Oracle 10g Form

Oracle Forms 10g – Forms Look
and Feel
An Oracle Forms Community White Paper

François Degrelle
f.degrelle@free.fr
April 2007

Oracle Forms 10g – Forms Look and Feel

Introduction ....................................................................................................... 4
The look and feel tool....................................................................................... 4
Buttons ........................................................................................................... 7
Multi-selection Tlists: ................................................................................... 7
Pre-defined Colour Schemes....................................................................... 8
The provided sample dialogs ........................................................................... 9
How define Look and Feel in A Forms module ........................................ 10
When-New-Form-Instance................................................................... 10
When-Timer-Expired ............................................................................ 11
When-New-Record-Instance................................................................ 12
Post-Query .............................................................................................. 12
Documentation................................................................................................ 13
The DrawLAF public properties: ............................................................. 13
ADD_IMAGE ....................................................................................... 13
ADD_LINE............................................................................................ 13
ADD_RECT........................................................................................... 14
ADD_TEXT........................................................................................... 15
CLEAR .................................................................................................... 16
GET_SCHEME..................................................................................... 16
GET_TEXT_HEIGHT ....................................................................... 16
GET_TEXT_SIZE ............................................................................... 16
GET_TEXT_WIDTH.......................................................................... 16
SET_ENHANCED_POPLISTS ........................................................ 17
SET_GRADIENT_COLORS............................................................. 17
SET_GRADIENT_DIRECTION ..................................................... 17
SET_GRADIENT_TEXT................................................................... 17
SET_H_CYCLE .................................................................................... 18
SET_LIST_ORIENTATION ............................................................. 18
SET_LOG............................................................................................... 18
SET_MULTI_SELECTION ............................................................... 19
SET_SCHEME ...................................................................................... 19
SET_SORTED_LIST ........................................................................... 20
SET_TEXT............................................................................................. 20
SET_TIME_KEY_SELECT............................................................... 20
SET_V_CYCLE..................................................................................... 21
SET_IMAGE ......................................................................................... 22
SET_IMAGE_OFF............................................................................... 23

Oracle Forms 10g – Forms Look and Feel Page 2

SET_IMAGE_ON ................................................................................ 23
SET_IMAGE_POSITION.................................................................. 23
SET_SEPARATOR .............................................................................. 24
SET_SHADOW_COLOR................................................................... 24
SET_TEXT_POSITION ..................................................................... 24
SET_DEBUG ........................................................................................ 25
SET_OPAQUE ..................................................................................... 26
SET_OPAQUE_ALL........................................................................... 26
SET_DEBUG ........................................................................................ 27
SET_OPAQUE ..................................................................................... 28
SET_OPAQUE_ALL........................................................................... 28
SET_DEBUG ........................................................................................ 29
GET_MAX_ROWS .............................................................................. 30
GET_TIME_KEY_SELECT.............................................................. 30
SET_ENHANCED .............................................................................. 30
SET_ENHANCED_ALL.................................................................... 31
SET_MAX_ROWS ............................................................................... 31
SET_TIME_KEY_SELECT............................................................... 31
SET_DEBUG ........................................................................................ 32
CLEAR_LIST_SELECTION ............................................................. 33
GET_LIST_ORIENTATION............................................................ 33
GET_LIST_SELECTION................................................................... 34
GET_MULTI_SELECTION.............................................................. 35
GET_SORTED_LIST.......................................................................... 35
SET_ENHANCED .............................................................................. 35
SET_ENHANCED_ALL.................................................................... 35
SET_LIST_ORIENTATION ............................................................. 36
SET_MULTI_SELECTION ............................................................... 36
SET_SORTED_LIST ........................................................................... 36
SET_DEBUG ........................................................................................ 37
The CSS file description................................................................................. 38
Introduction................................................................................................. 38
Tags used to draw on the canvas.............................................................. 39
Tags for the block title ............................................................................... 40
Tags for the block table header ................................................................ 42
Tags for the block table body ................................................................... 44
The sample dialog to update the CSS file .................................................... 46
Summary ........................................................................................................... 46
About the author: ............................................................................................ 47


Oracle Forms 10g – Forms Look and Feel

INTRODUCTION
Oracle Forms application have traditionally behaved as, and looked like, desktop
applications. Even when Oracle Forms applications were Web deployed, they still
gave the user the feel of the desktop. This has been one of the strong plus points
for businesses looking to evolve their applications seamlessly to the Web.
However, with more and more users becoming familiar with more traditional Web
UIs (like HTML), there is a requirement from some customers to change the look
of their Forms application: to "freshen" it or align it with non-Forms Web
applications.

