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FIG. 12.5
File menu options.
You'll see the alert, Do you really want to revert module? before the file is deleted. This is a safety feature provided by Oracle.
Figure 12.6 shows the Revert alert.
FIG. 12.6
The Revert alert
message box.
The Run OptionThe Run option launches Forms Runtime and executes the selected file. The Compile option compiles the PL/SQL code for the selected object. The Compile All option compiles the PL/SQL code for all of the selected file's objects that contain PL/SQL code.
If there are errors in the PL/SQL code, an error dialog box appears that lists the error and the object that contains the error. You'll seldom use these two options since the PL/SQL editor has a compile button.
It's much easier to compile and test your code from the PL/SQL editor. In addition, all the PL/SQL code is compiled when the file is generated.
The Connect and Disconnect OptionsThe Connect option is used to connect Designer to the Oracle database. You must do this before you can use many of the database functions in Designer.
When you select the Connect option, a Connect dialog box appears. It prompts you for the Oracle database user ID, password, and connect string.
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Figure 12.7 shows the Connect dialog box.
FIG. 12.7
The Connect database
dialog box.
If you don't connect to the database before you try a database procedure, Designer automatically displays this dialog box and prompts you for a database ID.
The Disconnect option disconnects Designer from the database. When Designer is disconnected from the database, the Disconnect option is grayed out. When Designer is connected to the database, the Connection option is grayed out.
The File Administration optionsThe Administration option opens a submenu to the right of the option. This submenu is shown in Figure 12.8.
FIG. 12.8
The Administration
menu options.
The Module Access optionThe first option is Module Access. This option brings up the Grant Module dialog box, which allows you to grant or revoke other developers access to a form.
Figure 12.9 shows the Grant Module dialog box. You can view any modules saved to the database by pressing the Retrieve List button.
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FIG. 12.9
The Grant Module
dialog box is used to
grant or revoke access
to Forms modules.
The Database Roles option The Database Roles option opens the Role List dialog box. Roles are a set of privileges that enable holders of the role to perform database functions. These sets of privileges are granted to individual users. The dialog box allows you to create, change, or delete roles in the database. You must have the authority to update roles to use this option.
The dialog box lists the roles for the current user. Figure 12.10 shows the Role List dialog box.
FIG. 12.10
The Role List dialog box
lists the roles available
to you.
The Delete optionThe Delete option invokes the Delete From Database dialog box, which allows you to delete modules saved to the database.
Figure 12.11 shows the Delete From Database dialog box.
FIG. 12.11
The Delete From
Database dialog box is
used to delete
database objects.
The Rename optionThe Rename option is used to change the name of Designer files saved to the database. Selecting this option brings up the Rename in Database dialog box.
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Figure 12.12 shows the Rename in Database dialog box.
FIG. 12.12
The Rename in
Database dialog box is
used to rename files
saved to the database.
The Forms Doc optionThe Forms Doc option is used to create an ASCII file listing all the objects in the select module. This file has an extension of .TXT and can be printed.
The Generate optionThe commonly used Generate option compiles all objects in the module and creates the executable form of the file. The file types executable by Forms Runtime are .FMX, .MMX, or .PLX.
The Convert optionThe Convert option is used to change the module source code file from a binary file to an ASCII text file or vice versa. The ASCII text file is in a readable format and has file extension types of .FMT, MMT, or .PLD.
Selecting the Convert option brings up the Convert dialog shown in Figure 12.13. The three fields to be populated are as follows.
Type, a pick list, allows you to select the file type from form, menu, or library file. File holds the name and location of the file to be converted. Direction allows you to choose a conversion from binary-to-text or vice versa. You press the Convert button to initiate the procedure.
FIG. 12.13
The Convert dialog box
is used to convert forms
files from binary to
ASCII.
The Check-In, Check-Out, and Source Control optionsThe Check-In, Check-Out, and Source Control options are available when Intersolv's Polytron Version Control System, used to control software, is installed.
The Check-In option allows you to place a module in the source archive. The Check-Out option allows you to take files from the source archive.
The Print OptionThe Print option launches a standard Windows Print dialog box, which allows you to capture and print the current screen. The Print Setup option displays a Windows Print Setup dialog box.
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Several print options, such as page orientation, paper size, source, and the type of printer, are available. The Exit option closes Forms Designer.
The Edit menu offers a variety of options to change items in the Object Navigator. Figure 12.14 shows the Edit menu options.
When an option is grayed out, you can't use that option. Notice in Figure 12.14 that the Cut option is grayed out. It can't be used because no text has been highlighted.
FIG. 12.14
The Edit menu options.
The Undo optionUndo is one option you should remember. Undo returns the form to the state it was in before the last change. Undo doesn't eliminate all changes but primarily changes to the layout of the form, which are made in the screen painter or Layout Editor.
This is important because some of the Layout Editor functions can substantially change the layout of the form and these changes may not be what you envisioned.
The Undo option can save you rework time. When you press Undo, it changes to Redo. This allows you to reverse the undo procedure and return the form to its original state before you pressed Undo.
The Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear optionsThe Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear options are similar to the standard Windows options with these names. You use them in the Forms PL/SQL editor and the Layout Editor.