Local banner forms configuration and development - Utah State ...

Utah Banner 

at Utah State University 

Local Banner Forms 

Configuration and Development 

Gudrun Kokoszka 

Wednesday May 23, 9:00am

Session Rules of Etiquette 

Please turn off your cell phone/beeper 

If you must leave the session early, please do so as 

discretely as possible 

Please avoid side conversation during the 

presentation 

Thank you for your cooperation!

Introduction 

The workshop focuses on how to configure a 10g 

Developer Suite Oracle Forms installation in order to 

do Banner Forms development and testing without 

having application server access. Run Banner from 

your own desktop – at least Forms ! 

Practical instruction is given in developing, deploying and 

testing a Banner custom form for this locally configured 

INB environment using a SCT provided skeleton form.

Topics of Discussion 

1. Configuring Forms 10.1.2.2 for Banner 

2. Running INB from local working directory 

3. Custom Banner Forms Development

Configuring Forms 10.1.2.2 for Banner 

1. Have Oracle Forms 10.1.2.02 installed 

http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/forms/index.html 

2. OC4J 

In order to view Banner through its web interface it has to be 

configured locally as a forms web application. 

For this changes have to be made to the configuration of the locally 

installed servlet container called oc4j and its FORMS server. 

OC4J is installed by default with the Developer Suite. It is similar to 

Tomcat and is installed standalone.


For a form to run in a web browser, there must be an HTTP 

listener already started. OC4J comes with a HTTP Listener.The 

HTTP Listener needs only to be started once.


Shortlist of Configuration Changes: 

1. Changing TNSNAMES 

2. Working directory changes 

Creating working directory 

Including working directory in FORMS PATH 

Setting working directory in Start for Forms Desktop icon 

3. Forms server configuration file changes 

Create Forms environment file 

Change formsweb configuration file 

4. Setup Banner executable jar files 

Details follow


1. Changing tnsnames 

The developer suite maintains its own tnsnames file in directory 

/network/admin. For any database connection 

please add the relevant database sid information here.


2. Working directory changes 

Forms searches for executables in the following manner first 

current dir then working dir, FORMS_PATH and at last oracle home 

To avoid any compile problems do the following changes: 

a) Create a working directory other than the Oracle default forms 

directory (It will contain all your Banner source code and exes) 

b) Modify the FORMS_PATH to include the working directory 

c) Set the working directory for your Forms Desktop icon


Working directory changes CONTINUED 

a) Create a working directory



b) Modify the FORMS_PATH to include the working directory



c) Set the working directory on your Forms Desktop icon 

Create a Forms Builder 

Desktop Icon then right 

click and invoke properties


3. Forms server configuration file changes 

All server configuration files are located in directory 

\forms\server 

a) Create zpprd.env 

b) Modify formsweb.cfg


Forms server configuration file changes CONTINUED 

Create ZPPRD.env: 

1. Create a copy of default.env and rename it to ZPPRD.env 

2. Change/add the following entries in ZPPRD.env 

FORMS_PATH=C:\banner\forms\zpprd 

TNS_ADMIN=C:\oracle\app\ds\network\admin 

NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.WE8ISO8859P1 

TMPDIR=C:\TEMP 

FORMS_TIMEOUT=240 (set along with heartbeat and networkRetries)


Forms server configuration file changes CONTINUED 

Modify formsweb.cfg 

1. Obtain a copy of the production formsweb.cfg file from your system admin 

2. Open formsweb.cfg and add a new configuration by adding string [zpprd] 

3. Copy and paste production formsweb.cfg information to formsweb.cfg 

4. Make changes to the following entries in formsweb.cfg: 

workingDirectory= C:\banner\forms\ZPPRD 

envFile=ZPPRD.env 

forms=guainit.fmx 

oracle_home=


Forms server configuration file changes CONTINUED


4. Setup of Banner executable jar files – Concludes config changes 

All Banner executable jar files are listed in the formsweb.cfg 

file. Request a set of these jar files from your system admin and copy 

them to directory \forms\java.

Running INB from 

Local Working Directory 

Before being able to run Banner from your local installation these 

steps have to be completed: 

1. Install initial set of minimum Banner forms, plls and menus 

2. Compile Banner modules - plls, menus and forms in order 

3. Start OC4J container 

4. Test Banner URL



1. Install initial set of minimum Banner forms, plls and menus in 

your working directory: eoqrpls.pll, eoqgpls.pll, goqrpls.pll 

goqwflw.pll, guainit.fmb, guamappl.mmb, guagmnu.fmb, 

goqolib.fmb (*lib.fmb act are being referenced only !!!!!!)