This paper explains how you can separate the look of your Forms application from
the functional design. All the decoration elements are read from an external CSS
file, as currently done with HTML pages and so both HTML and Forms
applications can share a common look and feel.

THE LOOK AND FEEL TOOL
This paper discusses the use a number of look and feel tools, namely a PL/SQL
library (laf.pll) and a set of Java Beans and PJCs grouped in a JAR file (laf.jar).
The PL/SQL library contains a package of functions and procedures needed to
decorate both canvas and block tables, while the JAR file contains the beans
needed to paint over the canvas and overload the standards Forms widgets
(buttons, check-boxes, radio groups and lists).


Figure 1 – Jdeveloper/ADF and Forms screens

Because the graphical information is read from a given CSS file, it is easy to change
the look and feel of the application without modifying the Forms modules. Also,
by using this tool your can “outsource” the look of the Forms application by
separating the functional implementation from the presentation.
As well as influencing basic features like the colour scheme, you can add graphical
elements such as images, lines, rectangles, texts and gradients. Figure 2 show an
example of an Oracle Forms table block decorated like an HTML table,
background colour gradients and images on canvases.


Figure 2 – Canvases and blocks Look and Feel

The power of this approach is that there is almost no work to be done at design
time on the block (just set the item bevel to none). As shown in Figure 3, the look
and feel of the Oracle Forms components is done at runtime by reading the CSS.

Figure 3 – “no work” design time


Buttons
As well as changing the appearance of standard Forms items, these widgets, like
buttons, can be overloaded by Swing equivalents:

Figure 4 – Swing widgets

Figure 4 shows, amongst other things, a multi line button with icon image and
graduated background.

Multi-selection Tlists:
Other common Forms control such as PopLists and ComboBoxes can also be
changed to both look, and behave differently.


Figure 5 – Mutli-selection Tlists

Figure 5 shows an example of how a Poplists can pre-select values by typing more
than one character, and Tlists can be multi-select as well as being sorted.

Pre-defined Colour Schemes

Figure 6 – Pre-defined Colour Schemes


The tool supports a number of pre-defined colour schemes. Figure 6 shows
examples of the colour schemes applied to buttons.

THE PROVIDED SAMPLE DIALOGS
The two sample dialogs provided with this tool are adapted dialogs from the
Oracle Forms “Summit” demo application.
customer_laf.fmb is the modified version of customer.fmb
orders_laf.fmb is the modified version of orders.fmb
You can download the original application on OTN by following this link:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/forms/files/summit.zip
Follow the installation guide provided to configure this sample application, and
then add the Look and Feel elements to it.
• laf.pll
• customer_laf.fmb
• orders_laf.fmb

Compile these three modules then move the executable equivalents (.plx, .fmx) to
one of the directories pointed by your FORMS_PATH environment variable.
Copy the laf.jar file to your <DEVSUITE_HOME>/forms/java directory
Update your <DEVSUITE_HOME>/forms/server/formsweb.cfg file to add the
This tool uses Java gradients available from
jar file to the archive tag:
the JRE 1.4, so it cannot run with the JInitiator.
You have to configure a section of the archive=frmall.jar,...,laf.jar
formsweb.cfg file to run with the Sun Java
plugin,


HOW DEFINE LOOK AND FEEL IN A FORMS MODULE
If you start a new module from scratch, the simplest method is to create the
module from the LAF_TEMPLATE.fmb module. The new module will contain
all the necessary objects:
• laf.pll library attachment
• form-level triggers
• control block with a bean area
• parameters
• visual attributes
For every canvas you want to decorate, you need a bean area which has its
Implementation Class set to : oracle.forms.fd.DrawLAF
(You can drop this bean from the laf.olb object library).
Some default values needed to decorate canvases and table blocks are stored in the
Form’s parameters:

PM$CSS_FILENAME contains the default CSS file name
PM$CANVAS contains the default CSS file section
name that stores canvas tags
PM$TITLE contains the default CSS file section
name that stores block’s title tags
PM$HEADER contains the default CSS file section
name that stores block’s header tags
PM$BODY contains the default CSS file section
name that stores block’s body tags
PM$VA contains the default visual attribute
used to decorate the block

The goal of these parameters is to allow a maximum of flexibility (no need to
recompile the module if you want to change the look). The template contains four
form-level triggers:

When-New-Form-Instance

Used only to create a non-repeating timer:

Declare
timer_id Timer ;


Begin
timer_id := Create_Timer( 'laf_timer', 100, NO_REPEAT ) ;
End ;

When-Timer-Expired

Used to instantiate the painting process
Let’s study the code of the sample module:

Begin

If lower(Get_Application_Property( TIMER_NAME )) = 'laf_timer' Then

-------------------------------------
-- form main initializations --
-------------------------------------

