Oracle® HTML DB User's Guide Release 2.0 Part Number B16373-01 |
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This section describes different ways you can customize your application's user interface and page layout including customizing regions, editing item attributes, customizing templates, and incorporating cascading style sheets and images.
This section contains the following topics:
See Also: "Adding Navigation" for information about creating navigation bars, tabs, breadcrumbs, lists, and trees |
Oracle HTML DB renders pages by combining templates with application components defined by the developer and data in the database.
The overall framework (or structure of a page) is determined by the page template. For example, the page templates controls if a page uses tabs and a navigation bar. It can also define if a page includes a bar on the left side that serves as a placeholder for navigation or secondary content. Finally, a page template can include definitions of region positions, which enable precise control over placement of regions using HTML tables or style sheet definitions. The page template itself is composed of HTML combined with substitution strings which will be substituted with the appropriate Oracle HTML DB components at run time.
As a developer, you add content on a page by creating a region. A region is an area of a page that serves as a container for content. Each region contains a different type of content such as HTML, a report, a form, a chart, a list, a breadcumb, PL/SQL, a tree, a URL, or a calendar. You position a region either relative to other regions (that is, based on its sequence number and column), or by using a region position defined in the page template. The style of the region is also controlled by the region template. Like the page template, the region template defines the structure of the area that the region takes up on a page. It defines if the region title is displayed and where it is displayed relative to the main content, or the body. A region can also define absolute positions for buttons.
Page zero of your application functions as a master page. The HTML DB engine renders all components you add to page zero on every page within your application. You can further control whether or not the HTML DB engine renders a component or runs a computation, validation, or process by defining conditions.
To create a page zero:
Create a new page.
Specify the page ID as zero (0).
A region is a area on a page that serves as a container for content. Each page can have any number of regions. You control the appearance of a region through a specific region template. The region template controls the look of the region, the size, determines whether or not there will be a border or a background color, and what type of fonts display. A region template also determines the standard placement for any buttons placed in region positions.
You can use regions to group page controls (such as items or buttons). You can create simple regions that do not generate additional HTML, or create elaborate regions that frame content within HTML tables or images.
Regions display in sequence within HTML table columns. You can also explicitly place regions in positions defined in the page template. You can also choose to display regions conditionally.
Topics in this section include:
You create new regions by running the Create Region Wizard.
To create a new region:
Navigate to the appropriate Page Definition:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
The Page Definition appears.
Under Regions, click the Create icon.
Select a region type and follow the on-screen instructions.
When you create a region you select a region type. The HTML DB engine interprets a region differently based on the type you select. Table 7-1 describes the available region types.
Table 7-1 Region Types
Region Type | Description |
---|---|
HTML | When you select HTML, the wizard prompts you to select one of the following:
See Also: "Using Shortcuts" |
Report | Report regions can be defined by a SQL query you write, or by using a wizard to guide you through the steps needed to write a query.
See Also: "Creating Reports" |
Form | Form regions are used to contain a form.
See Also: "Creating Forms" |
Chart | Chart regions contain line, bar, or pie charts based on SQL queries.
See Also: "Creating Charts" |
List | List regions contain a shared collection of links called list.
See Also: "Creating Lists" |
Breadcrumb | Breadcrumb regions contain a hierarchical list of links called a breadcrumb.
See Also: "Creating Breadcrumbs" |
PL/SQL Dynamic Content | Regions based on PL/SQL enable you to render any HTML or text using the PL/SQL Web Toolkit. |
Tree | Trees are a hierarchical navigational control based on a SQL query executed at run time. It enables the user to expand an collapse nodes.
See Also: "Creating Trees" |
URL | URL based regions obtain their content by calling a Web server using a predefined URL. |
Calendar | Calendar regions are used to contain a monthly calendar.
See Also: "Creating Calendars" |
Multiple HTML | Use this option to create multiple HTML regions at once. In the fields provided, specify the Sequence, Title, Display Point, Report Template, and Column for each region. |
Help Text | Help Text regions enable you to provide page-level help.
See Also: "Creating a Help Page" |
See Also:
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You can alter the appearance of a page by changing the region attributes.
To edit region attributes:
Navigate to the appropriate Page Definition:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
The Page Definition appears.
Under Regions, select the region name.
The Region Definition appears.
Table 7-2 describes region attributes that affect the layout of a page.
Table 7-2 Region Attributes Affecting Page Layout
Attribute | Description |
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Conditions | Defines conditions and appropriate expressions that determine if the region displays. Conditions can reference session state, the currently logged in user, or Oracle HTML DB environment preferences (such as whether or not a page is in Print View mode).
See Also: "Understanding Conditional Rendering and Processing" and "Optimizing a Page for Printing" |
Header and Footer | Specifies HTML text to be displayed at the top of the region (just before the #BODY# content). |
Customization | Enables end user customization. To utilize this feature, you must include the #CUSTOMIZE# substitution string in the Header, Body, or Footer section of the page template.
See Also: "Enabling Users to Customize a Page" |
User Interface, Column | Determines the column in which the region displays. If two regions are in the same display point, you can place them next to one another by setting the second region to display in column 2. Many regions can display in each column and the display order of the regions within the region display point and column is controlled by the region display sequence number. |
User Interface, Template | Determines the look of the region. Select from the region templates defined in the application. To view template attributes, click the template name on the Page Definition.
See Also: "Customizing Templates" and "Region Templates" |
User Interface, Sequence | Specifies the display order of the regions within the page. |
User Interface, Display Point | Identifies where within the page the region displays. Regions are rendered in order of sequence number within a Display Point. Click the View icon to see the page layout and select a position.
The possible display points for a region are determined by the page-level template (which is a page attribute). If no page-level template is selected, the default page-level template, defined in the Application Definition is used. |
User Interface, Region HTML table cell attributes | Defines additional attributes to be used in the HTML table cells when regions display in multiple columns. The attributes control the cells in the table used to lay out a region in multiple columns. |
When you create a region, you must specify its position (or Display Point) on the page. You can choose either a default position (such as Page Template Body) or a user-defined position in the template (such as Page Template Region Position 1.)
In addition to Display Point, you can specify the column in which the region will be placed. When you place regions in multiple columns, Oracle HTML DB automatically renders the necessary HTML to produce a multiple column layout.
In addition to the body content of a region (which can be a report, a chart, or HTML with form elements), you can specify additional HTML to be placed above and below a region or in its header and footer. The region footer supports the following substitution strings:
#TIMING#
shows the elapsed time in seconds used when rendering a region. You cab use this substitution string for debugging purposes.
#ROWS_FETCHED#
shows the number of rows fetched by the Oracle HTML DB reporting engine (the page size). You can use these substitution strings to display customized messages to the user. For example:
Fetched #ROWS_FETCHED# rows in #TIMING# seconds.
#TOTAL_ROWS#
displays the total number of rows that satisfy a SQL query used for a report.
#FIRST_ROW_FETCHED#
and #LAST_ROW_FETCHED#
displays the range of rows displayed. For example:
Row(s) #FIRST_ROW_FETCHED# through #LAST_ROW_FETCHED# of #ROWS_FETCHED# displayed
You can use the Customization attribute to enable users to turn regions on and off in a running application.
To enable end user customization:
Navigate to the appropriate Page Definition:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
The Page Definition appears.
Under Regions, click the region name.
The Region Definition appears.
Scroll down to Customization and select one of the following:
Customizable and Not Shown By Default
Customizable and Shown By Default
In Customized Option Name, enter the label that represents this region on the page to the user.
Include the #CUSTOMIZE#
substitution string in the Header, Body, or Footer section of the page template.
To utilize this feature, you must include the #CUSTOMIZE#
substitution string in the Header, Body, or Footer section of the page template.
