the next 2 years...what should i do now with my oracle forms systems - doag 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Mia Urman@miaurman
The Next 2 Years …What Should I Do Now With My Oracle Forms Systems
• 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 …
• 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
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?
Customer Pain PointsWhere 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
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
Oracle Forms
9i/10g
IAS
Forms 11g
Weblogic Server
Forms
3.0Oracle Forms
4.0 – 6i
Client ServerAuraPlayer
Oracle Forms EvolutionThe world moves on…
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
Clean UpDon’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
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
Oracle Forms
9i/10g
IAS
Forms 11g
Weblogic
Server
Forms 3.0
Oracle Forms
4.0 – 6i
Client Server
Upgrade RoadMap
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)
Forms Look and Feel Modernization
• Toolbar and navigation
• Look and Feel Project
• Color / Font / Size
• Prompts / Titles
• Images
• Frames
• OLB, templates for visual standards
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
WebservicesCall 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
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
Hybrid Options
• Living Side By Side Forms running alongside new technologies
• Visual IntegrationCreate a common UI –Forms & ADF/APEX/Java
• Process / Service Integration
Run common business logic DB/Events
• InnovationRun Forms business process from new environments - AuraPlayer
Forms & External Apps Living In Harmony
Form System External System
Security / Management
Web.show_document
Common Bus LogicAQ Messages
web.javascript_eval_expr
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
Process / Service IntegrationShare 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
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
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
Oracle Forms & AuraPlayerThe gateway to Next Generation Technologies
Any UI Mobile CloudWebServices Service Bus / SOA
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
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
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
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
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
Oracle FormsStay 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
More Information
Mia Urman (Me ) [email protected]
@miaurman
Forms Community Blogwww.oracleformsinfo.com
AuraPlayerwww.AuraPlayer.com
PJC Master sitehttp://forms.pjc.bean.over-blog.com/
Forms Look and Feel Projecthttp://fdtool.free.fr/LAF/doc/Oracle_Forms_Look_and_Feel_project.htm
Demos
• Demo: JavaScript in oracle Forms
• Demo: Oracle Look and Feel Project
• Demo: Oracle Forms on iPad
• Demo: Oracle Forms running from ADF