Set_Custom_Property( 'CTRL.BEAN', 1, 'SET_SCHEME', 'purple' ) ; 1
If PKG_Look_And_Feel.Open_Css(:PARAMETER.PM$CSS_FILENAME) Then 2
-- paint the canevases --
PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Paint_Canevas(:PARAMETER.PM$CANVAS, 'CTRL.BEAN'
); 3
-- paint the blocks --
PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Paint_Block 4
(
PC$Block => 'EMP'
,PC$BeanName => 'CTRL.BEAN'
,PC$VA_Name => :PARAMETER.PM$VA
,PC$HeadClass => :PARAMETER.PM$HEADER
,PC$BodyClass => :PARAMETER.PM$BODY
,PC$TitleClass => :PARAMETER.PM$TITLE
,PC$Title => 'Theme #1 for this table block'
,PB$ScrollBar => True
) ;
Go_Block('EMP');
-- populate the block -- 5
P_Execute_Query ;
Synchronize ;
End if ;

-- read the global GUI properties --
PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Set_GUI_Properties( '.GUIProperties1', 'CTRL.LAF'
); 6
--
-- hidden canvases that supports PJCs must be displayed once
-- to initialize the bean areas and PJCs implementation classes
--
Show_View('CV2'); 7
-- set some individual properties --
PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Paint_Canevas('.canvas3', 'CTRL.LAF' ) ;

Set_Custom_Property( 'CTRL.LAF', 1, 'SET_SCHEME', 'purple'); 8
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.BT2', 1, 'SET_TEXT_POSITION', 'right'
);
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.BT2', 1, 'SET_IMAGE_POSITION', 'LM' );


Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.BT2', 1, 'SET_IMAGE',
'http://sheikyerbouti.developpez.com/images/warning.gif' ) ;
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.BT2', 1, 'SET_IMAGE_ON',
'http://sheikyerbouti.developpez.com/images/warningOFF.gif' ) ;
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.DEL_LIST', 1, 'SET_TEXT_POSITION', 'right'
);
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.DEL_LIST', 1, 'SET_IMAGE', '/del.gif,LM' )
;
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.ADD_LIST', 1, 'SET_TEXT_POSITION', 'right'
);
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.ADD_LIST', 1, 'SET_IMAGE', '/add.gif,LM' )
;
Set_Custom_Property( 'BL.SCHEME', 1, 'SET_MAX_ROWS', '10' ) ;

Go_Block('EMP');

End if ;

End ;

Explanation

1. Setting the global scheme
2. Opening the CSS file
3. Painting the canvas corresponding to the :CTRL.BEAN bean area
(first canvas)
4. Painting the EMP block
5. Populating the EMP block
6. Reading the common GUIs’ properties
7. Displaying the second canvas in order to set/get some custom
properties
8. Setting some individual item properties

When-New-Record-Instance

The EMP block in the sample dialog uses the odd/even decoration behaviour.

-- colorize each row --
PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Fill_Table ;

Post-Query

Idem as When-New-Record-Instance, but when records are fetched from the
database.


DOCUMENTATION

The DrawLAF public properties:

These properties can be set or read from any bean area whose Implementation
Class property is set to: oracle.forms.fd.DrawLAF
The methods are split into two categories:
ADD_xxx methods take an integer number as
the first argument (indice). This integer is not • Drawing onto the current canvas (the canvas that supports the bean area)
taken into account at this moment, but will
probably used in the future. • Set/get some GUI global properties (applied on every concerned PJC of
the current module)

ADD_IMAGE

Add an image on the current canvas.

property value:

indice,full_image_name,X pos,Ypos[, transparancy_level [,width, height] ]

indice is an incremental number greater than 0
image can be read:
• from the jar file : /image.gif
• from the client machine : c:/image.jpg
• from an internet url: http://…

transparancy_level must be a real value between 0 and 1
width and height can be provided to enforce the image to the given size.

ADD_LINE

Add a line on the current canvas

property value:

indice,x1,y1,x2,y2,width[,color[,transparency_level[,cap,join,dash]]]

if color is not specified, the default is white (r255g255b255).
if you want to specify a transparency level but not the color, put – (minus) to the
color


transparency_level must be a real value between 0 and 1
You can have a dashed line by providing the 3 last parameters:

cap is the end line style
Allowed values are:

• BUTT
• ROUND
• SQUARE

join is the join line style
Allowed values are:

• BEVEL
• ROUND
• MITER

dash is 2 integers separated by a comma.
The first integer gives the length in pixel of the visible segment
The second integer gives the length in pixel of the invisible segment (gap)

