There is a feature in the 11g which was also available in 10g called JVM Pooling. It is simple enough to understand and the documents explain it reasonably well JVM pooling is something that anyone that needs to run multiple instances of the Forms Runtime needs to consider whether to use JVM Pooling. It’s main purpose is to reduce memory usage by utilising a single JVM to support multiple Forms Runtime Services. Enterprise Manager is the easiest way to create a new controller in the Application server, this controller manages the JVM

After creating a JVM, the process is relatively simple to configure the jvm to be used as a pooled resource. it needs a few entries in the formsweb.cfg otherparams=jvmcontroller=bigjvmController. If this is defined as a global value then any forms service when it starts will associate with the JVMcontroller that is defined as the global value else if a runtime process has its own JVM defined then it shall use that JVM

One of the great features of JVM pooling as a programmer is that there can be common global variables that once edited are available to all of the Forms runtime processes using that JVM. This means a value might get updated at the start of a trading day for example an Exchange Rate and that value until updated again is going to remain the same.  If the JVM is not started it should be dynamically started when the first Java call occurs.

As you can see there is justification for using JVM pooling for your system as it allows a reduction of resources to run users in your middleware applications and the global variable value allows sensible sharing of dynamic data.

Should you use it, I think it would be hard to justify not using it.

See ya round

Peter

I have been reviewing documentation for 11g and thought I might distil out a number of new features of Oracle Forms and Reports for 11g. The first one I found interesting is that  of JavaScript on the client applet to allow interactions around the applet with with other items displayed on the browser page. Let me see a possible scenario. I could use Java script to make calls to some data source and at any time by clicking on a field displayed from that data source cause either a search to occur in the form, or update a value in a filed in the form. Of course the reverse is also possible that I could be able to update records in another database when I update a form using Java script to call out to update a field external to the Forms applet. This could allow people to build integration between Java Apps and Forms apps that will be somewhat easier. I could from my Java Application call and load another application and display it on the screen. That screen could be a Forms application and based on the record displayed from the Java application display the appropriate data in Forms. I see how that might be useful for company with a lot of legacy tied into Forms applications. Of course what you can do in each application is regulated by its own security model is a user could be able to review in Forms and update the html driven data.

Single sign on with OID has had an enhancement for password changes. In 11g when a user changes their password in the Form, as has been the case, the password propagates to the database as necessary. It now also updates the Resource Access Descriptor (RAD) in the Internet Directory. This would mean that in cases where two way integration was enabled to the Corporate directory server which might be Active Directory the password would change in that system as well propagating that password change across the organisation. I know I am going to find others that are of interest so I shall keep looking and post any updates.

See ya round

Peter

oracle, fusion middleware, forms 11g

For those of you that have been around Oracle Application Server for some time you will know that the repository or as it may be known Metadata or Infrastructure database  had a number of shortcomings, one of which that you could not install two SOA instances in 10.1. 3 using the same database. Now don’t ask as to why you might do that, it was however considered a requirement at the time, so we did what we could to implement it and no you cannot.  With 11g the Repository Configuration Utility (RCU) which you use to build the repository allows you to have a prefix. I see this as great as I can have a database for all my developers central on suitable hardware and each developer works with their own repository tables. if these screw that up then its only there development that is impacted. There will be a lot of other fine uses, like multiple test domains that we can now host those repositories in a single database. I really love this feature and good on you Oracle for including it. The other thing I like about rcu is that I is only available in Windows or Linux, no that doesn’t mean you can only have your repository on Windows or Linux, it can be in any supported database on whatever platform is  allowed. Its a GUI desktop tool and they are the chosen platforms to run the tool. This will make this tool more robust as there is only two platforms.  The tool is pretty straightforward to use, you only need build a database on a suitable platform and then unzip the download files and run rcu.bat on windows in the bin directory. Follow the prompts and after about 1 to 2 hours depending on hardware you end up with a ready repository

I encountered an issue or a quirk that could do with ironing out. The screen where you can set up credentials for each schema/user that needs to be built and by checking check-boxes. When doing that if I checked 2 check-boxes I could overwrite important information which included the schema name. Perhaps radio buttons might be better there.

Great and

See ya round

Peter

oracle, fusion middleware