Introduction To Form

Builder
Part C

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 Objectives
 Use Sequence to generate value in a form
 Create List Of Value (LOVs)

 Form items

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 Form Triggers

 PL/SQL procedure that runs in response to a user or

system action
 Clicking a button
 Loading a form
 Exiting a form
 Triggers can be associated with:
 An entire form (form level)
 A block (block level)
 A specific form item (item level)
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 Using Sequences to Generate
Primary Key Values
 Form can be set up to automatically retrieve next sequence
number and populate primary key field
 Form triggers respond to user events or system actions
 To create a trigger, specify:
 Trigger’s object (i.e. specific button)
 Trigger event (i.e. button press)
 Code that executes
 Use PRE-FORM event to perform action when form loads
 Use Triggers dialog box to create triggers for objects

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PL/SQL Editor

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Syntax Error in PL/SQL Editor

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 Creating Form Triggers
(continued)
 Triggers dialog box
 Shows all block events that can have associated
triggers
 Search using wildcards

 PL/SQL Editor
 Environment for writing, compiling, and editing
PL/SQL programs
 Source code pane
 Status line

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Triggers Dialog Box

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 Using Form Triggers

 Creating a trigger:
 select the form or form item event

 type the trigger code

 Referencing a form item in PL/SQL code:

 :block_name.item_name

 Triggers are compiled before a form is run

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 Using Sequences in Forms

 Create a block-level WHEN-CREATE-

RECORD trigger

 Trigger PL/SQL code:

SELECT sequence_name.NEXTVAL
INTO :block_name.item_name
FROM DUAL;

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LOV

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 Form Lists of Values (LOVs)

 List of legal values that can be selected for use

in a form field
LOV
command
button

LOV
display

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Creating a List of Values (LOV)
 Use a list of values (LOV) to eliminate user errors
 Pop-up list allows user to select value from list of
choices rather than typing
 User can open LOV by:
 Typing Ctrl-L with cursor in LOV text field
 Click Edit then Display List from Forms Services menu
 Clicking command button with attached trigger to open LOV
 LOV allows user to search for values using wildcards
 LOV data values come from a record group

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LOV Display

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 Creating an LOV
 To create LOV:
 Use LOV Wizard
 Manually create using Object Navigator

 LOV can contain one or more columns

 LOV appearance can be customized using
layout wizard
 Create a button on main form to launch LOV
using button tool, attach form trigger to button
that opens LOV

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Creating an LOV Using the LOV
Wizard
1. Use the LOV Wizard to:
 Specify the LOV display records using a
SQL query
 Format the LOV display
 Attach the LOV to a form text item
2. Change the LOV and record group name in
the Object Navigator

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 Opening the LOV Display
 Place the insertion point in the text item to
which the LOV is attached
 Press CTRL+L, or from Edit menu of the form
choose the option ‘Display List’

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LOV Command Button Trigger

 Create a trigger for the button that does

the following:
1. Places the form insertion point in the text item
to which the LOV is attached:
GO_ITEM(‘IN_VID’);

2. Executes the LIST_VALUES command:

LIST_VALUES;

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 Create an LOV
 Right-click anywhere in module
REGISTRATION and select LOV wizard
 Select record group based on a query

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 Create an LOV
 Type in a query that would retrieve all records from
table course (do not put a semi-column at the end)
 Here you will may be asked to log into the DB

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 Create an LOV
 Select all the columns that you want to appear in you
LOV

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 Create an LOV
 Specify the return value for COURSENAME field
 Return value is a field where the course name from your
LOV will be inserted

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 Create an LOV
 Specify title and dimensions
 Specify the number of rows displayed at once

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 Create an LOV
 Select COURSENAME as assigned value
 Complete your LOV

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 Create an LOV
 To test your LOV:
 Run the form
 Click on
CourseName field
 Press CTRL+L

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 Create an LOV control button
 Close your form in the
browser
 Return to the Form
buikder, Layout editor
 Click on the Control
Button item in the
toolbar on the left and
drag it to a desired
location on your
canvas
 Name your button
using Property palette

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 Create an LOV control button
 Right click on the button, and open PL/SQL editor
 Select Type – TRIGGER, Name –
WHEN_MOUSE_CLICKED
 Type in code the code below

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Alternate Form Input
Items
Radio buttons
Check boxes

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 Radio Buttons

 Limits user to one of two or more related,

mutually exclusive choices

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 Radio Groups

 Related radio buttons

are part of a radio
group

Radio group

Individual related
radio buttons

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 Creating Radio Buttons
 Radio buttons
 Represent data fields whose values must be one of
small set of mutually exclusive selections
 Exist within radio group

 Select item type in Layout Wizard

 Manually create radio buttons
 Use Radio Button tool

 Change properties using Property Palette

 Align edges using Align Objects dialog box

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 Creating a Radio Group

1. Create the form using the Data Block and Layout

Wizards
2. Open the item Property Palette, and change the
Item Type value to Radio Group
3. Draw and format the radio buttons on the canvas
4. Modify the radio button properties
5. Modify the radio group properties

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 Important Radio Button
Properties
Name: how the
button is
referenced
within the form

Label: description that

appears next to the
button on the canvas

Radio Button Value:

associated data value in
the database

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 Important Radio Group
Properties

Name: how the

radio group is
referenced
within the form

Initial Value: data value

of the radio button
within the radio group
that is selected when
the form first appears

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 Check Boxes
 Used to represent fields that can have one
of two values
 Check box caption is interpreted as TRUE
or FALSE
 If checked, caption is true
 If cleared, caption is false

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Check Box Example

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 Creating a Check Box

1. Create the form using the Data Block and

Layout Wizards
2. Open the item Property Palette, and change
the Item Type value to Check Box
3. Modify the item properties

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 Creating Check Boxes
 Check boxes
 Represent data values that can have only one of
two opposing values
 Label represents one value

 Value when Checked

 Value that will be saved in database if checkbox
checked
 Value when Unchecked

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 Important Check Box Properties

Label: description that

appears next to the check
box on the canvas

Value when Checked: data

value of the item when the
box is checked

Value when Unchecked:

data value of the item when
the box is checked

Check Box Mapping of

Other Values: check
box status when form
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 Convert Major into List Item
 In the Property palette, change item type to
list item

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Converting Major into a list item
 Add item values using the property palette

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