-- add a plain line --
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘ADD_LINE’, ’1,10,10,300,10,2,-,.5 );

-- add a dashed line --
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘ADD_LINE’,
’1,10,10,300,10,2,r125g50b200,.5,square,miter,14,4’ );

ADD_RECT

Add a rectangle on the current canvas

property value:

indice,x1,y1,x2,y2,width,frame_color,inside_color_transparency,inside_color,shade
_color,gradient_start,gradient_end,gradient_direction,rounded_factor

default values are:


width : 1
frame_color : black
other colors are : white
inside_color_transparency : 1
gradient_direction : LeftToRight

Other gradient direction can be : UpToDown
If you want to specify a transparency level but not the color, put – (minus) to the
color

Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘ADD_RECT’, ’1,10,10,100,100,2,-,.5’ );

ADD_TEXT

Add a string to the current canvas.

property value is:

indice,text,x1,y1,font_name,wight,size,gradient_flag/color,transparency

default values are:

weight : plain
size : 8
color : black
transparency : 1

If gradient_flag/color = ‘G’ then the text use the gradient colors previously set
by the SET_GRADIENT_TEXT method.
Else, the color defined (format rxgxbx) is use to paint the string.

-- set a text with defined color and a half transparency level
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘ADD_TEXT’,
’1,Hello,10,10,Arial,plain,12,r100g25b255,.5’ );

-- set a text with a gradient pre-defined color and no
transparency level --
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘ADD_TEXT’,
’1,Hello,10,10,Arial,plain,12,G,1’ );


CLEAR

Remove all objects created on the current canvas

Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘CLEAR’, ’’ );

GET_SCHEME

Returns the current scheme.

If the scheme is not one of the predefined schemes, the method returns
‘Custom’
Declare
LC$Scheme Varchar2(50);
Begin
LC$Scheme := Get_Custom_Property( …, ‘GET_SCHEME’ ) ;
End;

GET_TEXT_HEIGHT

Returns the height in pixel corresponding to the given text (with SET_TEXT)

Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_TEXT’, ’Hello,Arial,bold,12’ );
height := Get_Custom_Property( …, ‘GET_TEXT_HEIGHT’ ) ;

GET_TEXT_SIZE

Returns the couple width,height in pixel corresponding to the given text (with
SET_TEXT)

values are separated by a comma.
size := Get_Custom_Property( …, ‘GET_TEXT_SIZE’ ) ;

size would have the following content : width,height (e.g. : 100,20)

GET_TEXT_WIDTH

Get the width in pixel corresponding to the given text (with SET_TEXT)


width := Get_Custom_Property( …, ‘GET_TEXT_WIDTH’ ) ;

SET_ENHANCED_POPLISTS

Transform all lists (PopList, Tlist and CombBox) of the form module to enhanced
(Swing) or standard

property value is ‘true’ or ‘false’
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_ENHANCED_POPLISTS’, ’true’ );

SET_GRADIENT_COLORS

Set the two colors needed to paint a gradient.

The two colors are of type RxGxBx and separated by a comma.
The first color is the start color, the second is the end color.
Set_Custom_Property(,‘SET_GRADIENT_COLORS’,’r0g0b0,r80g80b80’);

SET_GRADIENT_DIRECTION

Indicates the drawing gradient direction.

Allowed values are:

• LeftToRight (default)
• UpToDown
• LeftUpToRightDown
• LeftDownToRightUp

SET_GRADIENT_TEXT


Indicates the text gradient direction.

Identical that SET_GRADIENT_COLORS but used to set the gradient for texts.
These gradient colors are set to be used by a following ADD_TEXT() call.

SET_H_CYCLE

In case a cycling gradient, allow to set the cycle value.

Default is 0

The value is given in pixels.
If the value starts with / the value is considered as a divisor factor.
-- gradient cycles 4 times horizontally in the current canvas -
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_H_CYCLE’, ’/4’ );

SET_LIST_ORIENTATION

Set every current form enhanced(Swing) Poplist orientation.

Allowed values are:

• HORIZONTAL_WRAP
• VERTICAL_WRAP
• VERTICAL

Set_Custom_Property(…,‘SET_LIST_ORIENTATION’, ’VERTICAL_WRAP’);

SET_LOG

Turn ON/OFF the logging messages.

By default the all logs are OFF.

Allowed values are: ‘true’ or ‘false’.
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_LOG’, ’true’ );


SET_MULTI_SELECTION

Set every current form enhanced (Swing) Tlists multi-selection true/false.

At creation time, each Tlist default value is ‘false’.

Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_MULTI_SELECTION’, ’true’ );

SET_SCHEME

Set the current scheme.