If at least one region supports end user customization, a link called Customize appears wherever you include the #CUSTOMIZE#
substitution string in the page template. When users click this link, a window displays enabling them to turn on and off regions on the page.
An item is part of an HTML form and can be a text field, text area, password, select list, check box, and so on. You can alter the appearance of a page by changing the item attributes. For example, these attributes can effect where a label displays, how large an item will be, if the item will display next to or below the previous item.
To edit item attributes:
Navigate to the Page Definition:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
The Page Definition appears.
Under Items, click the item name.
The Item Definition appears.
Table 7-3 describes how item attributes affect the layout of a page.
Table 7-3 Item Attributes Effecting Page Layout
Heading | Attribute | Description |
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Displayed | Sequence | Determines the order in which items are rendered within a region. |
Displayed | Region | Defines the region in which the item displays. All items must be in a region. |
Displayed | Begin On New Line | Determines if this item displays on the same line as the previous item or if it displays on the next line. |
Displayed | Begin On New Field | Determines if this item displays in the next column or in the same column as the previous item. |
Displayed | ColSpan | Items are laid out in HTML tables. Defines the value to be used for the COLSPAN attribute of the table cell containing an item. |
Displayed | RowSpan | Items are laid out in HTML tables. Defines the value to be used for the ROWSPAN attribute in the table cell in which that the item displays. |
Label | Label | Enter the label for this item. You can include HTML, JavaScript, and shortcuts. You can also use the substitution string #CURRENT_ITEM_NAME# to obtain the name of the item associated with this label. |
Label | Horizontal/Vertical Alignment | Controls the placement as well as the horizontal and vertical alignment of the label. Labels can be displayed above, below, or to the left of the item. |
Label | Template | Specifies the label template. Use label templates to apply a consistent appearance to labels in your application. |
Label | HTML Table Cell Attributes | Defines additional attributes for the cell containing this item's label (for example, nowrap="nowrap" ). |
Label | Post Element Texts | Specifies additional attributes for the HTML table cell used to display each individual option in a radio group or set of check boxes. Can include HTML, JavaScript, and shortcuts. You can reference the following substitution strings:
|
List of Values | Columns | Applies to radio groups and check boxes. Defines the number of columns to use to display the values defined in the List of Values. By default, all values display in one column. |
Conditions | Condition Type and Expressions | Defines conditions and appropriate expressions that determine if an item displays.
See Also: "Understanding Conditional Rendering and Processing" |
Read Only Display Settings | Read Only Condition Type | Defines conditions and expressions that determine if the item will display as read-only. Use this attribute to display certain items to a set of users as updatable, while displaying that same set of items to others users as nonupdatable. Reduces the need to code duplicate interfaces for different users. |
Typically, pages in an application are based on data stored in an Oracle database. To incorporate content from other servers, you can create a region based on a URL to display content. For example, suppose you wanted to reference the current Oracle stock price. You could create a region of type URL based on a URL such as the following:
http://quote.yahoo.com/q?d=b&s=ORCL
You could then create a item called STOCK_SYMBOL and base your region on a stock price entered by the user. For example:
http://quote.yahoo.com/q?d=b&s=&STOCK_SYMBOL.
Sometimes (as is the case with the previous example) the HTML returned to the region is more than is needed. To restrict the HTML displayed you can use the following region attributes:
URL (discard until but not including this text)
URL (discard after and including this text)
Note that the previous example may require that you set the Proxy Server application attribute. If you do not set the Proxy Server application attribute, you will get an error message. Oracle HTML DB uses the Oracle utl_http.request_pieces
function to obtain the HTML generated from the given URL.
See Also: "Configuring Standard Application Attributes" for information about setting the Proxy Server application attribute |
Themes are collections of templates that can be used to define the layout and style of an entire application. The idea behind a theme is to provide a complete set of templates that accommodate every UI pattern that may be needed in an application. Templates are organized first by type (button, calendar, label, list, breadcrumb, page, popup LOV, region, and report) and then by template classes, identifying the purpose of the each template within that type. Each template type provides a group of standard classes and eight custom classes. These classifications enable Oracle HTML DB to map templates among themes, making it easy to quickly change the entire look and feel of an application.
Topics in this section include:
You manage themes on the Themes page.
To access the Themes page from Shared Components:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
The Themes page appears.
To access the Details view, select Details from the View list.
The currently selected theme displays a check mark in the current column.
To access the Themes page from the Page Definition:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
The Page Definition appears.
Select the theme name.
Once you create a theme, it appears on the Themes page. You control how the page displays by selecting the following options from the View list:
Icons (the default) displays each theme as a large icon. To edit a theme, click the appropriate icon.
Details displays each theme as a line in a report. To change the theme name or default templates, click the theme name.
In Details view, you can select the following options from the Display list:
Summary View displays the theme ID, name, and current status.
Detailed View displays the theme ID, name, current status, and the number of templates in each template type.
Standard theme contains templates for every type of application component and region type. You can change the selected default templates for a theme on the Define Theme page.
You can override these defaults, by either selecting another template when you create new components or regions, or by changing the template on the component or region attributes page.
To review or change the default templates in a theme:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
Access the Details view. From the View list, select Details.
Select the appropriate theme name.
Create/Edit Theme page appears.
The top of the page displays the associated application ID and the Theme Identification Number.
To change the theme name, enter a new name in the Name field.
To change a default template, make a new selection from the appropriate list.
Table 7-4 describes the default templates available under the section Default Templates by Component.
Table 7-4 Default Templates by Component
Attribute | Description |
---|---|
Page | Identifies the default template for displaying pages. If a developer does not explicitly choose a template, then the HTML DB engine uses the template specified here.
Once defined, this default template appears on the Edit Application Attributes page under the heading Application Template Defaults. See Also: "Display Attributes" for information about overriding the page template on the Page Attributes page |
Error Page | Optional. Specifies a page template to use for errors that display on a separate page as opposed to those that display inline. Leave this attribute blank if you do not want to use a template designed to display errors.
Once defined, this default template appears on the Edit Application Attributes page under the heading Application Template Defaults. |
Printer Friendly Page | Identifies the template to be used when the HTML DB engine is in printer friendly mode. When calling the HTML DB to render a page, you have the option to identify a printer friendly attribute with values of YES or NO.
If you select Once defined, this default template appears on the Edit Application Attributes page under the heading Application Template Defaults. See Also: "Optimizing a Page for Printing" |
Breadcrumb | Identifies the default breadcrumb template used when you create new breadcrumb. |
Button | Identifies the default button template used when creating a new button. |
Calendar | Specifies the default calendar template used when you create new calendar. |
Label | Identifies the default label template used when you create new label. |
List | Specifies the default list template used when you create new list. |
Region | Specifies the default region template used when you create new region. |
Report | Identifies the default region template used when you create a report. |
Table 7-5 describes the default templates available under the section Default Templates by Region Type.
Table 7-5 Region Templates by Region Type
Attribute | Description |
---|---|
Breadcrumbs | Default region template used when creating a breadcrumb. |
Charts | Default chart template used when creating a chart. |
Forms | Default form template used when creating a form. |
Lists | Default region template used when creating a list. |
Reports | Default region template used when creating a report. |
Tabular Forms | Default region template used when creating a tabular form. |
Wizards | Default region template used when creating a new wizard component. |
You can create a new theme from scratch or select an existing theme from the HTML DB repository.
To create a new theme:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
Click Create Theme.
Specify whether to select a theme from the HTML DB repository, or create a theme from scratch.
If you select From the HTML DB Repository:
Select a theme from the repository.
Click Create.
If you select From Scratch:
Specify a name.
