Extending the E-Business Suite

with Application Express

(APEX)

OR
Finding joy in our job

Why APEX?
Rapid Application Development
Shorter learning curve than OAF, ADF, MAF

Avoid customizations
No impact on patching and upgrading
Fun and Free! But check with Oracle
EBS limited use license does NOT allow for an
additional schema

Fully supported by Oracle

Possible Use Cases

Real time access to EBS data

Additional reporting and analysis

Simple and customized export of data

Deliver new business functionality

Custom ordering system

Searchable personnel directory

Custom data collection

Personalization of complex EBS workflows

APEX can NOT be used to customize EBS
pages or forms

Possible Use Cases

White Paper
Extending Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1
and above using Oracle Application Express
Revision 2.01,

Dated March, 2015

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developertools/apex/learnmore/apex-ebs-extension-white-paper345780.pdf

MOS Note 1306563.1 provides the scripts but links

to an older version of the White Paper (Revision 1,
dated December, 2012)

Prerequisites for the

White Paper Sample

Oracle E-Business Suite ( 12.1.3)

Fully licensed Oracle Database ( 10.2.0.3)
Oracle Application Express ( 4.2)
Oracle REST Data Services ( 2.0)
Oracle WebLogic Server ( 12c)

Can use Oracle Glassfish Server or Apache Tomcat

For Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1, patch

9659153:R12.FND.B is required

Need patch 12316083

30,000 ft Overview
Create an APEX Application
Configure APEX Login Process
Define APEX Authorizations
Define EBS Profile Option and Functions
Link Functions to Menu and Responsibility

What is APEX?

Rapid Application Development tool

Similar to Microsoft Access

Flows Oracle Platform Project Marvel HTML DB Application Express (APEX)

Tightly coupled with the Oracle database

Declarative (what to do rather than how to do it)

Use Wizards and Templates to create applications

The applications created by APEX are accessed
through a web browser

Architecture

Applications are stored as meta-data in the
database (Not the APPS server)

Procedures generate HTML

The meta-data is used to render pages and
processing

Can be installed on 10gR2 and above

Development and runtime access is 100 %
browser based (no client software - ever)

Architecture
E-Business Suite Database
Grant Select
APPS
Schema

CUSTOM
Schema

EBS APIs
APEX
Engine

The f Procedure and the URL

http://myserver.com:8080/ords/dev/f?p=XXX:Y:zzz
F is a PL/SQL procedure that generates APEX pages
f is from flow, APEX was once called Project Flows.

SELECT owner, object_type

FROM dba_objects
WHERE object_name = F;

The f Procedure and the URL

DESC F;

Changes in R12

In 11i, access to APEX apps was processed via
mod_plsql in Application Server

In R12, enabling mod_plsql is not supported and
can put your support at risk

For R12, use Apache, Oracle REST Data Services
within Oracle Glassfish or WebLogic, or
Embedded PL/SQL Gateway

APEX will use JSP but wizards make it simple

Options for the HTTP Listener

Embedded PL/SQL Gateway
Possible problem with scalability

Apache
Highly scalable
Doesnt support some APEX 4 features

Oracle REST Data Services

(formerly the APEX Listener)
Generally recommended
Implementation options

Embedded PL/SQL Gateway

Very easy to use
Requires Shared Server
Cannot separate the listener tier from the database
tier (less secure)
Possible issues with session management

Apache

Very scalable

Proven technology

Licensing may be an issue

Doesnt support some newer APEX functions

RESTful web services

PDF printing

Oracle REST Data Services

(replaces the APEX Listener)

Generally recommended as best choice

Supports latest APEX features

Redirects call to APEX applications to the APEX
run-time engine

Accepts RESTful Web Service call URIs

Can marshal data from SQL to .csv or JSON
formats

Deployment options

Glassfish (free)

Weblogic (extra license)

