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Schema Builder allows you to define the tables, views, snapshots, synonyms, constraints, and table relationships that will make up your database. You can visualize your database design, including the tables, columns, data types, and relationships. Then execute that design.

Query Builder facilitates your writing of simple or complex query. You can save your query at your client-side. It allows you to set your table relationships and visualize the database objects being linked, including the tables, columns, and datatypes.

Procedure Builder allows you to develop stored procedures, functions, packages, and triggers in Oracle. Many developers have found the SQL*PLUS and favorite text editor approach cumbersome. You use Procedure Builder for ease of writing program development, debugging, and version control.

Form Builder will be used to simplify the creation of data-entry screens or Forms. Forms are the applications that connect to a database, retrieve information requested by the user, present it in a layout specified by the form�s designer, and allow the user to modify or add information. Form Builder allows you to build forms quickly and easily.

Report Builder is used to create on output reports from your database. Reports display data in a layout specified by the report�s designer. It often includes subtotals, summaries, and graphics to help decision makers see the �big picture.� Report Builder has a wizard that walks you through creating a very complex report quickly and easily.

Graphics Builder lets you create interactive graphical displays of the data in a database. You can include these graphics in your forms or reports. Graphics Builder provides a complete set of drawing and editing tools, along with a Chart Wizard to simplify the process of using the tools.

Object Navigator will be used on all development tools. It gives you a hierarchical listing of all the modules open in your current session. You use this listing to navigate to, and work on, those objects. It gives you access to all database objects you own or have grant to, and a list of all the built-in functions and procedures. Clicking on the plus sign next to an object in the Object Navigator will expand the object and clicking on the minus sign will collapse the object.

The main Form Builder components are FORM modules, MENU modules, PL/SQL libraries, and Object libraries.

The Form Module is a binary program code that is generated by Form Builder.

The Menu Module is a binary menu code that should be compiled and used by the Form Module.

The PL/SQL libraries are storage for stored procedure

The Object libraries are storage for FORM objects.

The main objects in a Form module are: Windows, Blocks, Items, and Canvases.

The four types of canvases are: Content, Stacked, Tab, and Toolbar. All can coexist within a single window.

A content canvas is the basic background for all windows.

A stacked canvas lays on top of the others.

A tab canvas is the same as stacked canvases with handy �tabs� at the top. It can simply move from one canvas to another.

A toolbar canvas contains push buttons giving users quick access.

Data Block Wizard will be used to create and modify data blocks.

Layout Wizard is used in Form Builder to create, and modify forms quickly and efficiently. The Layout Wizard asks you a series of questions and then generates a basic form that fulfills the criteria you have specified. You can later use the Layout Wizard to modify the form if you want to change its fundamental design or contents. You always can modify the layout manually to better suit your applications� needs.

A master/detail relationship or parent/child relationship is a relationship between two data blocks. A primary key of a master table is referenced by a foreign key in the detail table.

The Property Palette provides complete control over your objects. It contains the property list of an object. The properties are grouped by category.

The properties of an object can be changed to control the behavior of the object.

The Item properties such as Tooltip, Hint, and Display Hint automatically, will be used to provide item-level assistance for the client.

A text item appearance can be modified by manipulating properties such as Justification, or Format Mask properties.

A List of Values (LOV) is a modal window that populates a text item based on a selection made by the user from the list. The user can search a List of Values (LOV) for strings that occur anywhere within the values.

A Record Group is a query that displays data from the database into the List of Values.

A radio button group allows values stored in a data source column to display in a more graphical fashion, by having one radio button assigned to each possible value. Once a radio group is created, each radio button within it must be assigned a unique value.

Display items are read-only items and are only useful for calculated data such as subtotals and unchangeable data.

For controlling the data within a text item or display item, you can use properties such as Calculation Mode, and Lowest and Highest value.

Summary columns can be read-only or text items. They will calculate average, sum, min and max of a group of items in a block.

Function columns also can be read-only or text items. They return calculations of binding variables

A forms trigger is a set of PL/SQL actions that happen each time an event such as when-checkbox-changed, when-button-pressed, or when-new-record-instance occurs.

A Post-Query trigger fires after records are retrieved but before they are displayed. So, you can use it to enhance a query�s records in a number of ways. Your Post-Query trigger can contain code to calculate or populate control items.

A Horizontal Toolbar canvas contains buttons that give you quick access to your application functions. They would be activated by your defined triggers.

A trigger is a block of PL/SQL code that adds functionality to your application. Triggers are attached to objects in your application. When a trigger is fired, it executes the code it contains. Each trigger�s name defines what event will fire it; for instance, a WHEN-BUTTON-PRESSED trigger executes its code each time you click on the button to which the trigger is attached.

You can attach several triggers to a data query. The most popular of them are the PRE-QUERY and POST-QUERY.

The PRE-QUERY trigger fires before the select statement is finalized.

The POST-QUERY trigger fires before selected records are presented to the user.

You can also change an object property dynamically. The �SET_objectname_PROPERTY� built-in subprogram will change an object property dynamically.

A sequence is a database object that generates a series of integer numbers according to rules at the time you created the object. One of the purpose of creating a sequence object is to generate primary keys automatically. In this Hands-On, you will generate customer IDs.

A PRE-INSERT trigger fires once before each new record is inserted in a commit process.

There are three ways you can execute a form within a form. These three ways are: OPEN_FORM, CALL_FORM and NEW_FORM.

The OPEN_FORM built-in subprogram opens a form and its own database connection.

The CALL_FORM built-in subprogram opens a form with the same database connection and can be run also in query mode.

The NEW_FORM built-in subprogram opens a form and closes the calling form.

A Global variable is a binding variable that can be used by multiple Form Module.

The NAME_IN built-in subprogram will be used to read a value from a global variable or an indirectly referenced object.

The COPY built-in subprogram places a value into a global variable or an indirectly referenced object.

The �WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE� trigger will be used to prepare objects or an action when entering to a new form. It fires when the form is entered.

A Property Palette contains object properties. The contents of the Property Palette are referred to as the �Property sheet� for the object. You use the Property Palette to modify object properties. To open the Property Palette of an object, go to the object and right click on the mouse then select Property Palette.

Always start with the default created menu, instead of creating a main menu from scratch.

Main Menus do have their own module file. They are independent of form modules. It will be very useful to look at the code underlying the default menu used by the Forms Runtime program. This module was created by Oracle and it is used as a default main menu. The source file for this menu is stored in the FORMS directory in a file named �menudefs.mmb.� You can easily customized this file or use it as a basis for a new menu module.

Pop-up menus are "mini-menus" that appear when you right click on an object. They are intended to include only items relevant to the object they are attached to. Therefore an application may have many pop-up menus. Pop-up menus do not have module files. They are owned by the FORM modules.