Click Create.
Themes page appears.
Define the default templates for the new theme:
Click the Edit icon adjacent to the new theme name.
To change the theme name, enter a new name in the Name field.
When the Define Theme page appears, select default templates for the new theme.
When you switch to a new theme, all components that are assigned a template are assigned to a corresponding template in the new theme. Application Builder accomplishes template mapping through the assignment of template class identifiers.
Note: You can only switch to a new theme if another theme already exists. |
To apply a theme to an application:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
Click Switch Theme.
The Switch Theme page appears.
From the Switch to Theme list, select a new theme and click Next.
Review the Status column to identify problematic mappings:
Check indicates the mapping was successful.
Warning indicates there are more than one template in the theme you are switching to with the identified class. The warning provides a select list from which to choose the appropriate template.
Error indicates that Application Builder was unable to map the class among the themes. Ensure that a class is identified for the templates in both themes.
Click Next to continue.
Click Switch Theme.
Each theme is identified by a numeric identification number (ID). When you copy a theme you specify a new theme ID. Copying a theme is useful if you want to experiment with editing a theme or to export a theme with a different ID.
To copy a theme:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
From the Tasks list, select Copy Theme.
On Copy Theme:
Copy From Theme - Select the theme you want to copy.
Copy to this Theme Identification Number - Enter a new ID for the theme.
Click Next.
Click Copy Theme ID.
You can only delete inactive themes. When you delete a theme, Application Builder only removes inactive templates.
To delete a theme:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
From the Tasks list, select Delete Theme.
From Remove Theme, select the theme you want to delete and click Next.
Click Remove Theme.
You export a theme in the same way you export any related application file. Exporting a theme from one Oracle HTML DB development instance to another involves the following steps:
Export the theme using the Export Theme utility.
Import the exported file into the target Oracle HTML DB instance.
Install the exported file from the Export Repository.
Each theme has an identification number (ID). You can use the Change Theme ID utility to change a theme ID to another number. Changing a theme ID is useful when you want to export a theme with a different number and then import it into another application.
To change a theme identification number:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
From the Tasks list, select Change Identification Number.
On the Change Theme ID page:
Select a theme.
Specify a new identification number.
Click Next.
Confirm your changes and click Change Theme ID.
Application Builder includes a number of reports designed to help you manage themes and templates.
Topics in this section include:
To view all templates that comprise a theme:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
Click Reports.
On the Theme Reports page:
From Report, select Application Templates.
From Theme, select a theme.
Click Go.
A listing of templates displays listing the template type, template name, the associated theme, and template class.
To edit a template, select the template name.
The Theme Template Count report lists which template classes currently have templates created for them.
To view the Theme Template Count report:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
Click Reports.
On the Theme Reports page:
From Report, select Theme Template Counts.
From Theme, select a theme.
Click Go.
If you are using custom classifications, select Show Custom and click Go.
The File References report displays a listing of all files associated with templates, shared components, or page components in the current application.
To view the File References report:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
On the Themes page, click Reports.
On the Theme Reports page:
From Report, select File References.
From Theme, select a theme.
Click Go.
On the File References page:
From Show, select the type of component to include in the report. If you do not make a selection, no results are returned.
From Show Files, select one of the following:
With context displays the component, the theme identification number, the component name, the image (if applicable), and the page ID. Select the page ID to link to a Page Definition.
Without context displays only the file name and the image (if applicable).
From File Extensions, select the type of extensions for which to search.
Click Go.
To download a comma-delimited file (.csv) version of this report, click Download CSV at the bottom of the page.
Accessing the Class References report displays a listing of classes associated with templates, shared components, or page components in the current application.
To view the Class References report:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
Click Reports.
On the Theme Reports page:
From Report, select Class References.
From Theme, select a theme.
Click Go.
On the Class References page:
From Show, select the components to check for a class reference. If you do not make a selection, no results are returned.
From Show Class Names, select one of the following:
With context displays the component, the theme identification number, the component name, the image (if applicable), and the page ID.
Without context displays only the referenced class.
Click Go.
To download a comma-delimited file (.csv) version of this report, click Download CSV at the bottom of the page.
Use the Template Substitution Strings report to view all supported substitution strings by component.
To view the Substitution String report:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
Click Reports.
On the Theme Reports page:
From the Report list, select Template Substitution Strings.
From the Theme list, select which themes to include in the report.
Click Go.
To link to a template definition, select the component name.
The HTML DB engine creates the user interface of an application based on a named collection of templates called a theme. Templates control the look and feel of the components in your application. If you need to create a custom template, it is generally simplest to start with an existing template and then modify it. Once you have created one or more default templates, you can modify those templates to fit your specific needs.
Topics in this section include:
A cascading style sheet (CSS) provides a way to control the style of a Web page without changing its structure. When used properly, a CSS separates visual attributes such as color, margins, and fonts from the structure of the HTML document. Oracle HTML DB includes themes that contain templates that reference their own CSS. The style rules defined in each CSS for a particular theme also determine the way reports and regions display.
You can specify a default page template in two ways:
Select a default page template within a specific theme.
Select a specific page template on a page by page basis.
By default, the HTML DB engine uses the Page template specified on the Themes page.
To specify a default page template within a theme:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
The Themes page appears.
Change the View. From View, select Details.
In the Themes list, select the theme name.
Under Default Templates by Component, make a selection from the Page list.
To specify an page-level template for a specific page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
Click Edit Attributes.
Locate the section Primary Display Attributes.
Make a selection from the Page Template list.
You can view all available templates on the Templates page. Alternatively, you can view the templates used on a specific page on the Page Definition.
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Templates.
The Templates page appears.
You can narrow the display by making a selections from the following lists and clicking Go.
Theme - View only templates in a specific theme.
Show - View a specific type of template.
View - View all templates, those currently referenced, or those not referenced.
To view a template definition, click the template name.
To see a preview of a template, click the Run icon in the Preview column.
Note: Not all template types have the preview capability. |
To view existing templates from the Page Definition:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
The Page Definition appears. Templates associated with the current page display under the Templates heading in the far right column.
To view attributes of an existing template, click the template name.
If you need to create a custom template, it is generally simplest to start with an existing template and then modify it. Once you have created one or more default templates, you can modify those templates to fit your specific needs.
To create a custom template:
Navigate to the Templates page.
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Templates.
Click Create.
Select the type of template you want to create.
Select a creation method:
From Scratch
As a Copy of an Existing Template
Follow the on-screen instructions. Be careful to associate your template with the correct theme.
Oracle HTML DB includes reports describing template utilization, subscription, and edit history.
To view template reports for the current application:
Navigate to the Themes page:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Templates.
You can narrow the display by making a selections from the following lists and clicking Go.
Theme - View only templates in a specific theme.
Show - View a specific type of template.
View - View all templates, those currently referenced, or those not referenced.
To view template reports, click the following buttons:
Utilization displays template utilization in the current application for all template types (page, report, region, label and list).
Subscription displays subscribed templates in your application.
History details recent changes to templates by developer and last update date.
Once you create a custom template, you can quickly edit it from either the Templates page or from the Page Definition.
To edit an existing template from the Templates page:
Navigate to the Templates page.
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Templates.
You can narrow the display by making a selections from the following lists and clicking Go.
Theme - View only templates in a specific theme.
Show - View a specific type of template.
View - View all templates, those currently referenced, or those not referenced.
Locate the template you want to edit and select the template name.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
As you edit templates, you can make changes in one window and run your application in another by selecting Return to Page. Selecting this check box, keeps the page you are editing current after you click Apply Changes.
A breadcrumb template controls the display of breadcrumb entries. You select a breadcrumb template when you create a region.