Third party container

Key Terms
Representational State Transfer (REST) is an architectural
style that specifies constraints, such as the uniform interface,
that if applied to a web service induce desirable properties,
such as performance, scalability, and modifiability, that
enable services to work best on the Web. -Whew!
A RESTful service provides access to resources (web pages,
pictures, videos, information, etc.) in a lightweight,
maintainable and scalable manner.
Bottom line difference for most developers:
myserver.com:8080:/apex/f?p=400:103
myserver.com:8080:/ords/f?p=400:103

Key Terms
Schema (database):
Collection of database objects owned by a user
Parse As Schema the default schema of the
user/app

Workspace (APEX):
Logical container for one or more application(s)
Separate, self contained development
environment
Contains applications, users, and schemas

Key Terms
Users:
Instance Administrator
Workspace Administrator
Developer
End User

Key Terms
Session: a series of related browser requests
Session State: variables representing APEX items
and their values, maintained on the server
Submit: an operation that saves the values of the
items in the corresponding session state variable
before rendering a target page
Redirect: an operation that renders a target page
without saving values to the session state

Potential Gotchas
List a navigation aid

Can use images or text

LOV List of Values to be

selected

Can allow multiple selections

Source: Static List or SQL query

Overview
Suggest you create an APEX application before
starting the White Papers application.
Get familiar with newer screens in the wizards and
with the location of development items.
Some steps have been combined in newer
versions
Plenty of good books, websites, and blogs.

Differences in 4.2

Differences in 5.0

Grid Layout is a paradigm shift

Differences in 5.0

Multi-item editing

Differences in 5.0

In White Paper, this field is called

Item Containing Primary Key Column Value

Page 28: Create a region Type of Region HTML

IN 5.0 the Type is Static Content
Under Attributes, you can find
Output As which is set to HTML

Free Workspace
Good place to learn APEX fundamentals
No E-Business Suite

https://apex.oracle.com/

Install APEX

Download APEX (5.0) and Installation Guide from
OTN

Install APEX (in database)

Download and install Glassfish

Download and register Oracle REST Data
Services with Glassfish (war file)

Install APEX
Configure database for APEX

Create a user/schema in the database
(APEX_USER)

Create views and instead-of triggers in APPS

Grant select on views to APEX_USER

Configure APEX
Within APEX

Create a workspace

Create users

Developer(s) to create app

End User(s) to test

Create the application

Installation Best Practices

Create custom applications in a separate schema
Create the custom tables, views, triggers,
sequences in custom schema
Create views on APPS tables
Grant select privileges on APPS views to APEX
user as necessary

Programming Best Practices

Do NOT perform direct updates to seeded tables!
Will bypass Oracles validation and referential
integrity
Use published APIs
with instead-of triggers
direct calls from the APEX code
Can use FND_SUBMIT for intensive updates

Programming Best Practices

Direct Update = Bad
INSERT INTO FND_USER
( USER_ID
, USER_NAME
, PASSWORD
, START_DATE
, EMPLOYEE_ID)
VALUES
( fnd_user_seq.nextval
, someuser@yourcompany.com
, oracle12
, sysdate
, 1234
);

Programming Best Practices

API = Good
DECLARE
v_user_id number;
BEGIN
v_user_id := fnd_user_pkg.createuserid
( x_user_name => someuser@yourcompany.com
, x_unencrypted_password => oracle12
, x_start_date => sysdate)
, employee_id => 1234;
COMMIT;
END;

Problem with EBS Public APIs

ORA-00942: table or view does not exist

Per Service Request - Users should:

Grant SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE privileges
to your non-APPS schema for all tables owned by APPS

set pages 0
spool grantem.sql
SELECT 'grant select, insert, update, delete on
'||owner||'.'||table_name||' to polk_apex_sand;'
FROM dba_tables
WHERE owner = 'APPS';
spool off

