2 Accessing Your Development Environment

This section guides you through the steps to access an Oracle Application Express development environment for your use. Then, you and other developers can begin building applications within Oracle Application Express.

Topics:

2.1 Before You Begin

Before you begin this section, do the following:

  • Install Oracle Application Express as described in Oracle Application Express Installation Guide.

  • Read "Introducing Oracle Application Express".

  • Confirm that your web browser supports JavaScript and the HTML 4.0 and Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) 1.0 standards. The following browsers meet this requirement:

    • Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 or later version

    • Mozilla Firefox 14 or later version

    • Google Chrome 21 or later version

    • Apple Safari 5.0 or later version

  • Enable cookies for your web browser.

  • Determine which environment you want to use:

    • Oracle provides a hosted demonstration (demo) environment where you can try out Oracle Application Express.

      Using the demo environment is the fastest way to access a development environment. You request a workspace from an Oracle Application Express website and provide some basic user information. Shortly after you submit your request, you receive your login credentials in an email. This option does not require installing any software.

      For instructions on using the demo environment, see "Accessing the Hosted Demo Environment".

      Note:

      Do not use the hosted demonstration environment for your production work.

    • Set up your own local instance of Oracle Application Express. Install Oracle Application Express and then follow the steps in "Setting Up Your Own Local Environment".

2.2 Accessing the Hosted Demo Environment

To use Oracle Application Express without installing the product locally, go to the hosted demo environment and sign up for a workspace.

To access the hosted demo environment:

  1. In a web browser, go to:

    http://apex.oracle.com

  2. Click Sign Up.

  3. Click Get Started.

  4. On Welcome, review the information and click Next.

  5. Identify the administrator for the service. Enter a first name, last name, and valid email address and click Next.

    The system generates an email with your login credentials and sends it to the email address you enter.

  6. For Workspace, enter a workspace name.

    Workspace names must be unique. Requesting a duplicate name might delay your request. In general, enter a name that is significant to you. For example, enter your own name, your company name, or the name of the project or department to which your applications pertain.

    To use the same name for your workspace and your schema (defined in the next step) use alphabetic characters when naming your workspace. Schema names are restricted to alphabetic characters.

  7. Specify a schema. Options include:

    1. New Schema to Create - Enter a name containing only alphabetic characters.

    2. Initial Space Allocation - Select at least 10 MB to accommodate the space needed for creating the objects required for this guide.

    Click Next.

    A survey appears.

  8. Answer the survey questions and click Next.

  9. Indicate why you are requesting this service and click Next.

    A license agreement appears.

  10. Review the agreement, select I accept the terms, and click Next.

  11. Click Submit Request.

An initial email containing a link is sent to you. Click the link within the email to complete the workspace provisioning process. This step verifies that your email address is valid before approving a workspace. After that, an email with your login credentials is sent to you. Use those credentials to log in to the hosted demo environment and begin using Oracle Application Express.

2.2.1 Logging In To the Hosted Demo Environment

Using the login credentials you received in an email, log in to your dedicated workspace on the hosted demo environment.

To log in to the hosted demo environment:

  1. In a web browser, go to:

    http://apex.oracle.com

  2. On the Login page, enter your login credentials.

  3. Click Login.

    The Workspace home page appears. You may be prompted to change your password. If not, you can change it manually by clicking the Change Password link on the right side of the Workspace home page. Then, enter the information requested on the page that appears.

    To continue with the tutorials, skip the rest of this section and go to "Getting Started with Oracle Application Express".

2.3 Setting Up Your Own Local Environment

Instead of using the hosted demo environment, you can install Oracle Application Express locally. If you do a local installation, you must set up your development environment. The steps you must perform include:

  1. Install Oracle Application Express as described in Oracle Application Express Installation Guide.

  2. Log in to Application Express Administration Services, as described in "Logging In To Administration Services".

  3. Create a workspace, as described in "Creating a Workspace".

  4. (Optional) Create additional users with developer or administrator privileges, as described in "Creating Additional User Accounts".

Note:

This tutorial explains a simplified method for setting up your development environment so that you can begin using Oracle Application Express. However, when you want to set up your development environment to accommodate your real-life development needs, review “Oracle Application Express Hosted Instance Administration" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

2.3.1 Logging In To Administration Services

To set up your local development environment, you first must log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. This is a separate application for managing an entire Oracle Application Express instance.