Breadcrumbs usually indicate where the current page is relative to other pages in the application. In addition, users can click a specific page to instantly view it. Oracle HTML DB includes breadcrumb paths beneath the standard tabs (or second level navigation tabs) at the top of each page.
See Also:
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This section describes specific sections of the Breadcrumb Template page.
Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate that the template contains text strings that require translation. Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member.
Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
Select one of the following template styles:
Child Breadcrumb Entries displays all breadcrumb entries that are children of the current page parent breadcrumb (that is, peers of the current breadcrumb).
Current Breadcrumb displays all breadcrumb entries in sequence with a common parent.
Parent Breadcrumb Entries displays all breadcrumb entries for the current pages parent breadcrumb (that is, one level up from current breadcrumb entry).
Parent to Leaf (breadcrumb style) displays the current page breadcrumb entry, its parent to the left, and so on until the root node is reached.
Table 7-6 describes available breadcrumb Entry attributes.
Table 7-6 Breadcrumb Entry Control attributes
Use Breadcrumb Link Attributes to specify hypertext link attributes for a breadcrumb entry.
Use Between Levels to specify text that displays between each level of a breadcrumb breadcrumb. For example, if your breadcrumb has three levels, this text would display at the "X" in the example that follows:
main X cars X porsche X 911
In Max Levels specify the number of levels when displaying breadcrumbs.
Button templates enable application developers to customize the look and feel of a button. To build a button, you can use multiple images or HTML tags. Using button templates is optional.
This section describes specific sections of the Button Template page.
Template Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate if the template contains text strings which require translation. Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member.
Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
Defines the button template that displays. You have the option of including standard application substitutions. For example, &ITEM_NAME
values can be substituted at rendering time. Button templates support the following substitution strings:
#LABEL#
is replaced with a button label.
#LINK#
is replaced with a URL. The URL then calls a #doSubmit#
or a redirect JavaScript which submits the page (that is, setting the request value), or simply redirects it to the supplied URL.
Calendar templates control the appearance and placement of a calendar. Calendar templates frequently use HTML tables to arrange dates. You place calendar attributes using substitution strings such as #DD#
and #MONTH#
. A list of supported substitution strings appears on the right side of the Calendar Template Attributes page. Note that template substitution strings must be in uppercase letters and begin and end with a number sign (#).
This section describes specific sections of the Calendar Template page.
Name identifies the name of the template. Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member.
Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
In Month Title Format enter the format for the monthly title that appears at the top of each month. This is the first part of a calendar which prints on the page. For example:
<table> <tr> <td>#MONTH#</td> </tr>
In Day of Week Format enter the format for the week day names which displays as the column header for that day of the week. For example:
<th width="14%">#IDAY#</th>
In Month Open Format enter HTML to be used to open a month. This displays immediately after the Month Title Format. Typically this attribute contains an HTML tag that functions as a container (such as a table). For example:
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="htmldbRowWithBorders" width="100%"><tr>
In Close Month Format enter HTML to be used to close a month. Since this is the last part printed, this attribute should contain HTML that closes the HTML tags used in the Month Open Format. For example:
</table>
Enter HTML to open and close a week.
In Week Open Format enter HTML to be used to open a week. This is printed for each week. Typically this attribute contains an HTML tag which functions as a container. For example:
<tr>
In Week Close Format enter HTML to be used to close the week. Since this is the last part printed, this attribute should contain HTML that closes HTML tags used in Week Open Format.
</tr>
Enter HTML to format the days that occur during the work week (that is, Monday through Friday).
In Day Title Format enter HTML to be used the title of each day. This title displays after the Day Open Format. For example:
#DD#
In Day Open Format enter HTML to used to open a day. This displays on each day in the calendar. Typically this attribute contains an HTML tag that functions as a container. For example:
<td>
In Day Close Format enter HTML used to close a day. Since this is the last part printed, this attribute should close any HTML tags used in Day Open Format. For example:
</td>
In Today Open Format enter HTML used to open today. Typically this attribute contains an HTML tag which functions as a container (such as <td>
) and would be different from the Day Open Format. For example:
<td style="background:#c5d5c5">
A non-day is not part of the current month. For example, suppose the first of a month is a Monday, but the week starts on a Sunday. Because Sunday is not part of the current month, Sunday would be a non-day. Use these attributes to format non-days.
In Non-Day Title Format enter a non-day title. For example:
#DD#
In Non-Day Open Format enter HTML to open a non-day. Typically this attribute would contain an HTML tag that functions as a container. For example:
<td>
In Non-Day Close Format enter HTML to close a non-day. Typically this attribute would contain an HTML tag that closes the tag used in Non-Day Open Format. For example:
</td>
Enter HTML used to format days that occur on the weekend. Include substitution strings to include dynamic content. To view a list of supported substitution strings, see the Substitution Strings list on the right side of the Calendar Template page.
In Weekend Title Format, enter HTML to be used for a day occurring on a weekend. For example:
#DD#
In Weekend Open Format, enter HTML to open a day which is on a weekend. Typically this attribute would contain an HTML tag that functions as a container. For example:
<td>
In Weekend Close Format, enter HTML to close a day which is in a weekend. Since this is the last part printed, this attribute should close any HTML tags used in Weekend Open Format.For example:
</td>
Label templates are designed to centrally manage HTML markup of page item labels. Each item can have an optional label. You can control how these labels display using label templates. For example, you could create a label template called Required Field that references an image (such as an asterisk) to indicate to the user that the field is required.
Label templates enable you to define a before-and-after text string that gets prepended and appended to the item.
This section describes specific sections of the Label Template page.
Template Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate that the template contains text strings that require translation. Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member.
Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
In Before Label, enter HTML to display before the item label. Before Label supports the substitution strings #CURRENT_FORM_ELEMENT#
; #CURRENT_FORM_ID#
, and #CURRENT_ITEM_NAME#
. For example:
<label for="#CURRENT_ITEM_NAME#"> <a href="javascript:popupFieldHelp('#CURRENT_ITEM_ID#', '&SESSION.','&CLOSE.')" >
In After Label, enter HTML to display after the item label. Since the label will be automatically display before the HTML in this region, any open HTML tags in the Before Label region should be closed here. For example:
</a></label>
In On Error Before Label, enter HTML to precede the item label when an application displays an inline validation error message for the item. For example:
<font class="fieldtitleleft">#ERROR_MESSAGE#</font>
In On Error After Label enter HTML to be appended to the item label when a application displays an inline validation error message for the item. This attribute supports the substitution strings #CURRENT_FORM_ELEMENT#
, #CURRENT_FORM_ID#
, and #CURRENT_ITEM_NAME#
. The following example would append a space and a closing bracket to the displayed item label with the error.
]</font>
A list is a shared collection of links. You control the appearance of a list through list templates. Using template attributes, you can also define a list element to be either current or non current for a specific page.
Oracle HTML DB supports hierarchical lists. To create a hierarchical list, you must:
Select a list template that supports hierarchical lists. To determine which list templates support hierarchical lists, look for templates having the naming convention "with Sublist."
Select a Parent List Entry when you create each list entry.
See Also:
|
This section describes specific sections of the List Template page.
Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate that the template contains text strings that require translation. Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member.
Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
Enter HTML that displays before any list elements. You can use this attribute to open an HTML table or HTML table row.
Defines current and noncurrent list templates. Supported substitution strings include #LINK#
, #TEXT#
, #IMAGE_PREFIX#
, #IMAGE#
, #IMAGE_ATTR#
, and #A01#
to #A10#
.
List Template Current. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the selected (or current) list template.
List Template Current with Sub List Items. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the selected (or current) list template when an item has sublist items. If not specified, the current list item template will be used.
