Basics of Oracle Forms

What is the difference between Pre-Form and When-New-Form-Instance trigger?

Pre-Form trigger will be fired before entering into the form. It is the first trigger that fires
when a form is run; fires before the form is visible. It is useful for setting access to form items,
initializing global variables, and assigning unique primary key from an Oracle sequence.
When-New-Form-Instance trigger will be fired whenever form is ready to accept the data from
the user.
Another main difference between the two is that you cannot navigate in a pre-from trigger
(restricted) whereas you can navigate in a when-new-form-instance trigger. For example :
go_block and execute-query will only work in when-new-form-instance trigger not in prefrom trigger.
What are the triggers fired while creating Master Detail form?
On-Clear-Details (Form Level)
On-Populate-Details (Block Level)
On-Check-delete-Master (Block Level)
How will you get the block Name in a form?
By using SYSTEM.CURRENT_BLOCK
What is the difference between Pre-insert and On-insert trigger?
Pre-insert trigger fires during the Post and Commit Transactions process, before a row is
inserted. It fires once for each record that is marked for insert. On-insert trigger fires during
the Post and Commit Transactions process when a record is inserted. Specifically, it fires after
the Pre-Insert trigger fires and before the Post-Insert trigger fires, when Form Builder would
normally insert a record in the database. It fires once for each row that is marked for insertion
into the database.
What is the difference between Pre-Query and Post-Query trigger?
Pre-Query trigger validates the current query criteria or provide additional query criteria
programmatically, just before sending the SELECT statement to the database. Post-Query
trigger perform an action after fetching a record, such as looking up values in other tables
based on a value in the current record. It fires once for each record fetched into the block.
What is the trigger sequence while opening a form?
Pre-Form,
Pre-Block,
Pre-Record,

Pre-Item,
When-new-form-Instance,
When-new-block-Instance,
When-new-Record-instance,
When-new-Item-instance,
Post-item,
post-record,
Post-block,
Post-form
What is the difference between new form, open form & call form?
New_form:-Once we move into the destination automatically source will be closed.
Open_form:- It is a two way connection between source and destination. Opens the indicated
form. Use OPEN_FORM to create multiple-form applications, that is, applications that open
more than one form at the same time.
Call_form:- Call_form() runs an indicated form while keeping the parent form active. Without
closing the destination one cannot come back to the source.
How to call a Report from a form?
By using RUN_PRODUCT Built-in.
Can we write Commit statement in forms triggers?
Yes
What is the usage of an ON-INSERT,ON-DELETE and ON-UPDATE TRIGGERS ?
These triggers are executes when inserting, deleting and updating operations are performed
and can be used to change the default function of insert, delete or update respectively.
A query fetched 10 records. How many times does a PRE-QUERY Trigger and POSTQUERY Trigger will get executed ?
PRE-QUERY fires once. POST-QUERY fires 10 times.
How can you execute the user defined triggers in forms?
To execute a user-named trigger, you must call the EXECUTE_TRIGGER built-in procedure,
as shown here: Execute_Trigger(my_user_named_trigger);

What are Restricted Built-in Subprograms in forms?

Any built-in subprogram that initiates navigation is restricted. This includes subprograms that
move the input focus from one item to another, and those that involve database transactions.
Restricted built-ins are not allowed in triggers that fire in response to navigation.
For example, the GO_ITEM and NEXT_SET built-ins are both restricted procedures.
GO_ITEM moves the input focus from a source item to a target item, which requires
navigation. Similarly, the NEXT_SET procedure causes Oracle Forms to navigate internally to
the block level, fetch a set of records, and then navigate to the first item in the first record.
(Note that this navigation happens internally as a result of default processing, and may not be
apparent to the form operator.) Because GO_ITEM and NEXT_SET both initiate navigation,
they cannot be called from triggers that fire in response to internal navigational events; that is,
triggers that fire while navigation is already occurring. Thus, a restricted procedure cannot be
called from a Pre-Block trigger, because the Pre-Block trigger fires during internal navigation.
In fact, restricted subprograms are not allowed from any PRE- or POST- navigational triggers.
You can, however, call a restricted built-in subprogram from a When-New-Instance trigger.
For example, the When-New-Item-Instance trigger fires after navigation to an item has
succeeded, when the form is waiting for input.
What are System Variables in forms?
A system variable is a Oracle Forms variable that keeps track of an internal Oracle Forms
state. You can reference the value of a system variable to control the way an application
behaves.
List system variables available in forms 10g?
SYSTEM.CURRENT_FORM
SYSTEM.CURRENT_ITEM
SYSTEM.CURRENT_VALUE
SYSTEM.CURSOR_BLOCK
SYSTEM.CURSOR_ITEM
SYSTEM.CURSOR_RECORD
SYSTEM.CURSOR_VALUE
SYSTEM.FORM_STATUS
SYSTEM.LAST_FORM
SYSTEM.LAST_QUERY