2. Compile Banner modules 

First plls, then menus and forms. Start with eoqgpls.pll ,eoqrpls.pll 

goqrpls.pll, goqwflw.pll libraries then guainit.fmb, gumappl.mmb and 

guagmnu.fmb. Next: 

Start Forms Builder 

Connect to db 

Open each module (a pll, fmb, or mmb) 

Compile module(s) (but in order as listed above)



Compile Banner modules CONTINUED – Open a module



Compile Banner modules CONTINUED - Connect



Compile Banner modules CONTINUED – Compile a module

3. Start OC4J 


Local Working Directory

4. Test Banner URL 



Try URL in a Java enabled web browser: 

http://127.0.0.1:8889/forms/frmservlet?config=zpprd 

Default port is 8889 but if problems run command 

“netstat –a” and look for java.exe

Custom Banner Forms Development 

Banner custom Forms development/testing requires: 

1. Banner form change to support custom forms 

2. Creation of a custom form 

3. Setup of a custom form in Banner 

Handson lab covers 2 and 3


1. Banner Form Change to Support Custom Forms 

Custom forms can be created primarily in two ways: 

1. Use Banner’s provided skeleton form 

2. Use an existing Banner form and rename it 

All USU custom forms start with letter Z. In order to allow for 

Banner to recognize these forms a change needs to be made to 

form guainit.fmb


2. Creation of Custom Forms 

Custom forms can be created primarily in two ways: 

1. Use Banner’s provided skeleton form 

2. Use an existing Banner form and rename it 

All USU custom forms start with letter Z. In order to allow for Banner 

to recognize these forms a change needs to be made to form 

guainit.fmb


The required GUAINIT form change to support ‘Z’ custom forms is: 

Set :GLOBAL.INITZ := ‘Y’; 

in Form level trigger WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE


Creation of Custom Forms CONTINUED 

Banner’s provided skeleton forms are: 

gtvskel.fmb (validation form) 

guaskel.fmb (maintenance form) 

guiskel.fmb (inquiry form) 

Use as a base template, rename the form, add custom code, 

and setup as a Banner form


Creation of Custom Forms CONTINUED 

Quick list on how to create form ZTVDEMO as asked for 

in your handson task: 

1.Rename gtvskel.fmb to ztvdemo.fmb in working directory 

2.Add custom code using Forms Builder 

3.Compile ztvdemo using Forms Builder 

4.Set up form in Banner


1. Rename form in working dir to ztvdemo 

Right-click and just rename like any file 

2. Open up form ztvdemo in Forms Builder 

Go to File -> Open and choose form ztvdemo 

Right click on Form module and choose Property Palette 

Rename the module to ZTVDEMO. This will change the old 

module name to your new chosen module name 

Add any other custom code.


3. Compile ZTVDEMO in Forms Builder. Program -> Compile Module 

4. Necessary SQL code to set up form in Banner: 

a) ASSIGN OBJECT ACCESS FOR BANNER SECURITY TO USER 

OR CLASS - HERE TO CLASS BAN_GENERAL_C 

insert into bansecr.guruobj values 

('ZTVDEMO','BAN_DEFAULT_M','BAN_GENERAL_C',SYSDATE);


4. Necessary SQL code to set up form in Banner - CONTINUED 

b) DEFINE OBJECT FOR BANNER SECURITY 

insert into bansecr.guraobj values 

('ZTVDEMO','BAN_DEFAULT_M','7.0','G',SYSDATE,NULL); 

c) DEFINE OBJECT IN BANNER AS A FORM 

insert into gubobjs values 

('ZTVDEMO','Demo Validation Form‘, 'FORM‘, 'G‘, 'BASELINE‘, 

SYSDATE,'N','N');

Summary 

In order to run INB from a local installation we made 

changes to the 10g Developer Suite Forms installation, 

changed specifically form server configuration files, 

added/compiled Banner source code and started the 

OC4J container. 

Running a custom form required us to rename/change a 

Banner skeleton form, deploy it locally as well as to add it 

to Banner.

Questions and Answers 

Your questions now 

Handson lab next 

Disclaimer: ! 

The information presented in this session is for informational purposes only. ! 

Please be aware that I canʼt assume liability for any inaccurate or incomplete information, ! 

nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. !

Presenter Information 

Gudrun Kokoszka 

DBA@USU 

gudrun.kokoszka@usu.edu 

Office: (435) 797 3914 

Cell: (435) 760 4028

Local banner forms configuration and development - Utah State ...

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