List Template Noncurrent. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the unselected (or noncurrent) list template.
List Template Noncurrent with Sub List Items. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the unselected (or noncurrent) list template used when an item has sublist items. If not specified, the current list item template will be used.
Between List Elements. Enter HTML that displays between list elements. This attribute will be ignored if no HTML is specified.
Defines current and noncurrent list templates. Supported substitution strings include #LINK#
, #TEXT#
, #IMAGE_PREFIX#
, #IMAGE#
, #IMAGE_ATTR#
, and #A01#
to #A10#
.
Sub List Template Current. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the selected (or current) list template.
Sub List Template Current with Sub List Items. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the selected (or current) list template when an item has sublist items. If not specified, the current list item template will be used.
Sub List Template Noncurrent. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the unselected (or noncurrent) list template.
Sub List Template Noncurrent with Sub List Items. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the unselected (or noncurrent) list template used when an item has sublist items. If not specified, the current list item template will be used.
Between Sub List Elements. Enter HTML that displays between list elements. This attribute will be ignored if no HTML is specified.
Page templates define the appearance of a page. Each template consists of a header template, a body template, a footer template, and a number of subtemplates. If you do not specify a page template as a page-level attribute, then the HTML DB engine uses the default page template defined on the Define Theme page.
Page templates combine static HTML with substitution strings that are replaced at run time. You use substitution strings to indicate the existence and placement of a component within a page template. You can further specify how a component should display using subtemplates.
Topics in this section include:
Table 7-7 describes the available page template substitution strings. Note that all template substitution strings must be in uppercase letters and begin and end with a number sign (#).
Table 7-7 Page Template Substitution Strings
Substitution String | Description |
---|---|
#APP_VERSION# |
Can be used in the Header or Footer sections of the page template. You define the value of #APP_VERSION# in the Version attribute on the Edit Application Attributes page
See Also: "Name" |
#BOX_BODY# |
Identifies where the Body displays. If the Body is null, then #BOX_BODY# will be used instead. |
#CUSTOMIZE# |
Can be used in the Header, Body, or Footer sections of the page template.
The Customization section of the Region Definition enables you to turn on end user customization. To utilize this feature, you must also include the If at least one region supports end user customization, a link called Customize appears wherever the |
#FORM_CLOSE# |
If a #FORM_OPEN# is included, then you must include a #FORM_CLOSE# in the header, body, or footer template. #FORM_OPEN# must appear before the #BOX_BODY# and #FORM_CLOSE# must appear after the #BOX_BODY# substitution string. |
#FORM_OPEN# |
Specifies where the HTML open form tag <form> is placed. You must include this substitution string in order to submit a form.
You do not need to code your own form open, the HTML DB engine does it for you. |
#GLOBAL_NOTIFICATION# |
Displays the Global Notification attribute. Global notifications are intended to communicate system status, such as pending system downtime. You can also use HTMLDB_APPLICATION .G_GLOBAL_NOTIFICATION to set this value if you want to set it programmatically.
See Also: "Global Notifications" for information about the Global Notification attribute |
#HEAD# |
Used after the <head> open tag, but before the </head> close tag. You can optionally define the contents of #HEAD# for each page (for example, to reference additional style sheets or JavaScript libraries). |
#LOGO# |
Identifies an application logo.
In the Logo section of the Edit Application Attributes page, you can identify an image and image attributes for an application logo. To utilize this feature, you must also include the See Also: "Logo" |
#NAVIGATION_BAR# |
Defines the existence of navigation bar entries. A navigation bar will appear on every page in your application that uses a template that includes this substitution string.You can expand this substitution string using the Navigation bar subtemplate.
See Also: "Subtemplate" for information about Navigation Bar subtemplate |
#NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE# |
Enables developers to communicate messages to the user. Defines where a summary of inline error messages is displayed. Inline error messages can be displayed next to a field, inline in the notification area, or both. |
#ONLOAD# |
Can be used in the Header and Footer section of the page template and should be placed inside the <body> html tag. For example:
<body #ONLOAD#> Use this string as a substitute in a JavaScript call to be executed when a page is loaded by the Web browser. The JavaScript to be called can vary for each page. |
#PARENT_TAB_CELLS# |
Identifies the display of parent tabs. Parent tabs require standard tabs. If your application only has one of level tabs, you do not need this substitution string.
See Also: "Standard Tab Attributes" for information about defining Parent Tab Attributes |
#REGION_POSITION_NN# |
Identifies the exact placement of regions within a page. If no region is specified (for example, #REGION_POSITION_01# ), then #REGION_POSITION_01# will be replaced with nothing. |
#SUCCESS_MESSAGE# |
Defines where in the page success and error messages appear. If the page process runs without raising errors, then this text displays.
You can customize the display of the success message for each template by adding HTML to be displayed before and after the success message. |
#TAB_CELLS# |
Identifies the display of standard tabs.
See Also: "Standard Tab Attributes" |
#TITLE# |
Defines the page title. Typically included within HTML title tags. |
This section describes specific sections of the Page Template page.
Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate that the template contains text strings that require translation. Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member.
Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, select Refresh.
Each template consists of a header, a body, a footer, and subtemplates. Use substitution strings to include dynamic content. All template substitution strings must be in uppercase letters and begin and end with a number sign (#). See item Help for information about supported substitution strings.
Header is the first section of the page template. Enter HTML that defines the <Head>
section of the HTML document. Regions that display or processes and computations that execute AFTER HEADER will display or execute immediately after this section in the template is rendered. For example:
<html> <head> <title>#TITLE#</title> #HEAD# </head>
Body is the second section in the page template and is rendered after the header section, but before the footer section. Enter HTML that defines the <Body>
section of the HTML document. At a minimum, you must include the #BOX_BODY#
substitution string. It is recommended that you also include the #FORM_OPEN#
and #FORM_CLOSE#
substitution strings. For example:
<body #ONLOAD#> #FORM_OPEN# #BOX_BODY# #FORM_CLOSE# </body>
Footer is the third section in the page template that displays after the body.
Breadcrumb Display Point applies to generated components that use breadcrumbs and defines where the breadcrumbs are placed on the page. Sidebar Display Point applies to generated components that use Sidebars and defines where sidebars are placed on the page.
Use Subtemplate to specify how a component should display. Available subtemplates include:
Success Message. Expands the #SUCCESS_MESSAGE#
substitution string. You can define a success message either programmatically or as an attribute of a process. If a success message exists and if the page template includes the #SUCCESS_MESSAGE#
substitution string, then this subtemplate is used to render the message.
Navigation Bar. Controls the display of navigation bar entries. Enter HTML or text to be substituted when the #NAVIGATION_BAR#
substitution string is referenced in the template header, body, or footer. Use the #BAR_BODY#
substitution string to identify where each navigation bar icon should display.
Navigation Bar Entry. Enter HTML or text that to be substituted into the navigation bar #BAR_BODY#
substitution string for each navigation bar entry. Use the following substitution strings to create the navigation bar entry subtemplate.
Notification. Enter HTML or text to be substituted when the #NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE#
substitution string is referenced in the template header, body or footer. Use the substitution string #MESSAGE#
to indicate where in the Notification Message the body of the message will appear.