Available values are:

Set_Custom_Property( …,
‘SET_SCHEME’, ’purple’ );


SET_SORTED_LIST

Set every current form enhanced (Swing) Tlists sorted flag.

Available values are: ‘true’ or ‘false’
Default creation value is ‘false’
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_SORTED_LIST’, ’true’ );

SET_TEXT

Send a text to the bean to calculate its dimensions.

property value is:

text,font_name[,weight,size]

default size is : 8
default weight is : plain

Available weight are:

• plain
• bold
• italic
• bolditalic


The calculated dimensions can, then, be read with the GET_TEXT_xx
methods.

SET_TIME_KEY_SELECT

Set the number of millisecond between each keyboard hit in all Poplists.

A high number allows entering several characters added to each other to pre-


select the attempted value.

For instance, with a value of 5000, the end user has 5 seconds to cumulate keys
to find the correct list entry (“abdominal” by entering abd, for instance).

With a lower value (for instance 100), the end user has only 1/10th of second
to concatenate characters.
In the reality, each character hit set the focus on the list entry that starts with
the key just hit.
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_TIME_KEY_SELECT’, ‘5000’ );

SET_V_CYCLE

Identical to SET_H_CYCLE but for the vertical gradient cycling.

-- gradient cycles every 20 pixels vertically in the current
canvas --
Set_Custom_Property( …, ‘SET_V_CYCLE’, ’20’ );


LAF_XP_Button.java - public properties

These properties can be set or read from any Push button whose Implementation
Class property is set to: oracle.forms.fd.LAF_XP_Button

SET_IMAGE

Set the current image of the button.

property value:

full_image_name[,image_position]

full_image_name can be one of the following:

• image read from the jar file : /image.gif
• image read from the client machine : c:/image.jpg
• image read from an internet url: http://…

image_position can be one of the following:

• LT Left Top
• CT Centre Top
• RT Right Top
• LM Left Middle
• CM Centre Middle
• RM Right Middle


• LB Left Bottom
• CB Centre Bottom
• RB Right Bottom

-- set an image stored in the jar file at Left Middle position
Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_IMAGE', '/del.gif,LM' ) ;

SET_IMAGE_OFF

Set the image when the mouse exits the button

property value:

See SET_IMAGE

SET_IMAGE_ON

Set the image when the mouse enters the button

property value:

See SET_IMAGE

SET_IMAGE_POSITION

To set the new image position

Position can be one of the following:

• LT Left Top
• CT Centre Top
• RT Right Top
• LM Left Middle
• CM Centre Middle


• RM Right Middle
• LB Left Bottom
• CB Centre Bottom
• RB Right Bottom

-- set image to Centre Middle position --
Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_IMAGE_POSITION', 'CM' ) ;

SET_SEPARATOR

To change the default character used to split the label into multiple lines

The default character is | (Alt-124)

You can enforce multi-line button’s label by adding this separator in the label
property.
e.g.: Label|split on|three lines
Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_SEPARATOR', '^' ) ;

SET_SHADOW_COLOR

To set the color used for the label’s shadow

The default color is white
Set_Custom_Property('…', 1,'SET_SHADOW_COLOR','200,200,200') ;

SET_TEXT_POSITION

To set the text’s position in the button

Available values are:

• Left
• Centre


• Right

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_TEXT_POSITION', 'right' ) ;

SET_DEBUG

Turn ON/OFF the debug messages.

By default, all logs are OFF.

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_DEBUG', 'true' ) ;


LAF_XP_CBox.java - public properties

These properties can be set or read from any Check Box item whose
Implementation Class property is set to: oracle.forms.fd.LAF_XP_CBox

SET_OPAQUE

Draw the check box background or not.

property value:
true|false

The standard Forms items use always a background color to draw the GUI
component onto the canvas.
If you use a gradient canvas, the gradient is hidden by this background and the
result is not nice.
In this case, set the opaque property to false.

SET_OPAQUE_ALL

Idem as SET_OPAQUE but for all the check boxes of the current module.

property value:

See SET_OPAQUE


SET_DEBUG





LAF_XP_RadioButton.java - public properties

These properties can be set or read from any Radio Group item whose
Implementation Class property is set to: oracle.forms.fd.LAF_XP_RadioButton

SET_OPAQUE

Draw the radio button background or not.

property value:
true|false

The standard Forms items use always a background to draw the GUI
component onto the canvas.
If you use a gradient canvas, the gradient is hidden by this background and the
result is not nice.
In this case, set the opaque property to false.

