Deploy a form on the web

 

1 Introduction

This chapter will help you quickly configure and test Forms Server. It is intended

for users who prefer to use the mainly automatic configuration process available

through Oracle Installer.

2 About Oracle Installer

Oracle Installer provides users with a way to install Forms Server and all of its

options in an easy, efficient manner. With Oracle Installer, users can run applications

right away.

Oracle Installer does most of the configuration steps automatically as part of the

installation. There are various default installs available. Users can use Oracle

Installer to install Forms Server on a single machine or multiple machines that will

use load balancing. In practice, a few manual steps may still be required, but the

user is told what to do in a “Configuration Instructions” file that is generated by the

installation process.

3 Using Oracle Installer to Configure the Forms Server

This section aims to get you up and running as quickly as possible. The steps

described in this section allow you to configure the Forms Server with the most

basic options. We will tell you how to test your installation after installing the

Forms Server and the WebDB Listener on a single machine.

3.1 Starting the Oracle Installer

Before you run the Oracle Installer, make sure you have administrative privileges

on the Windows NT workstation that you are installing Forms Server. To run Oracle

Installer, follow these steps:

1. Shut down any active Windows applications.

2. Choose Start Run to display the Run dialog.

3. In the Run dialog box, type the following (where D: is your CD-ROM drive

letter):

D:\SETUP.EXE

4. Click OK to start the Oracle Installer.

Before the installation begins, two dialog boxes are displayed:

n In the Oracle Installation Settings dialog box, enter your company name and the

path for the Oracle Home directory. We recommend that you keep the default

setting.

n In the Language dialog box, select the language in which you wish to run

Forms Server.

3.2 Installing Forms Server

To install Forms Server on a single machine, with the WebDB Listener and all

default values, follow these steps:

1. Click Oracle Forms Server.

This option installs Forms Server.

2. Click Typical.

This option gives you an automatic installation of the product’s components.

3. Click Forms Server for Web deployment.

This option installs and configures the necessary components to run Oracle

Forms applications as Web applications on one or more server machines. You

will be given options to make this installation a single-machine configuration or

part of a multiple-machine configuration using load balancing.

4. Click single machine configuration.

Select this option if you are installing Forms Server on just one machine.

5. Click use Oracle WebDB listener.

Choose this option if you want the WebDB Listener to be installed and

configured for you.

6. Click Yes to create and start services.

Components which you have selected need to be started up before they can be

used.

7. Click OK to accept the WebDB Listener defaults.

This accepts defaults for the Host Name and WebDB Listener Port number.

8. Click OK to accept the directory where you want Oracle Forms installed.

9. Click OK to accept the default values for the Forms Server parameters.

10. Click OK to accept the directory where you want Oracle JInitiator installed.

3.3 What Oracle Installer Does for You

Oracle Installer will automatically analyze the dependencies on your machine and

then configure the Forms Server based on the options you chose.

Oracle Installer produces a configuration instructions file at the end of the install

that you can view to find out what settings were created for you. You can print out

the Configuration Instructions file and complete the configuration actions as

described after the installation process is complete.

4 Testing Your Configuration After the Install

Now that your server environment has been configured, you can test your

installation and configuration.

 

4.1 Shortcut to the Web Form Tester

A shortcut to run a standard test form was created for you in the Forms Server

program group. The shortcut’s name is "Run Form on the Web." The target for the

shortcut is C:\ORANT\tools\web60\html\runform.htm. You can place the

shortcut onto your desktop for future testing.

4.2 Running the Web Form Tester

To test your installation and configuration, you can run a test form through your

Web browser by clicking on the shortcut or clicking Start Programs Oracle

Forms 6i Run a Form on the Web.

The Web Form Tester HTML file, runform.htm, displays in your Web browser. To

immediately test your installation without entering any additional information into

the Web Form Tester:

1. Click Run Form to display the default test form, test.fmx, in another Web

browser.

2. Click OK after the Web browser displays the test form .

Note: You will need to install JInitiator as a plug-in before you can view the default test form. If

JInitiator is not installed on your machine, you need to follow the plug-in download instructions

4.3 Testing Other Forms on the Web Form Tester

You can test other forms with the Web Form Tester by entering the name of the form

in the Form field.

The Web Form Tester contains the following fields:

Runform parameters

n Form: Name of the form to be tested (test.fmx)

n Userid: User ID for login (user/password@connect_string)

n Other Parameters: Additional form parameters (useSDI=yes)

n Look and Feel: (Oracle or Generic)

n Color scheme: (teal, red, khaki, blue, olive purple)

Web listener (HTTPD) details

What’s Next

n Web host: Machine on which your HTTP listener is running

(servername.domain.com)

n Web port: Port number for your HTTP listener (80)

4.4 Copying the URL

Once your test form is displayed in your Web browser, you can add the URL link

that is generated by the test form to your own Web site as a link. From that link,

users can run the form.

Copy the URL from the Web browser’s Location field (in Netscape Navigator) or

Address field (in MS Internet Explorer) and paste it into the Web page from which

you want users to be able to run your form.