To log in to the Oracle Application Express Administration Services:

  1. In a web browser, go to the Oracle Application Express Administration Services application. Depending on which setup you are using, Oracle Application Express is installed in one of these locations:

    • If your setup uses the Oracle Application Express Listener, go to:

      http://hostname:port/apex/apex_admin

      Where:

      • hostname is the name of the system where Oracle Application Express Listener is installed.

      • port is the port number assigned to Oracle Application Express Listener. In a default installation, this number is 8080. These defaults are correct at the time of the writing of this document. To learn more, see Oracle Application Listener Installation and Developer Guide.

      • apex is the service name defined when configuring the Oracle Application Express Listener.

      See Also:

      Oracle Application Express Listener documentation

    • If your setup uses the embedded PL/SQL gateway:

      http://hostname:port/apex/apex_admin

      Where:

      • hostname is the name of the system where Oracle XML DB Protocol Server is installed.

      • port is the port number assigned to HTTP on the Oracle XML DB Protocol Server. In a default installation, this number is 8080.

      • apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the configuration file.

        For users who have upgraded from earlier releases, or who have a custom configuration, this value may be htmlb or something else. Verify your DAD with your Instance administrator.

    • If your setup uses the Oracle HTTP Server (Apache) with mod_plsql:

      http://hostname:port/pls/apex/apex_admin

      Where:

      • hostname is the name of the system where Oracle HTTP Server is installed.

      • port is the port number assigned to Oracle HTTP Server. In a default installation, this number is 7777. You can find information about your Oracle HTTP Server installation's port number from either of the following files:

        ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\install\portlist.ini

ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\Apache\conf\httpd.conf

        Be aware that if you change a port number, it is not updated in the portlist.ini file. You can only rely on this file immediately after installation.

      • pls is the indicator to use the mod_plsql cartridge.

      • apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the mod_plsql configuration file.

        For users who have upgraded from earlier versions, or who have a custom configuration, this value may be htmldb or something else. Verify the DAD with your Oracle Application Express administrator.

    The Login page appears.

  2. In Username, enter the username you specified when you installed Oracle Application Express.

  3. In Password, enter the Oracle Application Express administrator account password you specified when you installed Oracle Application Express.

  4. Click Login to Administration.

    Oracle Application Express Administration Services appears.

2.3.2 Creating a Workspace

From Administration Services, create a workspace. A workspace is a shared work area within the Oracle Application Express development environment that has a unique ID and name. All users in the workspace can access all its applications and scripts. For more information about workspaces, see "About Workspaces".

To create a workspace:

  1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.

    The Instance Administration Home page appears.

    Description of adminsvc.gif follows
    Description of the illustration adminsvc.gif

  2. Click Manage Workspaces.

  3. Under Workspace Actions, click Create Workspace.

    Description of setuphst1_crtwksp.gif follows
    Description of the illustration setuphst1_crtwksp.gif

    The Create Workspace Wizard appears.

  4. For Identify Workspace:

    1. Workspace Name - Enter a unique workspace name. This guide uses 2DayPlus for the workspace name.

      In general, you want to enter a workspace name that is significant to you. For example, you might enter your own name, your company name, or the name of the project or department to which your application pertains.

      If you want to use the same name for both your workspace and schema, enter a workspace name that contains only alphabetic characters. Schema names are restricted to alphabetic characters.

    2. Workspace ID - Leave Workspace ID blank to have the new Workspace ID automatically generated. A Workspace ID must be a positive integer greater than 100000.

    3. Workspace Description - Enter a workspace description.

    4. Click Next.

    Description of cr_wkpc1.gif follows
    Description of the illustration cr_wkpc1.gif

  5. For Identify Schema:

    1. Re-use existing schema - Select No if you are creating your first workspace.

      A schema is a logical container for database objects. In this step, you are creating the container for database objects you add later in this tutorial.

    2. Schema Name - Enter a schema name. This guide uses TWODAYPLUS for the schema name.

      You must use only alphabetic characters in your schema name.

    3. Schema Password - Enter a case-sensitive password.

    4. Space Quota (MB) - Select at least 10 MB to allocate the necessary space for creating the objects required for this guide.

    5. Click Next.

    Description of cr_wkspc_schema.gif follows
    Description of the illustration cr_wkspc_schema.gif

  6. For Identify Administrator:

    1. Administrator Username - Accept the default, ADMIN, or enter another user name to be used in Oracle Application Express.

      You are creating an account for only one user, yourself, as an administrator. To see instructions for creating additional users, see "Creating Additional User Accounts".