SET_OPAQUE_ALL

Idem as SET_OPAQUE but for all the radio buttons of the current module.

property value:

See SET_OPAQUE


SET_DEBUG





LAF_XP_PopList.java - public properties

These properties can be set or read from any List Item (Poplist) whose
Implementation Class property is set to: oracle.forms.fd.LAF_XP_PopList

GET_MAX_ROWS

Returns the maximum number of rows displayed in the list.

property value:
number := Get_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'GET_MAX_ROWS' ) ;

GET_TIME_KEY_SELECT

Returns the amount of milliseconds allowed to enter more than one character

property value:
number := Get_Custom_Property('…', 1, 'GET_TIME_KEY_SELECT') ;

SET_ENHANCED

Set/unset the enhanced (Swing) Poplist

property value: true | false.


Set the value to ‘false’ to get the native Forms Poplist widget.
Set it to ‘true’ to overload the native Forms Poplist with a Swing list component.

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_ENHANCED', 'true' ) ;

SET_ENHANCED_ALL

Idem as SET_ENHANCED but for every Poplist of the current module.

SET_MAX_ROWS

Set the maximum number of rows visible when the list is deployed.

property value:
Any integer greater than 0

Without indication, the Poplist is created with a default value of 6

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_MAX_ROWS', '10' ) ;

SET_TIME_KEY_SELECT

Set the number of milliseconds allowed to enter more than one character to pre-
select the list value.

By default, when you hit a key, the list displays the first occurrence found that
starts with the letter entered.
With a low value, the end user won’t have the possibility to pre-select for instance
the value “abdominal” by hitting abd on the keyboard. The list will display the first
value that starts with the letter d.


With a higher level, the list value is pre-selected with the concatenation of the
several keys hit within the corresponding laps of time. So with a value of 5000, the
end user has 5 seconds to concatenate the 3 keys hit then he can pre-select the
value “abdominal” by hitting abd.

property value:
Any integer greater than 0

Without indication, the Poplist is created with a default value of 100

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_TIME_KEY_SELECT', '3000' ) ;

SET_DEBUG





LAF_XP_TList.java - public properties

These properties can be set or read from any List Item (Tlist) whose
Implementation Class property is set to: oracle.forms.fd.LAF_XP_TList

CLEAR_LIST_SELECTION

Clear the selected values.

property value: none
Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'CLEAR_LIST_SELECTION', '' ) ;

GET_LIST_ORIENTATION

Returns the list orientation (only with enhanced Tlist)

char := Get_Custom_Property('…', 1, 'GET_LIST_ORIENTATION') ;

The possible returned values can be:

• VERTICAL


• VERTICAL_WRAP

• HORIZONTAL_WRAP

GET_LIST_SELECTION

Returns the comma delimited list of selected indexes

char := Get_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'GET_LIST_SELECTION' ) ;

If the user has selected the 1st, 3rd and 5th value the method will return: 1,3,5
The laf.pll PL/SQL library contains a function that takes a delimited string and
returns a collection of strings:

Declare
LT$Coll PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.TYP_TAB_STRINGS ;
LC$Sel Varchar2(256);
Begin
-- get the multi-selection values --
LC$Sel := Get_Custom_Property('BL.LIST', 1, 'GET_LIST_SELECTION' );
PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.To_String_Collection( LC$Sel, LT$Coll );
-- read the elements --
For i In LT$Coll.First .. LT$Coll.Last Loop
LC$Sel := Get_List_Element_Label( 'BL.LIST', LT$Coll(i)+1 ) ;
End loop;
End;


GET_MULTI_SELECTION

Returns a Varchar2 that indicates if the multi-selection is allowed for the List Item
Returned value can be ‘true’ or ‘false’

char := Get_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'GET_MULTI_SELECTION' ) ;

GET_SORTED_LIST

Returns a Varchar2 that indicates if the enhanced list is sorted

Returned value can be ‘true’ or ‘false’

char := Get_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'GET_SORTED_LIST' ) ;

SET_ENHANCED

Set/unset the enhanced (Swing) Tlist

property value : true | false.

Set the value to ‘false’ to get the native Forms Tlist widget.
Set it to ‘true’ to overload the native Forms Tlist with a Swing list component.

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_ENHANCED', 'true' ) ;

SET_ENHANCED_ALL

Idem as SET_ENHANCED but for every Tlist of the current module.


SET_LIST_ORIENTATION

Set the enhanced Tlist orientation.

Allowed values:

• VERTICAL
• VERTICAL_WRAP
• HORIZONTAL_WRAP

Without indication, the Tlist is created with a default value of VERTICAL

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_LIST_ORIENTATION',
'VERTICAL_WRAP' ) ;

SET_MULTI_SELECTION

Set the multi-selection flag.

Allowed values:

‘true’: you can select more than one value in the list
‘false’: you can select only one value

Without indication, the Tlist is created with a default value of ‘false’

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_MULTI_SELECTION', 'true' ) ;

If the value is set to ‘true’, you can get the list of selected indexes with the
GET_LIST_SELECTION() method.