SYSTEM.LAST_RECORD
SYSTEM.MASTER_BLOCK
SYSTEM.MESSAGE_LEVEL
SYSTEM.SUPPRESS_WORKING..etc.
What are the triggers associated with the image item?
When-Image-activated(fires when the operator double clicks on an image Items)
When-image-pressed(fires when the operator selects or deselects the image item)
What are the built-in routines available in forms to create and manipulate a parameter
list?
Add_parameter
Create_Parameter_list
Delete_parameter
Destroy_parameter_list
Get_parameter_attr
Get_parameter_list
set_parameter_attr
What are the built-ins used to trapping errors in forms?
Error_type : Returns the error message type(character)
Error_code : Returns the error number
Error_text : Returns the message text of the Oracle Forms error
Dbms_error_code : Returns the error number of the last database error that was detected.
Dbms_error_text : Returns the message number (such as ORA-01438) and message text of the
database error
What is the predefined exception available in forms ?
The FORM_TRIGGER_FAILURE exception is a predefined PL/SQL exception available
only in Oracle Forms.

What are the Built-ins used for sending Parameters to forms?

You can pass parameter values to a form when an application executes the call_form,
New_form, Open_form or Run_product.
How do you reference a Parameter?
In pl/sql, You can reference and set the values of form parameters using bind variables syntax.
How do you reference a parameter indirectly?
To indirectly reference a parameter use the NAME_IN or COPY built-ins.
What is forms_DDL?
It issues dynamic sql statements at run time, including server side pl/sql and DDL
What is Text_io Package?
It allows you to read and write information to a file in the file system.
What is When-Database-Record trigger?
It fires when oracle forms first marks a record as an insert or an update. The trigger fires as
soon as oracle forms determines through validation that the record should be processed by the
next post or commit as an insert or update. It generally occurs only when the operator modifies
the first item in the record, and after the operator attempts to navigate out of the item.
What is the difference between $$DATE$$ & $$DBDATE$$?
$$DBDATE$$ retrieves the current database date
$$DATE$$ retrieves the current operating system date.
What is a timer?
Timer is a internal time clock that you can programmatically create to perform an action
each time the timer expires.
What are built-ins associated with timers?
find_timer
create_timer
delete_timer

What is the difference between post database commit and post-form commit?
Post-form commit fires once during the post and commit transactions process, after the
database commit occurs. The post-form-commit trigger fires after inserts, updates and deletes
have been posted to the database but before the transactions have been finalized in the issuing
the command. The post-database-commit trigger fires after oracle forms issues the commit to
finalized transactions.
What is the form development process?
a) open template form
b) Save as <your form>.fmb
c) Change the form module name as form name.
d) Delete the default blocks, window, and canvas
e) Create a window.
f) Assign the window property class to window
g) Create a canvas
h) Assign canvas property class to the canvas
i) Assign the window to the canvas and canvas to the window
j) Create a data block
k) Modify the form level properties. (sub class item Text item)
l) Modify the app_cusom package. In the program unit.
m) Modify the pre-form trigger (form level)
n) Modify the module level properties
o) Save and compile the form.
p) Place the .fmx in the server directory.
q) Register in the AOL
APPLICATION FORM FUNCTION MENU

What are the triggers that can be modified during Forms Customization?
Pre-Forms
When-New-Form-Instance
Query_Find
Post-Form
Key-Clrfrm
Accept
What are the triggers that cannot be modified during Forms Customization?
STANDARD_ATTACHMENT
ZOOM
FOLDER_ACTION
KEY-HELP
KEY-EXIT
KEY-COMMIT
WHEN-WINDOW_CLOSED
CLOSE_WINDOW