1.
Mia Urman
@miaurman
miaurman@AuraPlayer.com
The Next 2 Years …
What Should I Do Now With My Oracle Forms Systems

2.
Mia Urman
miaurman@auraplayer.com
• Oracle Development Geek for 15 years.
• 6 years at Oracle as a senior support analyst and local product
manager of Forms and ADF.
• CEO and Founder of AuraPlayer - Addressing Oracle Forms
modernization challenges encountered at blue chip customers
• Board member of ODTUG, Leader of the ilOUG Oracle
Developer Group and presenter of Oracle tools at international
conferences OOW, Kscope, UKOUG …

3.
• Joined Oracle in 1999, spent over 13 years in various Oracle Forms roles
• Former Forms Global Technical Lead (GTL) for Oracle Support
• Product Manager in Oracle’s Application Development Tools Division
• Works with development teams at Oracle to bring the latest innovations to
Forms

4.
About You
 What is your current Oracle Forms / Oracle EBS Version ?
 Are you interested in mobility , Webservices or both?
 Have you begun to think about future strategy?
 Do you have ADF / APEX developers in house?
 Have you begun to think about migration?

5.
Customer Pain Points
Where are we now?
 Systems were developed years ago: Look antiquated, lack functionality
 Businesses processes, trapped in Oracle Forms
 Migration to a new technology challenging, risky and costly, not always
possible
 No documentation and original developers are no longer available
 Oracle Forms does not support mobile devices
 Customers lack clear vision from Oracle how to move forward

6.
Where Are We Going?

7.
4 Step Plan To Future
Step 1
Upgrade
• Upgrade to 11g & UI Modernization
• Weblogic Suite / Modernize / SSO
Step 2
Mobility
• Mobilize Existing Use Cases
• Mobile Framework / SOA Suite / Security / Cloud
Step 3
Hybrid
• Hybrid Development
• Oracle ADF / J2EE / APEX
Step 4
Migrate
• Phased Migration to New Technologies … Maybe

8.
Our Game Plan:

9.
Oracle Forms
9i/10g
IAS
Forms 11g
Weblogic Server
Forms
3.0
Oracle Forms
4.0 – 6i
Client Server
AuraPlayer
Oracle Forms Evolution
The world moves on…

10.
2005 2009 2011 20152013 201420122010 2016 . . .
Forms & Reports 10gR2 [Jan 2005 – Dec 2011]
Forms & Reports 11gR1 [Jun 2009 – Jun 2014]
Forms & Reports 11gR2 [Oct 2011 – Oct 2016]
Forms & Reports 12c [ TBD ]
This roadmap represents the time between General Availability and the end of Premier Support.
documentation for the latest dates.Oracle Lifetime Support PolicyRefer to the
Road Map

11.
Our Game Plan:

12.
Clean Up
Don’t Migrate / Upgrade What’s Not in Use
 Are any modules obsolete?
 Review usage of the system
 What forms are now obsolete? What reports are not run? Do we
use PLLs?
 Remove dead code
 Delete multiple copies of same sources
 Merge forms that perform similar tasks
 Systems replaced by packaged apps?
 Can use 3rd party tools for assistance

13.
Our Game Plan:

14.
Why Upgrade Your Forms?
• Ensure support (C/S de-supported 2004/10g Dec. 2011)
• Certification – New browsers, O/S, Java versions
• New features - SOA, REUI, JavaScript
• Strategic Middleware - Runs on WebLogic
• Upgrade is Seamless from 10g to 11g
• Platform for integration
• Ensure the highest level of security

15.
Oracle Forms
9i/10g
IAS
Forms 11g
Weblogic
Server
Forms 3.0
Oracle Forms
4.0 – 6i
Client Server
Upgrade RoadMap

16.
Suggested Work Plan
• Backup ALL related files !!
• Pilot Upgrade of application (50-100 forms)
• Clean up environment – unused, dead code
• Check forms for C/S or OS Specific features
• Get an estimate of the work, time, cost
• Freeze C/S - all new developments should be web
• Modernize Look and Feel of the application
• Do full upgrade in modules / Phases
• Testing should be with each module!
• Do Production Pilot (Phased rollout)

17.
Our Game Plan:

18.
Forms Look and Feel Modernization
• Toolbar and navigation
• Look and Feel Project
• Color / Font / Size
• Prompts / Titles
• Images
• Frames
• OLB, templates for visual standards

19.
Yes - Java in Forms!
Java Beans
– Java Bean Area - layout object on canvas
– Use custom trigger to get and set properties
PJC – Portable Java Component
– Change default behavior/properties of objects
Java Classes – Run Webservices
– Run Java code in forms triggers
– Java importer – PLSQL java wrapper
JavaScript
– Interact with objects in the browser page - Maps

20.
Java Beans & PJCs

21.
Java Importer
Importing Java Classes into Forms

22.
Webservices
Call External Services From Forms
package CurrencyConverter
/* currconv3.mypackage.CurrConv3Stub */ IS
function new
return ora_java.jobject;
function
getrate( obj ora_java.jobject,
a0 varchar2, a1 varchar2)
return ora_java.jobject;
end;
Run external Webservices from within Oracle Forms triggers
• Create a Web Service
proxy in Jdeveloper
• Call the WS client from the Forms
application using the Java Importer

23.
JavaScript Integration
Two way client Side communication

24.
JavaScript in Forms

25.
Oracle Forms Events
Highly Available Asynchronous Communication

26.
 Messages are pushed to
Forms from DB msg queue
› New event object in forms builder
attached to queue
› WHEN-EVENT-RAISED trigger
 Code that should be initiated
when a message is received
in the subscribed queue
 Use DBMS_AQ package from within
Forms triggers
› DBMS_AQ.ENQUEUE( queue, enqopt, msgprop, payload, enq_msgid);
Oracle Forms Events
Highly Available Asynchronous Communication