Better Solution to
Public API Problem
create or replace procedure polk_create_irec_user
( v_user_name IN varchar2,
Definer = author
v_password
IN varchar2,
v_email
IN varchar2,
Not current user
v_last_name
IN varchar2,
Compile as APPS
v_first_name IN varchar2 )
authid definer
Grant execute to apex_user
AS
Call from apex_user
BEGIN
apps.irc_party_api.create_user
(p_user_name
=> v_user_name
,p_password
=> Thursday123'
,p_start_date
=> 16-APR-2015'
,p_responsibility_id
=> 23350
,p_resp_appl_id
=> 800
,p_security_group_id
=> 0
,p_email
=> v_email
,p_last_name
=> v_last_name
,p_first_name
=> v_first_name );
commit;
dbms_output.put_line ('User:'||v_user_name||'Created Successfully');
EXCEPTION
when others then
dbms_output.put_line (Cant create User due to'||SQLCODE||' '||SUBSTR(SQLERRM, 1, 100));
rollback;
END;

Programming Best Practices

APEX wizards (used to) require primary keys

Wizards make life simple, but need primary keys

Create views on seeded tables with an arbitrary
primary key (2 columns at most)

Modify APEX pages row processing (created by
the wizards) to call APIs

Or call APIs via INSTEAD OF triggers on views

Install APEX
Apexins.sql Parameters

APEX tablespace - APEX application user
Not SYSAUX!

Files tablespace - APEX files
Not SYSAUX!

Temporary tablespace

Images - /i/ - virtual directory for APEX images

* SYSAUX belongs to Oracle

Install APEX
Change Admin password apxchpwd.sql
Alter User APEX_PUBLIC_USER Account Unlock
Alter User APEX_PUBLIC_USER Identified by
<password>;

Install APEX
Password Expiration in 11g
In 11g default profile PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME is
180 days. At expiration the APEX instance will be
unusable until the password is reset.
Consider creating separate profile for APEX:
CREATE PROFILE APEX_PROFILE LIMIT
PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME UNLIMITED;
ALTER USER APEX_PUBLIC_USER PROFILE APEX_PROFILE;

Apply Patch 12726556 Launching APEX From

Forms Navigator

Install APEX on R12.2

Must update the custom schema to enable EditionBased Redefinition (EBR)
Register the schema within E-Business Suite
See Registering an Oracle Schema Chapter 6
of the E-Business R12.2 Suite Maintenance
Guide

Apply Patch 12726556 Launching APEX From
Forms Navigator AFTER enabling EBR

Deploy to Glassfish
Oracle REST Data Services
Installation, Configuration, and Development Guide
Release 3.0
Chapters on:
1. Configuring ORDS
2. Deploying ORDS to:
Glassfish
Weblogic
Apache Tomcat

Configure ORDS
PL/SQL Gateway is not Embedded PL/SQL
Gateway!

If you plan to use APEX with ORDS you MUST configure the
PL/SQL Gateway.

The PL/SQL Gateway is what provides the mod_plsql like

functionality to invoke PL/SQL procedures in the database

This step creates the apex.xml file. Without an apex.xml file APEX
will not be accessible (or any other PL/SQL procedures).

Bottom line when configuring ORDS, be sure to reply with 1

to:
Enter 1 if you want to use PL/SQL Gateway or 2 to skip this step [1]:

Security
Authentication
Who are you?
Controls access to application (the doorman)
Authorization
What are you allowed to do? (the bartender)
Controls access to forms, pages, buttons, etc.
and to data

Authentication (the doorman)

Preconfigured schemes
Single Sign On
Oracle Access Manager
Custom Scheme
In APP - PL/SQL function to validate user
based on username and password
In APEX define an authorization scheme to
use the function

Authorization (the bartender)

Apply Authorization to all non-public pages, not just
menus.
Can be applied to almost any component of an
application (i.e. pages, regions, buttons, items)
Session State Protection
The URLs can be manipulated to circumvent security
Managing Application Security Understanding
Session State Protection

Session State Protection

Session State Protection uses the Page Access
Protection attributes and the Session State
Protection item attributes with checksums
positioned in f?p= URLs to prevent URL tampering
and unauthorized access to and alteration of
session state.
--Oracle Application Express Application
Builder User's Guide Release 4.2
Think changing f?p=200:1 to f?p=300:12

Custom Authorization
Note: There is a typo in Revision 1 of the White Paper.
The last RETURN statement should read function_test not
function.test (underscore, not period)

--Included in apexebs_apps_setup.sql

Custom Authorization
Edit the Page
Double click the page title

On the Security tab, assign the custom scheme and

set the page to require authentication

Create the List

List Region (not in white paper)

By selecting Do not create list regions(s) we can
add a List Region to the Global Page or to any page
we choose later.