You must populate this attribute if your application includes standard tabs. Standard tabs can be placed in the header, body, or footer sections of the page template using the #TAB_CELLS#
substitution string. The page template Header/Body/Footer defines the HTML table and rows. This subtemplate defines how these tabs display by defining the specific cell. Available attributes include:
Current Tab. Enter HTML or text to be substituted for the currently selected standard tab. Whether or not a tab is current is determined by standard tab attributes. For example:
<td>#TAB_LABEL#</td>
Non Current Standard Tab. Enter HTML or text that will be substituted for the unselected standard tabs. Use the #TAB_TEXT#
substitution string to position a tab's label and link within the template. For example:
<td><a href="#TAB_LINK#">#TAB_LABEL#</a></td>
You must populate this attribute if your application includes two levels of tabs. Enter HTML or text that will be substituted for the selected parent tabs. Parent tabs may be placed in the header, body, or footer section of the page template using the #PARENT_TAB_CELLS#
substitution string. Parent tabs only display in conjunction with standard tabs. Available attributes include:
Current Parent Tab. Enter HTML or text that will be substituted for the selected parent tabs. Whether or not a tab is current is determined by the page that displays and the standard tab set the page uses. Use #TAB_TEXT#
to position a tab's label and link within the template. For example:
<td><a href="#TAB_LINK#">#TAB_LABEL#</a></td>
Non Current Parent Tab. Enter HTML or text that will be substituted for the unselected parent tabs. Use #TAB_TEXT#
to position a tab's label and link within the template. For example
<td><a href="#TAB_LINK#">#TAB_LABEL#</a></td>
Use this subtemplate for tabs that are entirely based on images. Available attributes include:
Current Image Tab. Enter HTML to be used to indicate that an image based tab is currently selected. Include the #TAB_TEXT#
substitution string to show the displayed name of the tab.
Non Current Image Tab. Enter the HTML to be used to indicate that an image tab is not currently selected. Include the #TAB_TEXT#
substitution string to show the displayed name of the tab.
If the HTML DB engine displays regions in multiple columns in the same region position then HTML DB will render an HTML table. This attribute enables you to control the attributes of the <table>
tag.
Use this attribute only when a page template will be designated as an error template. Use #MESSAGE#
to place the error message and #BACK_LINK#
to display a link back to the previous page. A template can be designated as an error template by editing the application attributes. For example:
#MESSAGE# <br> <a href="#BACK_LINK#">back</a>
Popup LOV template controls how popup lists display for all items defined as POPUP. You can only specify one popup LOV template for each theme.
This section describes specific sections of the Popup List of Values Template page.
Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member. Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class. Use the Translatable check box to indicate that the template contains text strings which require translation.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
Use Popup Icon to specify an icon to display to the right of a form field for items of type POPUP. By default, the HTML DB engine uses a list.gif
image. Use Popup Icon Attr to defines image attributes (such as height and width) for the Popup Icon
Use these attributes to specify how a Search field displays. Table 7-8 describes available Search Field attributes.
Table 7-8 Search Field Attributes
Attribute | Description |
---|---|
Before Field Text | Defines text to display before the popup list of values search field displays. |
Filter Width | Display the text field using this width. |
Filter Max Width | Display the text field widget using this maximum width. |
Filter Text Attribute | Display the text field using these attributes. This will be included within the HTML input tag. |
After Field Text | Display this text after displaying the search field, the search button, and the close button. |
Use these attributes to define the button name and attributes for Find, Close, Next, and Previous buttons.
Region templates control the appearance and placement of region attributes. Region templates frequently use HTML tables to arrange content.
Region templates apply style elements to regions. Region templates display substitution strings. The only required substitution string, #BODY#
, identifies where the source of the region should be placed. All other substitution strings are optional. You can use these substitution strings to indicate the existence and placement of a page control (such as a button) within the region.
This section describes specific sections of the Region Template page.
Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate that the template contains text strings which require translation. Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member.
Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
##BODY#
is the only required substitution string. It identifies where the source of the region should be placed. All other substitution strings are optional. The following are valid substitution strings:
#TITLE#
#EXPAND#
#CHANGE#
#BODY#
#FORM_OPEN#
#FORM_CLOSE#
When you create a button in a region position, the positions you have defined will appear in a select list. Use the following substitution strings to define positions for placement of buttons in a region:
#EDIT#
#CLOSE#
#CREATE#
#EXPAND#
#HELP#
#DELETE#
#COPY#
#NEXT#
#PREVIOUS#
Report column templates provide you with control over the results of a row from a SQL query. This type of template defines a cell not an entire row
Each report template identifies column names using the syntax #1#, #2#, #3#
and so on. You can also name columns using column name substitution syntax such as #ENAME#
or #EMPNO#
. You can reference any item from your application within your template. For example, to reference an item called ABC.
in your template, you could include the exact substitution string &ABC.
. The actual value of ABC. would be provided by an end user editing an item in your application named ABC
.
Topics in this section include:
Report Column Template Attributes for Generic Column Templates
Report Column Template Attributes for Named Column Templates
Oracle HTML DB includes two types of report templates:
Generic column templates
Named column templates
A generic column template determines the appearance of a report by defining the look of the column once. This look is then repeated as many times as is necessary based on the number of columns specified in the report's definition. This type of templates is limited to reports that have a standard row and column structure. Additional style may be applied to a report using this type of template through use of conditions.
The following example demonstrates how to have each column use a specific style:
<td class="tabledata" align="#ALIGN#">#COLUMN_VALUE#</td>
This example assumes your page template includes a CSS containing the class tabledata
. This example also demonstrates the use the substitution strings #ALIGN#
and #COLUMN_VALUE#
. If you actually ran this report, these substitution strings would be replaced with values generated by the results of a SQL query.
If your query uses an expression in the select list, it is a good idea to create an alias for the columns to avoid run time errors. For example, suppose your query was as follows:
SELECT ename, (sal + comm) * 12 FROM emp
You could rewrite the query to alias the columns as follows:
SELECT ename, (sal + comm) * 12 yearly_comp FROM emp
Named column templates allow for more flexibility in report design. However, because they reference columns by name, they can only be used by reports that are based on those columns. For example:
<tr><td>#ENAME#</td><td>#SAL#</td></tr>
Although named column templates offer a great deal of flexibility, you may need to create a new template for each query. You can also include a position notation. The following example demonstrates how to use following HTML and substitution strings:
<tr><td>#ENAME#</td><td>#SAL#</td></tr> <tr><td>#1#</td><td>#2#</td></tr>
This section describes specific sections of the Report Column Template page for Generic Column Templates.
Template Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate the template contains text strings which require translation. Template Type indicates the type of template. Named Column templates reference column names in the template. Generic Column Templates reference #COLUMN_VALUE#
in the template.
Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member. Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Template Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
In Before Rows enter HTML that displays once at the beginning of a report template. Opening an HTML table is a common use of this attribute as shown in the following example:
<table>
You can identify column headers using the syntax #1#
, #2#
, #3#
. For example:
<th>#1#</th><th>#2#</th><th>#3#</th>
You can include pagination above a report by including the substitution string #TOP_PAGINATION#
. This substitution string generates HTML which starts with an opening <tr>
tag and ends with a closing </tr>
tag. For example, to include an open table tag and #TOP_PAGINATION#
substitution string you would enter the following:
<table>#TOP_PAGINATION#
You can also include the substitution string #CSV_LINK#
to include support for exporting your report to CSV format, a format compatible with most spreadsheet programs.
Use Column Heading Template to colorize each column header cell. Note that the text of this attribute must indicate where the cell heading text will be colorized. For example:
<th #ALIGNMENT#>#COLUMN_HEADER#</th>
If you do not want any column headings, enter the following:
OMIT
If you do use this attribute, HTML DB engine applies the default column heading template.
In Before Each Row enter text to display before all columns in the report. Use this attribute to open a new HTML row. Before Each Row supports the following substitution strings:
Column templates define the look of each column. You can define up to four column templates, each of which can conditional. For example, you can have different background colors for even and odd rows, or highlight rows which meet a PL/SQL defined condition.
In each Column Template, you define the look of each column. Column Templates support the substitution strings described in Table 7-9.
