Forms

Form Builder (Hands-On)

Hands-on introduction
You use Form Builder to simplify for the creation of data-entry screens, also known as Forms. Forms are the applications that connect to a database, retrieve information requested by the user, present it in a layout specified by Form designer, and allow the user to modify or add information. Form Builder allows you to build forms quickly and easily.

In this Hands-On, you learn how to: Create a Data block for the �Customer� table, Create a layout, Use �content� canvas, Use �execute query�, Navigate a table, Use next, previous record, Enter query, Manipulate table�s record, Insert, Update, Delete and Save record.

Form Builder Tool
Open the "Form Builder" tool.

Welcome window
You will get the �Welcome to the Form Builder� window. If you don�t want to get this window anymore uncheck mark the �Display at startup� box. You can start your entry with the following option:
� Use the data Block Wizard
� Build a new form manually
� Open an existing form
� Build a form based on a template

The default is �Use the data Block Wizard.� If you want to build a new form manually, click on "Cancel� or checkmark �Build a new form manually� and click �OK.�
Connect to database
In the �Object Navigator� window, highlight "Database Objects." Go to the Main menu and choose "File," then "Connect."

In the �Connect� window, login in as �oracle� password �learning� then click �CONNECT.�
Notice that the box next to �Database Objects� is not empty anymore and it has a �+� sign in it. That will indicate that this item is expandable and you are able to see its entire objects.

Click on the �+� sign next to the �Database Objects� to expand all database schemas.

Create a Module
In the �Object Navigator� window, highlight module1. This is a default name. Go to the Main menu and choose �File,� select �Save as� to store the new object in the folder and save it as customer data entry. "c:_de." In this example the �DE� abbreviation stands for Data Entry.

Create a Data Block
In the �Object Navigator� window, highlight "Data Blocks,� and click on the "create� icon. The �Create� icon is in the vertical tool bar in the �Object Navigator� window. It is a green �+� sign. If you drag your cursor on the icon a tooltip will show �Create.�

New Data Block
In the �New Data Block� window, choose the default option �Data Block Wizard� and click "OK."

Welcome Data Block
In the �Welcome Data Block Wizard� window click on the �NEXT� icon.
Type of Data Block
Select the type of data block you would like to create by clicking on a radio button. Select the default option �Table or View� and then click �NEXT� again.
Selecting Tables
Click on �browse.� In the �Tables� window, highlight the "customer� table; then click "OK."

Selecting columns for the Data Block Wizard
To choose all columns, click on the two arrow signs in the �Data Block Wizard� window. To choose selected columns, click on the one arrow sign. And then select all columns, and click �next.�

Layout Wizard
End of the Data Block Wizard and beginning of the Layout Wizard

In the �Congratulations� screen, use the default checkmark radio button (Create the data block, then call the Layout Wizard), and click "Finish." You can also use the Data Block Wizard to modify your existing data block. Simply select the data block in the Object Navigator and click the Data Block Wizard toolbar button, or choose �Data Block wizard� from the �Tools� menu.

Welcome screen
In the �Welcome to the Layout Wizard� window, click �Next.�
Selecting canvas
In the �Layout Wizard� window, select the "new canvas" option. Canvas is a place that you will have your objects such as columns, titles, pictures, etc. If you have already had your canvas, select the canvas and then click on the next. The following are different types of canvases: Content, Stacked, Vertical Toolbar, Horizontal Toolbar, and Tab.
Think of the �Content� canvas as one flat place to have all your objects. In the stacked canvas, you can have multiple layers of objects and it is the same as the tab canvas. You use the vertical or horizontal toolbar canvases for your push buttons. Check the different types of canvases by clicking on the �down arrow� box next to the �Type� field. Select "content," then click �Next.�

Selecting Columns for the Layout Wizard
In the �Layout Wizard� window, select all the columns. These are the columns that you want to be displayed on the canvas. Then click �Next.�

Change your objects appearances
Change size or prompt if needed. In this window, you can enter a prompt, width, and height for each item on the canvas. You can change the measurement units. As a default the default units for item width and height are points. You can change it to inch or centimeter. When you change size, click �Next.�

Selecting a layout style
Select a layout style for your frame by clicking a radio button. Select "Form," if you want one record at a time to be displayed. Select �Tabular,� if you want more than one record at a time to be displayed. Select "Forms," and then click �next.�
Record layout
Type the "Frame Title" and click "next." Checkmark the �Display Scrollbar� box when you use multiple records or the �Tabular� option.
Congratulation Screen
In the �Congratulations� window, click "Finish."
You will see the output layout screen.
Make some window adjustments and then run the form. To run the form, click on the �Run� icon. The �Run� icon is on the horizontal toolbar in the �CUSTOMER_DE� canvas.

The object module should be compiled successfully before executing the Form.
Execute Query
Click on the "Execute Query" icon below the main menu. If you drag the cursor on the toolbar in the �Forms Runtime� window, a tooltip will be displayed and you see �Execute Query.�

So to know all your option, drag your cursor to view all the icon descriptions.

Next Record
Click on the "Next Record" icon to navigate to the next record.
Previous Record
Click on the "Previous Record" icon to navigate to the previous record.
This is an easy way to navigate through the �Customer� table.

Enter Query
Click on the "Enter Query" icon to query selected records.
Conditional query
To query all the customers whom their creditlimits are more than 7000, first click on the �Enter Query� icon on the �Forms Runtime� toolbar. All items will be blanked. Go to the �creditlimit� item and type �> 7000.� Then click on the �Execute Query� icon on the �Forms Runtime� toolbar.

Now, you should get all customers whom their creditlimits are more than 7000 dollars.

To query all customers whom their names start with the letter "E," first click on the �Enter Query� icon on the �Forms Runtime� toolbar. All items will be blanked. Go to the �NAME� item and type �E%.� Then click on the �Execute Query� icon on the �Forms Runtime� toolbar.
Now, you should get all customers whom their names start with the letter "E."

Query all customers whom their names start with the letter "E" and their creditlimits are more than 7000 dollars. Now you should be able to do that.

Insert Record
Click "Insert Record" to add new customer. All items on the forms will be blanked. You can either type all the customer information or duplicate it from pervious record.
Duplicate Record
To duplicate the previous record, go to the main menu and select the �Record� sub-menu. A drop down menu will be displayed. Select the �Duplicate� option in the sub-menu.
Apply the changes. Remember in this stage, your record was inserted but not committed yet.

Next and Previous Record
Click "next record" and "previous record" to navigate through the records and the one was added.
Save transactions
Click "Save" to commit the insert statement.

Delete Record
Click "Remove Record" to delete the record.

Lock a Record
You can also lock the record.
Exit from Form Runtime
Exit the FORM Runtime. If you have not committed any transaction, you will be prompted to save changes. Click �YES� to save changes.
Click �OK� for acknowledgement.
Don�t forget to save the Form.


Questions
Q: Use the Form Builder tool to create a Data block for the �Customer� table.
Q: How to you connect to the database objects using the Form Builder tool?
Q: How can you create a "Datablock" for a form application using the "Form Builder" tool?
Q: How can you create a "layout" for a form application using the "Form Builder" tool?
Q: How can you use a "Content canvas" for a form application using the "Form Builder" tool?
Q: Use the "Execute Query" option to query customer's information.
Q: How can you navigate a table using the "Form Builder" tool?
Q: What does the "NEXT RECORD" option do?
Q: What does the "PREVIOUS RECORD" option do?
Q: What does the "Enter Query" option do?
Q: How can you manipulate table's record?
Q: Insert, delete and update a record.
Q: How can you save a transaction using the "Form Builder" tool?