27.
Using Events in Forms

28.
Our Game Plan:

29.
Hybrid Options
• Living Side By Side
Forms running alongside new technologies
• Visual Integration
Create a common UI –
Forms & ADF/APEX/Java
• Process / Service Integration
Run common business logic DB/Events
• Innovation
Run Forms business process from new
environments - AuraPlayer

30.
OracleForms
ADF
Other
Open
Source
APEX

31.
Forms & External Apps
Living In Harmony
Form System External System
Security / Management
Web.show_document
Common Bus LogicAQ Messages
web.javascript_eval_expr

32.
What is Visual Integration?
Portal Unified Desktop Dashboards
Concept
• Integrating Oracle Forms and Other Technologies Into
a single user experience
• One point of access - SSO
• Customized based on users business needs
Implementation
• iFrames
• Javascipt
• guiMode – Remove menus
• OraFormsFaces

33.
Process / Service Integration
Share Forms Business Logic – SOA / BPM
Concept
• Reuse the business logic locked inside your Forms –
Separate GUI from business logic
Implementation
• Decoupling – Remove and Centralize bus logic to DB – 3rd party tools
• Events – Use AQ events for messaging
• JavaScript

34.
Our Game Plan:

35.
How Do We Get Forms Users Here?

36.
Understand Your Business Needs
 Observe real end users doing real work:
Can we make them more productive?
 Watch surrounding and environmental challenges:
Can we improve employees user experience.
 Are users missing data to do their jobs?
 Enhance data gathering: cameras, SMS,
social media, personal , location, voice
 Types of Users – Occasional, Internal/external

37.
Analyze Your Mobile Needs
Mobile Requirements
• What OS: iOS / Android / Windows / BYOD?
• Type of Applications – Browser Based / Hybrid
• Device type, Screen size
• New Hardware / Software needed?
• New development tools and environments
• Mobile developers
Challenges to Consider
• Slower network – Disconnects - Offline / Connected
• No mouse, Function keys - Gestures
• Smaller screen / Less screens
• Difficult to touch small elements - Harder to type
• Mobile Infrastructure – Security, Load

38.
Create a Service Layer

39.
Oracle Forms & AuraPlayer
The gateway to Next Generation Technologies
Any UI Mobile CloudWebServices Service Bus / SOA

40.
The Process : Oracle Forms to Mobile/Cloud
1. Enable the Oracle Forms process 
2. Create a Webservice (AuraPlayer Wizard / Redevelopment) 
3. Connect WS to Oracle Mobile Cloud or SOA Suite or Weblogic 
4. Create new UI in MAF or APEX 

41.
Migration

42.
Innovation By Migration
Things to Consider
• This is a PROJECT. No silver bullet
• Need a business reason to redevelop
• Need thorough understanding of the Forms application
• No tool can re-write your business logic
• Need deep knowledge of the new technologies
• UI implications – HTML vs Applet
• Investigate 3rd party tools for migration assistance
Benefits of Migration
• No Oracle Forms maintenance/licenses
• Fully portable system
• No applet, full HTML client
• Larger pool of Java developers

43.
Migration Statistics
 How long did it take for total redevelopment?
– Average of 2-5 years depending on number of Forms and new development language
 What was your biggest challenge during redevelopment?
– Lack of knowledge about the original Oracle Forms system, huge QA initiative
– Lack of knowledge in the new technology stack
– Hard to train employees requires new implementation partners on new technologies
 How long did it take to train the Forms staff to the new technology?
– 1 year for experienced developer to understand the ADF stack and experts in the new technology
– Hard to find ADF experts easier to find Java developers.
– Hard to find Forms experts

44.
Moving Forward
Considerations For Modernization Projects
• Asses Your Requirements
• What systems do we need to integrate with? UI requirements?
• What platforms do we need to deploy to?
• Understand Your Existing System
• Where does the business logic sit today?
• What functionality is duplicated in other systems?
• Do we have documentation? Developer resources?
• Define Modernization Goals
• Timeline and Budget
• Decide on Implementation Method
• Integrate, Migrate, 3rd party solution

45.
Summary
• Clean up Forms environment – unused, dead code
• Upgrade to Latest version – Forms 11gR2
• Modernize Look and Feel - Incorporate Java elements
• Chose right tool for the job
• Refactor code to the DB
• Systems on common infrastructure Weblogic – SSO
• Slowly evolve teams and systems
• Start thinking about system INNOVATION – ADF Mobile
• Use AuraPlayer to move systems to the next generation platforms / environments
without migration

46.
Questions?

47.
Oracle Forms
Stay in touch with the family
• Oracle Forms on the Oracle Technology Network
• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/forms
• Oracle Technology Network Forms Forum
• https://community.oracle.com/community/development_tools/forms
• Oracle Communities (My-Oracle-Support)
• https://community.oracle.com/community/support/middleware/oracle_forms
• Follow us on Twitter
@OracleFormsPM

48.
More Information
Mia Urman (Me )
miaurman@AuraPlayer.com
@miaurman
Forms Community Blog
www.oracleformsinfo.com
AuraPlayer
www.AuraPlayer.com
PJC Master site
http://forms.pjc.bean.over-blog.com/
Forms Look and Feel Project
http://fdtool.free.fr/LAF/doc/Oracle_Forms_Look_and_Feel_project.htm

49.
Demos
• Demo: JavaScript in oracle Forms
• Demo: Oracle Look and Feel Project
• Demo: Oracle Forms on iPad
• Demo: Oracle Forms running from ADF