Table 7-9 Column Template Substitution Strings
Substitution String | Description |
---|---|
#ALIGNMENT# |
Determines the column alignment. Specified by the user. |
#COLCOUNT# |
Count of the number of columns. |
#COLNUM# |
Defines the current column number. |
#COLUMN_HEADER# |
Defines the column header. |
#COLUMN_VALUE# |
Replaced with the value of the column. |
#ROWNUM# |
Specifies the current row number. |
Consider the following example:
<td #ALIGNMENT#>#COLUMN_VALUE#</td>
If you actually ran this report, these substitution strings would be replaced with values generated by the results of a SQL query.
By creating conditions, you can create a report that displays columns differently depending on whether the specified condition is met. To specify a column template be used conditionally, select a condition type from the Column Template Condition list. Valid values include:
Use Based on PL/SQL Expression. Conditionally format columns based on data in that row.
Use for Even Numbered Rows. Conditionally format even numbered rows.
Use for Odd Numbered Rows. Conditionally format odd numbered row.
If you select Use Based on PL/SQL Expression, the next step is to enter a PL/SQL expression in Column Template Expression field. For example, the following expression displays a value in bold if the value is greater than 2000:
#SAL# > 2000
Note that you could also use the substitution string #ROWNUM#
. For example:
#ROWNUM# > 2000
In After Each Row enter HTML that displays after all columns in the report display. This attribute is often used to close an HTML table row. For example:
</tr>
Use After Rows to specify text that should display after the last row. A common use of this attribute is to close the HTML table tag. For example:
</table>
The After Rows attribute supports the following substitution strings:
#PAGINATION#
Replaced with a pagination attribute.
#COLCOUNT#
Substituted at run time with the number of columns defined in the report.
Use Background color for checked row to control the background color of a report row when the row selector is checked. Use Background color for current row to control the background color of a report row when the user moves the mouse over the row.
The Pagination Subtemplate section contains attributes for editing the Pagination Template, Next Page Template, Previous Page Template, Next Set Template, and Previous Template. Pagination Subtemplates support the substitution strings #PAGINATION_NEXT#
, #PAGINATION_NEXT_SET#
, #PAGINATION_PREVIOUS#
and #PAGINATION_PREVIOUS_SET#
. Table 7-12 describes these templates.
Table 7-10 Pagination Subtemplate Attribute
This section describes specific sections of the Report Column Template page for Named Column Templates.
Template Name identifies the name of the template. Use the Translatable check box to indicate the template contains text strings which require translation. Template Type indicates the type of template. Named Column templates reference column names in the template. Generic Column Templates reference #COLUMN_VALUE#
in the template.
Theme indicates the theme to which the template is a member. Template Class identifies a specific use for the template. When you switch to a new theme, all templates in one theme are mapped to corresponding templates in another theme. Application Builder accomplishes this template mapping through the assignment of a template class.
Use Subscription to apply an existing template to the current application. When you select an existing template, you become a subscriber to that template.
To load a new copy of a master template, click Refresh.
Row templates define the look of each column. You can define up to four row templates, each of which can conditional.
In each Row Template, you define the look of each row. Row Templates support the substitution strings described in Table 7-11.
Table 7-11 Row Template Substitution Strings
Substitution String | Description |
---|---|
#ALIGNMENT# |
Determines the row alignment. Specified by the user. |
#COLCOUNT# |
Count of the number of columns. |
#COLNUM# |
Defines the current column number. |
#COLUMN_HEADER# |
Defines the column header. |
#COLUMN_VALUE# |
Replaced with the value of the column. |
#ROWNUM# |
Specifies the current row number. |
By creating conditions, you can create a report that displays rows differently depending on whether the specified condition is met. To specify a row template be used conditionally, select a condition type from the Column Template Condition list. Valid values include:
Use Based on PL/SQL Expression. Conditionally format columns based on data in that row.
Use for Even Numbered Rows. Conditionally format even numbered rows.
Use for Odd Numbered Rows. Conditionally format odd numbered row.
If you select Use Based on PL/SQL Expression, the next step is to enter a PL/SQL expression in Column Template Expression field. For example, the following expression displays a value in bold if the value is greater than 2000:
#SAL# > 2000
Note that you could also use the substitution string #ROWNUM#
. For example:
#ROWNUM# > 2000
Use this template to colorize each column header cell. The text of this attribute must include help to indicate where the cell heading text should be colorized. If you do not enter a Column Heading Template, then a default column header template is applied. If you do not want any column headings, then enter OMIT
. For example:
<th #ALIGNMENT#>#COLUMN_HEADER#</th>
In Before Rows enter HTML that displays once at the beginning of a report template. Opening an HTML table is a common use of this attribute as shown in the following example:
<table>
You can identify column headers using the syntax #1#
, #2#
, #3#
. For example:
<th>#1#</th><th>#2#</th><th>#3#</th>
You can include pagination above a report by including the substitution string #TOP_PAGINATION#
. This substitution string generates HTML which starts with an opening <tr>
tag and ends with a closing </tr>
tag. For example, to include an open table tag and #TOP_PAGINATION#
substitution string you would enter the following:
<table>#TOP_PAGINATION#
You can also include the substitution string #CSV_LINK#
to include support for exporting your report to CSV format, a format compatible with most spreadsheet programs.
Use After Rows to specify text that should display after the last row. A common use of this attribute is to close the HTML table tag. For example:
</table>
The After Rows attribute supports the following substitution strings:
#PAGINATION#
Replaced with a pagination attribute.
#COLCOUNT#
Substituted at run time with the number of columns defined in the report.
Use Background color for checked row to control the background color of a report row when the row selector is checked. Use Background color for current row to control the background color of a report row when the user moves the mouse over the row.
The Pagination section contains attributes for editing the Pagination Template, Next Page Template, Previous Page Template, Next Set Template, and Previous Template. Pagination Subtemplates support the substitution strings #PAGINATION_NEXT#
, #PAGINATION_NEXT_SET#
, #PAGINATION_PREVIOUS#
and #PAGINATION_PREVIOUS_SET#
. Table 7-12 describes these templates.
Table 7-12 Pagination Subtemplate Attribute
You can conditionally display HTML depending upon values in the database using JavaScript. The following example displays an HTML row only if the GROUP_DESC
query column is not null.
<script language="javascript"> IF ( "#GROUP_DESC#" != "" ) document.writeln( "<TR>; <TD BGCOLOR=#336699>;</TD> </TR> </TR> <TD>#GROUP_DESC#</TD> </TR>" ); </TR>" );
See Also:
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You can optimize a page for printing by creating a specific Print Mode template and specifying that template in the User Template Defaults section of the Edit Application Attributes page. Generally, a Print Mode template optimizes a page for printing. For example, this template might:
Not display tabs or navigation bars
Have items display as text instead of form elements
If the theme you select does not include a printer friendly template, you can create a Print Mode template by creating a new page template.
You enable your Print Mode template by selecting it in Default Templates by Component section of Define Theme page.
To enable Print Mode mode:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
The Themes page appears.
In the Themes list, click the theme name.
Make a new selection from Printer Friendly Page.
Click Apply Changes.
Once you create a Print Mode template and select it as an application attribute, you can use f?p
syntax to toggle to Print Mode. Including the ninth f?p
syntax argument (PrinterFriendly
) renders the page in printer friendly mode (optimize printed output). For example, you could include this argument when coding a link, or creating navigation bar icon.
A cascading style sheet (CSS) provides a way to control the style of a Web page without changing its structure. When used properly, a CSS separates visual attributes such as color, margins, and fonts from the structure of the HTML document. Oracle HTML DB includes themes that contain templates that reference their own CSS. The style rules defined in each CSS for a particular theme also determine the way reports and regions display.