SET_SORTED_LIST


Set the sort flag (on enhanced Tlist only).

Allowed values:

‘true’: the Tlist is sorted
‘false’: the Tlist is not sorted

Without indication, the Tlist is created with a default value of ‘false’

Set_Custom_Property( '…', 1, 'SET_SORTED_LIST', 'true' ) ;

SET_DEBUG



Allowed values are ‘true’ or ‘false’.


THE CSS FILE DESCRIPTION

Introduction

Every block decoration’s property is read from an external CSS file. The name of
this file is read from the PM$CSS_FILENAME form parameter.
The default value is: c:forms.css

Note: the tags used by this tool are Forms specific.

The file is opened with the PKG_Look_And_Feel.Open_Css() library’s function that
returns TRUE is the file has been correctly read.

If PKG_Look_And_Feel.Open_Css( ‘c:forms1.css’ ) Then
/* file open, we can continue */
End if ;

There are four sections used to decorate the form module: One for the current
canvas and three for the block itself (title, header and body). The default values
can be read from the form parameters:

Canvas section: PM$CANVAS
Block title section: PM$TITLE
Block header section: PM$HEADER
Block body section: PM$BODY

The Visual Attribute used to decorates the block table’s lines is read from the
PM$VA parameter.

The current canvas decoration is done with the
PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Paint_Canevas() library’s procedure.

PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Paint_Canevas('.canvas1', 'CTRL.BEAN' ) ;

The first parameter is the CSS section that contains the tags. The second
parameter indicates the bean area which the Implementation Class property is set
to: oracle.forms.fd.DrawLAF

Note: The canvas to decorate is the one attached to the given bean area.


The block decoration is done through the PKG_LOOK_AND_FEEL.Paint_Block()
laf.pll library’s procedure.

Procedure Paint_Block
(
PC$Block IN Varchar2, -- the block name
to decorate
PC$BeanName IN Varchar2, -- the associated
bean area
PC$VA_Name IN Varchar2, -- the associated
visual attribute
PC$HeadClass IN Varchar2, -- the table header
CSS class name
PC$BodyClass IN Varchar2, -- the table body
CSS class name
PC$TitleClass IN Varchar2 Default Null, -- the table title
CSS class name
PC$Title IN Varchar2 Default Null, -- the block title
PB$ScrollBar IN Boolean Default True -- scrollbar exists
on block true/false
)

Tags used to draw on the canvas

.canvas1 {
type:canvas
gradient-colors: r170g250b190,r255g255b255
gradient-vcycle: /2
gradient-hcycle: /2
image1[2[n]]: /env-64.gif,1,1,.3
}

gradient-colors

Can contain the 2 colors used to construct a gradient background. The colors are
of type RxGxBx and are separated by a comma. The first color is the gradient start
color. The second color is the gradient end color.

gradient-vcycle

Could contain an integer value expressed in pixel (e.g. 20) or a quotient (e.g. /4) to
set a vertical cycle to the gradient. If the value equals 0 (zero) or is not provided,
then gradient has no cycle (repetition).

gradient-hcycle

Could contain an integer value expressed in pixel (e.g. 20) or a quotient (e.g. /4) to
set a horizontal cycle to the gradient. If the value equals 0 (zero) or is not
provided, then gradient has no cycle (repetition).

image

This tag allows drawing images onto the canvas. You can have as many as you
want. Each image is coded with the keyword: image followed by an incremented


number. The value is composed by an image name, an X and Y position and
finally a transparency level.

Image_name,X pos,Y pos,Transparency [,width,height]

Image_name can be one of the following:

• Stored in the jar file : /image.gif
• Stored on the local machine drive : c:/image.jpg
• Stored on an internet URL : http://..../image.jpg

X pos and Y pos are expressed in pixel coordinates. Transparency level must be a
real value between 0 and 1. You can set the width and the height to enforce the
image to fit into the desired size.

