well thought-out and accurate examples that the reader can immediately start applying to their environment. Within no time at all, readers can have a fully functionally OAE environment setup and configured to start building applications! When learning any new production, it is imperative to have a guide that can walk you through the basics of installation, setup and configuration. The book accomplishes this goal by providing in-depth steps that assume the reader has never seen OAE to having a secure and stable environment ready for creating their first web application in one easy to read chapter. Before creating that first application, however, the authors provide the basics an administrator would need to know like creating and configuring workspaces and users. Although a short chapter, it contains invaluable information to better understanding how to work in the OAE environment. Finally, the reader is shown the power of the wizards in OAE and will have the opportunity to create their first fully functional web application. By now, the reader should be comfortable working in the OAE framework. The remainder of the book continues by thoroughly explaining the Application Builder (where a developer will spend most of their time) along with creating forms and reports. Note that this book is not a guide on simply how to use the wizards. Much of the book is dedicated to understanding the OAE framework and how to build high-quality custom web applications. Much attention is given to shared components, navigation, templates and application deployment along with useful troubleshooting tips. I would, however, have liked to seen much more on security (authorization and authentication). The authors did a wonderful job covering the important concepts of OAE and organized it in an easy to follow guide. I highly recommend this book. ---------------------------- Jeffrey M. Hunter, OCP Sr. Database Administrator

 

A clear and concise coverage of basic functionality, June 6, 2006   Reviewer: teedub - See all my reviews This is a good book for the new or beginner application express developer. It tells the reader lots of useful stuff and omits the more esoteric and advanced functionality. The authors approach is to tell the reader what they are going to show, why they are going to show it and how it may be useful in the wider context, then they go ahead and demonstrate it. Thus the relevance of the text is pretty good. I feel that the books is best read cover-to-cover (not necessarily working through the examples on the first pass) so that the reader can get a good feel for the product and to give a good insight on how application express can and should be used (at least by the beginning user) The book is easy to read and flows well. Throughout there are useful snippets, such as how to set the max length for a tabular form column; they are often presented almost as throw-away lines so are at times, in my opinion, a bit too easy to miss. In addition, you can find references to checkboxes and radio buttons in the index. I could not give the book 5 stars because I am uneasy about technical books which do not explicitly give readers the means to contact the authors or publishers with feedback. No wonder the errata for this book is empty. There are at least a dozen errors, mainly issues with spelling, grammar, layout and misleading explanations. Also, for some reason the authors departed from their usual approach when they wrote the section on collections. The detail presented looks useful, but it is presented with no reference to where and how it can be used practically.

Excellent Resource, April 19, 2006   Reviewer: Mary Schilling (Florida) - See all my reviews    I am an OAE/Html DB application developer and confess to knowing the author. Since I was able to get a copy of the book in advance, I have been using it to train myself on some areas of OAE. It is very well written and can amazingly take you from knowing nothing about a subject into being able to use it quite adeptly by the end of a chapter. The examples are easy to follow and through the course of the book you build a robust, full-featured application.

VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!   Reviewer: John R. Vacca Do you want to build easy HTML DB applications? If you do, then this book is for you. Authors Michael Cunningham, Kent Crotty and Donald K. Burleson, have done an outstanding job of writing a cool book that provides easy step-by-step examples to guide you through the various features. Cunningham, Crotty and Burleson, begin by briefly explaining the installation of the Oracle HTTP Server. Then, the authors show you how to install the HTML DB engine and configure the dads.conf file so the Oracle HTTP Server and mod_plsql module can communicate with the database. Next, the authors show you how to build an application using a spreadsheet. They also describe many of the attributes that can be set for an application, application pages and page level components. The authors continue by covering information on HTML DB reports. Then, they cover a lot of information in regards to building forms. Next, the authors show you how to store images in a table named EASY_IMAGE. They then show you the various types of items that can be presented on a web page. The authors continue by covering several areas of HTML DB navigation. Then, they introduce the logic controls within HTML DB. Next, the authors show you how to use CSS to override a property in the HTML DB provided CSS files. They also cover how to Export and Import application components to deploy applications. The authors continue by covering Best Practices and Techniques. Then, they expose several troubleshooting techniques. Finally, the authors cover the HTML DB Application Programming Interface and provide some explanation of its uses. This most excellent book removes the guesswork from learning Oracle HTML DB. Perhaps more importantly, this book describes the techniques necessary to build easy HTML DB applications!

Worth the Wait!, April 18, 2006   Reviewer: R. Haden - See all my reviews    Immediately after reading this book, I began working with applications developed in an Oracle Application Express environment. The technical content and examples in the book provided me with the tools that I needed. The examples are progressive, so the novice OAE user can effectively practice their new skills! It's a true jumpstart!

Errata:

HTMLDB Book