Topics in this section include:
You upload cascading style sheets to your workspace using the Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) Repository. Uploaded cascading style sheets (CSS) are available to any application created in your workspace. The cascading style sheets are written to the file system, so you can reference them in your HTML source code.
To upload cascading style sheets to your workspace:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Cascading Style Sheets.
The CSS Repository appears.
To upload a new CSS, click Create and follow the on-screen instructions.
To edit an existing CSS, select the name.
To download an existing CSS, click the Download icon.
Once you upload a CSS to the CSS Repository, you control how the page displays by making a selection from the View list. Available options include:
Icons (the default) displays each CSS as a large icon. To edit a CSS, click the appropriate icon.
Details displays each CSS as a line in a report. To edit a CSS, click the appropriate name.
You can reference an uploaded cascading style sheets within the Header section of the page template. You use the Header section to enter the HTML that makes up the <HEAD> section of the HTML document.
To reference an uploaded cascading style sheets:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
Under User Interface, select Themes.
The Themes page appears.
From the Tasks list, select View Templates.
Select the name of the page template you want to edit.
The Header, use a <link>
tag within the head section to reference the appropriate style sheet.
To reference an uploaded file that is associated with a specific application, you would use the substitution string #APP_IMAGES#
. For example:
<html> <head> <title>#TITLE#</title> #HEAD# <link rel="stylesheet" href="#APP_IMAGES#sample2.css" type="text/css"> </head> ...
To reference an uploaded file that is associated with a specific workspace, you would use the substitution string #WORKSPACE_IMAGES#
. For example:
<html> <head> <title>#TITLE#</title> #HEAD# <link rel="stylesheet" href="#WORKSPACE_IMAGES#sample3.css" type="text/css"> </head> ...
You can upload images to your workspace using the Image Repository.
To upload images to your workspace:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Images.
The Image Repository appears.
To upload a new image, click Create.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Topics in this section include:
When you edit image attributes you can add notes that describe an image or change the associated application. However, you cannot change the actual image. To change an image, delete it and then upload it again.
To edit images attributes to your workspace:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Images.
The Image Repository appears.
Use the following to filter the view:
Image - Enter text to search for an image name or notes describing the image. Select whether to search for All Images, Workspace Images, or Application Images.
View - Select one of the following:
Icons (the default) displays each image as a large icon.
Details displays each image as a line in a report.
Click Go.
Select an image.
To associate the image with a new application, make a selection from the Application list.
To edit or add notes, edit the Notes field.
Click Apply Changes.
To delete an image:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Images.
The Image Repository appears.
Use the following to filter the view:
Image - Enter text to search for an image name or notes describing the image. Select whether to search for All Images, Workspace Images, or Application Images.
View - Select one of the following:
Icons (the default) displays each image as a large icon.
Details displays each image as a line in a report.
Click Go.
Select an image.
Click Delete.
When you install Oracle HTML DB, the installer creates a virtual directory for images. This virtual directory points to the actual path on the file system that contains uploaded images. By default, you reference this virtual directory using the prefix:
/i/
When you create an application, you need to verify this prefix on the Edit Application Attributes page:
To verify the Image Prefix for an application:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
On the Application home page, click Edit Attributes.
Click Edit Standard Attributes.
When the Edit Application Attributes page appears, locate the Image Prefix field.
By default, this attribute is defined as /i/
. Contact your administrator for information about the name of this virtual directory for your installation.
When you embed an image in static text (for example, in page or region headers or footers) you can reference the image using the substitution string #IMAGE_PREFIX#
. For example, to reference the image go.gif
you would use the following syntax:
<img src="#IMAGE_PREFIX#go.gif">
Alternatively, you can also reference an image using a fully qualified URL. For example:
<img src="http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/navbar2000/logo-no-border(1).gif">
You can upload static files to your workspace using the Static File Repository.
To upload static files to your workspace:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Static Files.
The Static Files Repository appears.
To upload a file, click Create.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Topics in this section include:
You may edit static files smaller than 30,000 bytes by selecting the file name. Otherwise, you must edit the file offline and upload it again.
To edit a static file smaller than 30,000 bytes:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Static Files.
The Static Files Repository appears.
Use the following to filter the view:
Static File - Enter text to search for a file name or notes describing the file.
View - Select one of the following:
Icons (the default) displays each file as a large icon.
Details displays each file as a line in a report.
Click Go.
Select a file.
To edit or add notes, edit the Notes field.
Click Apply Changes.
To download an uploaded file:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Static Files.
The Static Files Repository appears.
From View, select Details and click Go.
Select the Download icon adjacent to the appropriate file.
To delete an uploaded static file:
Navigate to the Workspace home page and click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Click Shared Components.
The Shared Components page appears.
Under Files, select Static Files.
The Static Files Repository appears.
Use the following to filter the view:
Static File - Enter text to search for a file name or notes describing the file.
View - Select one of the following:
Icons (the default) displays each file as a large icon.
Details displays each file as a line in a report.
Click Go.
Select a file.
Click Delete.
A region is an area of a page that uses a specific template to format HTML content. You use regions to group page controls. To create a multiple column layout, you create two regions that display in adjacent cells of the same table.
You can create a multiple column layout by either:
Manually creating the two adjacent regions
Defining a page template that contains a multiple column table
You create new regions using the Create Region Wizard. To create a two column page, you create two regions. Oracle HTML DB replaces #BOX_BODY#
within a two column table and displays the regions in two separate cells.
To create a two column page by creating regions:
Navigate to the Workspace home page.
Click the Application Builder icon.
Select an application.
Select a page.
The Page Definition appears.
Create the first region:
Under Regions, click Create.
The Create Region Wizard appears.
Select a region type.
From the Column field, select 1.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Create the second region:
Under Regions, click Create.
The Create Region Wizard appears.
Select a region type.
From the Column field, select 2.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Page templates define the appearance of individual pages, including the placement of page controls and components. Each page template is divided into three sections: Header, Body, and Footer. The most basic template must include the substitution string #BOX_BODY#
in the Body attribute. When the page is rendered, the HTML DB engine replaces #BOX_BODY#
with HTML to display the regions on that page.
You can create a multiple column page by defining a page template that contains a multiple column table. You then explicitly place regions within specific table cells.
The following example demonstrates how to create a two column page and specify a region position using the #REGION_POSITION_XX#
substitution string in each column. You would enter this code in the Body section of the page-level template.
<body #ONLOAD#> #FORM_OPEN# <table style="width:100%"> <tr> <td style="width:50%;padding:5px;">#REGION_POSITION_01#</td> <td style="width:50%; border-left:2px #bbbbbb dashed; padding:5px;">#REGION_POSITION_02#</td> </tr> <br /> #BOX_BODY# #FORM_CLOSE# </body>
Once you create this page-level template, the newly defined positions would be available as Display Point options when you run the Create Region Wizard.
If you need to generate specific HTML content not handled by Oracle HTML DB forms, reports, and charts, you can use the region type PL/SQL. To generate HTML in this type of region, you need to use the PL/SQL Web Toolkit. You can reference session state using bind variable syntax. Keep in mind that when you generate HTML in this way you do not get the same consistency and control provided with templates.
See Also:
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To give you more control over HTML dynamically generated within a region, you can use PL/SQL. For example, to print the current date you could create a region with the following source:
htp.p(TO_CHAR(SYSDATE,'Day Month DD, YYYY'));
This next example accesses tables:
DECLARE
l_max_sal NUMBER;
BEGIN
SELECT max(sal) INTO l_max_sal FROM emp;
htp.p('The maximum salary is: '||TO_CHAR(l_max_sal,'999,999.00'));
END;