Oracle Web Application Programming for PL/SQL Developers

SUSAN BOARDMAN, Lead Software Engineer for IntraSphere Technologies, specializes in using PL/SQL to build intranet Web applications. She has extensive experience with retail systems, back-end processing, and university applications. SOLOMON MORSE, Senior Consultant for Net Quotient Consulting Group in New York City, specializes in designing and developing database-integrated e-business Web applications. He has developed Web applications for cutting-edge e-journals as well as for Fortune 500 companies. MELANIE CAFFREY is an Oracle consultant in New York City, providing front-end and back-end Oracle solutions to numerous clients. She is co-author of the Oracle DBA Interactive Workbook and Oracle Database Administration: The Complete Video Course. BENJAMIN ROSENZWEIG is an Integration Specialist at IQ Financial Systems. Prior to that he was a principal consultant for 3 1/2 years at Oracle Corporation in the Custom Development Department. He has a wide range of computer experience from creating an electronic Tibetan-English Dictionary in Kathmandu, Nepal, to supporting presentations centers at Goldman Sachs and managing a trading system at TIAA-CREF. The authors are all members of the faculty at Columbia University School of Continuing Education.

Acknowledgments.


About the Authors.


Foreword.


Preface.
I. INTRODUCTION.

1. Introduction to Oracle Web Applications.


Internet and Web Basics. What Are Web Applications?

2. Oracle 9iA.


Oracle 9iAS Architecture. Oracle 9iAS Configuration.

3. Remote Server Access.


Working with the Server.

4. Web Application Design.


What Is Web Design? How to Design a Web Application. Tips for Web Design.

II. CREATING THE APPLICATION.

5. Introduction to HTML: Basic Tags, Tables, and Frames.


Basic HTML Concepts. Common HTML Tags. Basic Tables. Basic Frames.

6. Advanced HTML: Forms, Nested Tables, and Nested Frames.


An Introduction to Forms. Advanced Tables. Advanced Framesets.

7. Introduction to JavaScript.


Embedding JavaScript in HTML. JavaScript Syntax. The Document Object Model. JavaScript Events. Window and Document Objects.

8. SQL Reminders and Tips.


SQL Basics. Advanced Uses of SQL's NVL and DECODE Functions.

9. PL/SQL Review.


Basic Concepts of PL/SQL. Stored Procedures. Packages. PL/SQL Tables.

10. Web Toolkit I: HTML and JavaScript with PL/SQL.


Web-Enable Databases. Create Web Pages in PL/SQL.

11. Web Toolkit II: Frames, Forms, and Parameters.


Frames. Forms and Form Handlers. Passing Parameters without Submitting Forms.

12. Working with PL/SQL Server Pages (PSPs).


What PL/SQL Server Pages Are. When to Use PSPs. Loading PSPs into the Database. Developing PSPs.

13. Images.


Image Types. Storing and Retrieving Images in the Database. JavaScript and Images. Image Maps.

14. JavaScript Form Validation.


Form Validation Using JavaScript. Regular Expressions in Form Validation.

15. Maintaining State with Cookies and Tables.


Using Cookies to Maintain State. The Web Toolkit and Cookies. JavaScript and Cookies. Storing State in Database Tables.

III. TAPAS.

16. The owa_util Package: Dynamic SQL, HTML, Date Utilities, and More.


Dynamic SQL Utilities. HTML Utilities. Date Utilities. Miscellaneous Utilities.

17. Troubleshooting.


Use Good Coding and Debugging Practices. Distinguish Error Messages. Find and Debug PL/SQL Errors. Find and Debug JavaScript Errors. Find and Debug HTML Errors.

18. Web Tips and Techniques.


Add Functionality to Forms. Use Stylesheets. Store Images for Performance. Use Dynamic SQL. Write and Reuse Modular Components.

19. Additional Web Toolkit Utilities and PL/SQL Built-ins.


Sending Electronic Mail from an Oracle Database. Reading Other Web Sites. Encrypting Sensitive Data. Security and Authentication. Read-Consistent Updates. Searching and Replacing Text.

20. Web Application Architecture.


Designing Code Structures. Designing for Performance. Overview of Architecture Considerations.

Appendix A. Student Database Schema.
Appendix B. PL/SQL Formatting Guide.
Appendix C. HTML Formatting Guide.
Index.