Examples:

Image1: /image1.gif,1,1,.5
Image2: c:/images/image2.jpg,100,1,.5
Image3: /image4.jpg,100,1,.5,200,2
…

Tags for the block title

.tableTitle {
type:title
font-family:Arial
font-size:16
font-weight:bold
line-color: r0g255b0
line-dash: 16,8
line-cap: square
line-join: miter
line-transparency:.8
shadow-line-color: r200g200b200
shadow-line-transparency:.8
line-width:4
text-transparency:.8
text-color:none
text-gradient: r0g255b0,r0g100b0
text-align: center
text-line-Hoffset: 0
text-line-Voffset: 8
title-head-offset: -15
}


font-family

Indicates the font name used to draw the title

font-size

Indicates the font size in points

font-weight

Can take one of the following values:
• Plain
• Bold
• Italic
• Bolditalic

line-color

Indicates the RGB color of the main separation line

line-cap

Indicates the kind of end of line used
• Square (default)
• Round
• Butt

line_join

Indicates the kind of line join used:
• Bevel
• Round
• Miter (default)

line-dash

Allows indicating the dashed values. A comma separates the two integer values.
The first integer indicates the number of visible pixels. The second integer
indicates the number of invisible pixels (gap).
For example, 10,10 will draw the following dashed line: -- -- -- -- -- -- --
20,10 will draw : ---- ---- ---- ---- ----

line-transparency

Indicates the transparency level (real value between 0 and 1)


line-width

Indicates the width in pixel of the line

text-transparency

Indicates the title’s transparency level (real value between 0 and 1)

text-color

Indicates the title’s RGB value (none or missing if you use a gradient title)

text-gradient

Gives the two colors of the text gradient

text-align

• Left
• Center
• Right

Tags for the block table header

.tableHeader1 {
type:header
font-family: Arial;
font-size:12
font-weight:bold
frame-color:r135g55b255
inside-color:r243g236b255
font-color:r0g0b255
font-gradient: r0g0b255,r155g50b255
frame-gradient: r255g0b0,r255g255b255
frame-gradient-direction: UpToDown
shade-color:r160g160b160
frame-width:1
frame-rounded-border: 10
transparency:.8
text-align:left
text-align-offset:5
}

font-family


font-size


font-weight



• Plain
• Bold
• Italic
• Bolditalic

frame-color

Indicates the color of the frame (draw)

inside-color

Indicates the color inside the frame (fill)

font-color

Indicates the header title font color

font-gradient

Indicates the header title font gradient colors

frame-gradient

Indicates the frame inside gradient colors

frame-gradient-direction

Indicates the gradient direction:
• LeftToRight (default)
• UpToDown

shade-color

Indicates the color of the shade behind the frame

frame-width

Indicates the frame width in pixels

frame-rounded-border

Allows to have rounded frames. The value must be between 0 and 25.

transparency

Indicates the frame inside color transparency

text-align can be:


• Left
• Centre
• Right

text-align-offset

Indicates the offset between the cell border and the text

Tags for the block table body

.tableBody1 {
type:body
font-family:Arial
font-size:8
font-weight:bold
frame-color:r135g55b255
inside-color:r243g236b255
shade-color:r160g160b160
frame-width:1
frame-rounded-border: 10
transparency:.8
odd-foreground-color:r128g128b255
even-foreground-color:r0g0b255
odd-background-color:r240g225b255
even-background-color:r255g255b255
}

font-family


font-size


font-weight

• Plain
• Bold
• Italic
• Bolditalic

frame-color

Indicates the color of the frame (draw)


inside-color

Indicates the color inside the frame (fill)

frame-width

Indicate the frame width in pixels

frame-rounded-border

Allows to have rounded frames. The value must be between 0 and 25.

transparency

Indicates the frame inside color transparency

odd-foreground-color

Indicates the foreground color for odd lines

even-foreground-color

Indicates the foreground color for even lines

odd-background-color

Indicates the background color for odd lines

even-background-color

Indicates the background color for even lines


THE SAMPLE DIALOG TO UPDATE THE CSS FILE

A sample dialog is also provided for you to open any Forms dedicated CSS file, set
the decoration setting and save the changes to disk.

Figure 7 – the css_updater.fmb dialog

Since a CSS file was opened, you can select any section to modify their properties
and see immediately the result.
As seen in the previous section, every section has a type tag that determines the
kind of Forms object used (canvas, title, header, body).
This tags are read from the css_updater.fmb dialog to populate the four
properties windows.

SUMMARY
The solution explained in this paper can be downloaded from the Oracle Forms
section on OTN. It enables Oracle Forms developers to separate the look of the
form dialogs from the functional design. All the decoration elements are read from
an external CSS file.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
François Degrelle works as a consultant for a French SSII company and is an
Oracle specialist (PL/ SQL, Developer, Designer) who likes to share his Forms
expertise, writing technical papers about Oracle DB, PLSQL and Forms.
For questions regarding the sample code, please contact François at
f.degrelle@free.fr.


Oracle Forms 10g – Dynamic Application Color Customization
Seotember 2005
Contributing Authors: Grant Ronald (content review)

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Redwood Shores, CA 94065
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Copyright © 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.
This document is provided for information purposes only
and the contents hereof are subject to change without notice.
This document is not warranted to be error-free, nor subject to
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Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its
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