8.7 Working with Shared Components

8.7.2.1.1 Application Items

Application-level items do not display, but are used as global variables to the application. Commonly, you set the value of a page-level item using an application or page computations. See "Understanding Application-Level Items".

8.7.2.1.2 Application Processes

Use application processes to run PL/SQL logic:

• At specific points for each page in an application

• As defined by the conditions under which the process is set to execute

• Upon the creation of a new session

Note that On Demand processes execute only when called from a page-level On Demand process or when called using AJAX from the browser. See "Understanding Application Processes".

8.7.2.1.3 Application Computations

Use application-level computations to assign values to application and page-level items for each page displayed or upon the creation of a new application session. You can also create an application-level computation and execute it conditionally on multiple pages. See "Understanding Application Computations".

8.7.2.1.4 Web Service References

Web service references in Application Builder are typically based on the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) or Representational State Transfer (REST) architectures. You can create a reference to a Web service and then incorporate it into an application to process data submitted by a form, or to render output in the form or report. See "Implementing Web Services".

8.7.2.1.5 Build Options

Use build options to conditionally display or process specific functionality within an application. You can use build options to control which features of an application are turned on for each application deployment. See "Using Build Options to Control Configuration".

8.7.2.1.6 Data Loading

Use Data Load Tables to define tables for use in the Data Loading create page wizard. A Data Load Table is an existing table in your schema that has been selected for use in the data loading process to upload data. See "Importing a Plug-in from the Plug-in Page".

8.7.2.2.1 Tabs

Tabs are an effective way to navigate users between pages in an application. You can create two types of tabs: standard tabs or parent tabs. A standard tab set is associated with a specific page and page number. A parent tab set functions as a container to hold a group of standard tabs. See "Creating Tabs".

8.7.2.2.2 Lists

A list is a shared collection of links. You control the appearance of a list through list templates. Each list element has a display condition that enables you to control when it displays. See "Creating Lists".

8.7.2.2.3 Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs provide users with hierarchical navigation. A breadcrumb is a hierarchical list of links that display using templates. You can display a breadcrumb as a list of links or as a breadcrumb path. See "Creating Breadcrumbs".

8.7.2.2.4 Navigation Bar Entries

Navigation bar entries offer users a simple navigation path for moving between pages in an application. The location of a navigation bar depends upon the associated page template. Navigation bar entries can display as a link from an image or text. A navigation bar entry can be an image, an image with text beneath it, or text. See "Creating a Navigation Bar Entry".

8.7.2.3.1 Authentication Schemes

Authentication is the process of establishing each user's identity before they can access your application. Authentication may require a user to enter a user name and password or may involve verification of a user's identity or use of a secure key. See "Establishing User Identity Through Authentication".

8.7.2.3.2 Authorization Schemes

Authorization restricts user access to specific controls or components based on predefined user privileges. See "Providing Security Through Authorization".

8.7.2.3.3 Session State Protection

Session State Protection is a built-in functionality that prevents hackers from tampering with the URLs within your application. URL tampering can adversely affect program logic, session state contents, and information privacy. See "Understanding Session State Protection".

8.7.2.3.4 Security Attributes

Use the Edit Security Attributes page to configure general security attributes for all pages within an application. See "Configuring Security Attributes".

8.7.2.4.1 User Interface Attributes

Use User Interface page to specify user interface options for an application. See "Managing the Application User Interface".

8.7.2.4.2 Themes

A theme is a named collection of templates that defines the application user interface. See "Managing Themes".

8.7.2.4.3 Templates

Templates control the look and feel of specific constructs within your application, such as pages, regions, items, and menus. See "Customizing Templates".

8.7.2.4.4 Lists of Values

A list of values (LOV) is a static or dynamic set of values used to display a popup list of values, select list, check box, or radio group. See "Creating Lists of Values at the Application Level".

8.7.2.4.5 Shortcuts

Use shortcuts to avoid repetitive coding of HTML or PL/SQL functions. You can create a shortcut to define a page control such as a button, HTML text, a PL/SQL procedure, or HTML. Once you define a shortcut, it is stored in a central repository so you can reference it from various locations within your application. See "Using Shortcuts".

8.7.2.4.6 Plug-ins

Application Builder includes built-in item types, region types, dynamic actions, and processes. Use plug-ins to add new declarative types in to your application. See "Implementing Plug-ins".

8.7.2.4.7 Component Settings

Use Component Settings to set application-level values for built-in Oracle Application Express components and installed plug-ins. See "Managing Component Settings".

8.7.2.4.8 User Interface Attributes

Use User Interface Attributes to edit the user interface definition associated with an application. See "Managing the Application User Interface"

8.7.2.5.1 Cascading Style Sheets

Application Builder includes themes that contain templates that reference their own cascading style sheets (CSS). Use the Cascading Style Sheets link to upload cascading style sheets to your workspace. See "Using Custom Cascading Style Sheets".

8.7.2.5.2 Images

Use the Images link to upload images to your workspace. See "Managing Images".

8.7.2.5.3 Static Files

Use the Static Files link to upload static files to your workspace. See "Managing Static Files".

8.7.2.6.1 Translate Application

You can develop applications in Oracle Application Express that can run concurrently in different languages. A single Oracle database and Oracle Application Express instance can support an application in multiple languages. Translating an application involves multiple steps. See "About Translating an Application and Globalization Support" and "Understanding the Translation Process".

8.7.2.6.2 Text Messages

Text messages are named text strings that can be called from the PL/SQL code you write. This PL/SQL can be anonymous blocks within page processes and page regions, or in packages and procedures. See "Translating Messages".

8.7.2.6.3 Globalization Attributes

You can develop applications that can run concurrently in different languages. Click this link to specify globalization options such as the Application Primary Language and Application Language Derived From attributes. See "Configuring Globalization Attributes" and "About Translating an Application and Globalization Support".

8.7.2.7.1 Report Queries

Use the Report Queries link to view a report of stored queries within the current application. See "About Report Queries".

8.7.2.7.2 Report Layouts

Use Report Layouts with a report or shared query to render data in a printer-friendly format, such as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), Microsoft Word Rich Text Format (RTF), or Microsoft Excel (XLS) format. See "About Report Layouts".

8.7.2.8.1 Edit Definition

Links to the Edit Application Definition page. Use this page to edit attributes that determine the application name, application availability, and static substitution strings. You can also use this page to define other attributes such as build options or an application logo and view associated templates and component defaults. See "Editing the Application Definition".

8.7.2.8.2 Edit Comments

Use Edit Comments to enter comments specific to the currently selected application. See "Adding Database Application Comments".