Terminology Gotchas
Page 0 is now the Global Page
One Global Page per application, per interface
Desktop UI
Mobile UI

Install Sample Application

apexebs_apps_setup.sql
As APPS

apexebs_apex_setup.sql
As apex_ebs schema

apexebs_apex_application_rev2.sql
Within the application builder (creates the app if you dont
want to do it manually)
Be sure to download the _rev2 file from the White Paper,
not the version in Note 1306563.1 as of February 2015

Manually Create Application

Create A Form

Create a Form
Forms perform insert, update and delete
operations on table rows in the database. The
rows are identified using either a Primary Key
defined on the table, or the ROWID pseudo
column, which uniquely identifies a row in a table.
Select "Managed by Database" if you would like to
use the ROWID. Otherwise select the Primary Key
column(s) defined for your table or view.
Forms support up to two columns in the Primary
Key. For tables using Primary Keys with more than
two columns, the ROWID option should be used

Create a Form

Create a Form

Processing Code in a Page

PL/SQL Page Process
apps.apex_integration_sample_apis.apex_update_email
( p_username => :APP_USER
, p_owner => :APP_USER
, p_email_address => :P2_EMAIL_ADDRESS
);

Profile Option

In 11i, a mod_plsql procedure could redirect the

user to APEX
In R12, a JSP is used. This is configured by setting
a Profile Option and defining functions to point to
the APEX pages

Call APEX from APPS Menus

Create form function with type : SSWA jsp function
An HTML call to the APEX app
Application number, Page number, and
parameters
Add the form function to an APPS menu
Assign the menu to a responsibility
Assign the responsibility to a user

Define Function

Define Function Without Responsibilities

GWY.jsp?targetAppType=APEX&p=105:1
Application ID = 105, Page 1

Define Function With Responsibilities

Passing Parameters

GWY.jsp?targetAppType=APEX&p=105:3:::::
EBS_RESP_ID, EBS_APP_ID,
EBS_SEC_GROUP:[RESPONSIBILITY_ID],
[RESP_APPL_ID], [SECURITY_GROUP_ID]

Application Items in APEX

GWY.jsp?targetAppType=APEX&p=105:3:::::
------------------------------ APEX Application Items -----------------------------------------

EBS_APP_ID,

EBS_RESP_ID,

EBS_SEC_GROUP:

[RESP_APPL_ID], [RESPONSIBILITY_ID], [SECURITY_GROUP_ID]

--------------------------- EBS Values -------------------------------------------------------

Menu

Add the functions to a menu

Responsibility

User

APEX User Home Page

Security

Easy to deploy to production

Export the application (generates a SQL script)

Provide script to DBA
DBA executes the script

Use DEV TEST PROD model

Security configuration in TEST should be

identical to PROD

In PROD, run APEX in run only mode

Mobile Apps with APEX

Responsive Design

Techniques to create content that can dynamically adapt to
fit screens on phones, tablets, and computers

Page items resize and realign to conform to different

screen sizes

APEX 4.2 introduced Theme 25

Templates for responsive design

Not automatic it is the developers
responsibility to use the templates and arrange
content to achieve truly responsive interface

Not a native app no access to GPS or camera

References

Extending Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1 and above using

Oracle Application Express Revision 2.0 March 2015

MOS Note 1306563.1 Extending Oracle E-Business Suite Release

12 using Oracle Application Express

Beginning Oracle Application Express 4.2 (NOT 4)

Gault, Cannell, Cimolini, DSouza, St. Hilaire

Oracle Application Express for Mobile Web Applications

Hartman, Rokitta, Peake

Understanding APEX 4.2 Application Development

Edward Sciore

Oracle Application Express 5 For Beginners

Riaz Ahmed

Blogs: David Peake, Dimitri Gielis, Martin DSouza