If you do create another directory—for example C:\Tyo—you'll need to modify three values in the Windows 95 Registry. The runtime components of Developer/2000—Forms Runtime, Reports Runtime, and Graphics Runtime—don't use PATH to look for a form, report, or graphics file to execute. Instead, each runtime component of Developer/2000 uses a string value in the Oracle Registry key to search for the specified file. Specifically:

• Forms Runtime (F45run32) uses FORMS45_PATH
• Reports Runtime (R25run32) uses REPORTS25_PATH
• Graphics Runtime (G25run32) uses GRAPHICS25_PATH

By default, FORMS45_PATH, REPORTS25_PATH, and GRAPHICS25_PATH contain directories only in the Oracle directory tree. If you try to run a form that is in C:\Tyo, Forms Runtime displays an error message indicating that it can't open the form. To run your form, report, or graphics, you'll need to add the directory that contains these files with the Registry Editor.

1. To do this, select Start | Run.
2. Enter regedit and click OK. The Registry Editor is displayed.
3. Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE by clicking the + on its left (see Figure 12.27).

4. Expand SOFTWARE by clicking the + on its left. Click ORACLE.
5. On the right-side of the window, you should see a list of string values. Scroll down until you find FORMS45_PATH. Right-click on Modify—a window labeled Edit String is displayed. Click the mouse in the Value data field, and enter ;C:\Tyo, as shown in Figure 12.28.

6. Follow the same steps to add the directory to GRAPHICS25_PATH and REPORTS25_PATH. When you're finished, exit the Registry Editor.

Summary

This was an in-depth introduction to Oracle Forms. The key concepts in this lesson were as follows:

• Developer/2000 consists of four primary components: Oracle Forms, Oracle Reports, Oracle Graphics, and Procedure Builder.
• The Forms Designer is used to design and test forms and the Forms Runtime is used to execute forms. The Forms Designer saves a form as an .fmb file, which is a binary file that's portable across different platforms. The Forms Designer can invoke the Forms Generator to create an .fmx file from an .fmb file. The Forms Runtime executes .fmx files.
• You use the Object Navigator to inspect a form's objects. Each object has a set of properties that can be viewed and modified.
• The Forms Designer can create three types of modules: forms, menus, and libraries.
• The Forms Designer can have multiple modules of all three types open simultaneously.

What Comes Next?

On Day 13, you learn how to customize the appearance and behavior of a form. You learn how to construct a menu, build a master-detail form, and change various object properties.

Q&A

Q Can a base table block include an item that isn't a part of the block's table?

A Absolutely. Such items are used to display values that are computed from other items in the block. For example, an order form typically has a line item total that you want to display for the user but isn't stored in a table.

Q Can a block be based on a view instead of a table?

A Yes. Often, such blocks are display-only; they aren't intended to be modified by the user.

Q Can a Forms application invoke other products, such as a report or chart?

A Yes. You can define menu items that will print a report or display a chart. You will see how this is done in Days 15, "Developer/2000: Developing Reports with Oracle Reports," and 16, "Developer/2000: Using Oracle Graphics and Procedure Builder."

Workshop

The purpose of the Workshop is to allow you to test your knowledge of the material discussed in the lesson. See if you can correctly answer the questions in the quiz and complete the exercise before you continue with tomorrow's lesson.

Quiz

1. True or false? Oracle Forms Runtime will only execute an .fmb file.
2. Name the three types of modules that the Forms Designer can create.
3. True or false? The Forms Designer can only save a form to an Oracle database if it contains a base table block.
4. True or false? You can create a block based on the contents of a table owned by another Oracle user.

Exercise

Create a form for the Instructor table. Specify an ORDER BY clause so that the records retrieved by a query are ordered by department ID, instructor last name, first name, and middle initial. Test the form.