    2. Administrator Password - Enter a case-sensitive password.

    3. Enter the remaining information, including your valid email address, and click Next.

      The login credentials for accessing Oracle Application Express are sent to the email address you enter here, if you have configured the email settings for your Oracle Application Express environment.

      Description of cr_wkspc_admin.gif follows
      Description of the illustration cr_wkspc_admin.gif

  7. Click Next.

  8. Confirm your selections and click Create Workspace.

  9. Click Done.

2.3.3 Logging In To Your Local Instance

To log in to your local instance of Oracle Application Express, you must have this information:

  • URL where you can access Oracle Application Express

  • Workspace name you use to develop applications

  • Username set up for you for this workspace within Oracle Application Express

  • Password set up for you for this workspace within Oracle Application Express

If you set up your development environment, you have your login credentials. Otherwise, contact the person who created your user account to supply the information.

To log in to Oracle Application Express:

  1. In a web browser, go to the Oracle Application Express Login page. Depending on your setup, Oracle Application Express installs to one of these locations:

    • If your setup uses the embedded PL/SQL gateway or the Oracle Application Express Listener:

      http://hostname:port/apex

    • If your setup uses the Oracle HTTP Server (Apache) with mod_plsql:

      http://hostname:port/pls/apex

    For an explanation of the URLs, see "Logging In To Administration Services".

    The Login page appears.

  2. On the Login page, enter your login credentials.

    Description of login.gif follows
    Description of the illustration login.gif

  3. Click Login to Application Express.

2.4 Creating Additional User Accounts

As an administrator, you inherit all the privileges associated with the developer role. If you want to start developing the application shown in this guide, skip this section and go to "Logging In To Your Local Instance".

However, you might want to create user accounts for other developers who share this workspace. Associating users with the workspace grants them access to all applications and scripts within that workspace. You can also create additional user accounts for workspace administrators.

To create a user account:

  1. Log in to the workspace where you want to add users. See "Logging In To the Hosted Demo Environment" or "Logging In To Your Local Instance".

    The Workspace home page appears.

  2. Click Administration.

  3. Click Manage Users and Groups.

  4. Click Create User.

    The Create User page appears.

    Description of deploy_cr_enduser.gif follows
    Description of the illustration deploy_cr_enduser.gif

  5. Under User Identification:

    1. Username - Enter the username used to log in to the system. Restrictions include:

      • Maximum length of 100 characters

      • No spaces

      • Only these special characters are permitted: ampersand (@) and period (.)

    2. Email Address - Enter the valid email address for this user.

    3. First Name - Enter the first or given name to further identify the user (optional).

    4. Last Name - Enter the last or family name to further identify the user (optional).

    5. Description - Enter comments about this user (optional).

    6. Default Date Format - Specify the default Oracle date format for the user. This specification controls the default date format within SQL Workshop.

  6. Under Account Privileges:

    1. Default Schema - Specify the default schema used for data browsing, application creation, and SQL script execution.

      When using workspaces that have multiple schemas available, this schema is the default. This setting does not control security, only the user's preference.

    2. Accessible Schemas (null for all) - Leave this blank to enable the end user to access all applications in the workspace, or enter a colon-delimited list of schemas for which this user has permissions when using the SQL Workshop.

    3. User is a workspace administrator - Specify if this user should have workspace administrator privileges.

      Administrators are given access to all components. Additionally, they can manage user accounts, groups, and development services. Components may not be available if they are switched off by Instance Administrators.

    4. User is a developer - Specify if this user should have developer privileges.

      Developers must have access to either Application Builder, SQL Workshop, or both. Components may not be available if they are switched off by Instance Administrators.

    5. Application Builder Access - Determines whether a developer has access to the Application Builder.

    6. SQL Workshop Access - Determines whether a developer has access to the SQL Workshop.

    7. Team Development Access - Determines whether a developer has access to the Team Development.

    8. Set Account Availability - Select Locked to prevent the account from being used. Select Unlocked to allow the account to be used.

  7. Under Password:

    • Password - Enter a case-sensitive password.

    • Confirm Password - Enter the password again.

    • Require Change of Password On First Use:

      • To require the user to change the password immediately after logging in the first time, select Yes.

      • To keep user from having to change the password immediately after logging in the first time, select No.

  8. Under User Groups, optionally select a user group.

  9. Click Create User or Create and Create Another.

See also:

"Managing Application Express Users" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide