Oracle HTMLDB introduction

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Oracle HTMLDB introduction
CERN Oracle Developers Forum May 12th 2005
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What is HTMLDB

• A rapid web application development tool for the
  Oracle database.
• 100 web based development
• PL/SQL driven

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Architecture

• Everything is in the Database!

Oracle
WebServer
Client
RDBMS
HTMLDB
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Pros Cons

• Pros
• Fast development
• 100 web based
• No code required
• Ready to use components
• Professional looking
• Easy to create mock-ups
• Easy to deploy
• Easy to understand
• Fast (no overhead)

• Cons
• Platform lock
• Difficult to debug
• Tricky to customize
• Scaling problems
• Difficult version control

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Trade Off Comparison
Effort
Good for small/simple projects
J2EE
HTMLDB
?
Results
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Designer Comparison

• HTMLDB is not a replacement for Designer
• Lacks the design part
• Targets Web Apps
• The layout is a lot more flexible
• Doesnt have any compile phase

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Real World Examples

• http//htmldb.oracle.com/references
• AskTom
• CERN AIS
• Pre Registration Tool
• Safety Information Registration
• Core Training Application
• HTMLDB Itself!

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Development Cycle
RDBMS
HTMLDB Web Interface
Developer
HTMLDB Engine
Application Metadata
Web Application
User
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HTMLDB Interface
Application Builder

• Create pages
• Manage shared components (Items, Templates,
  Translations, )
• Import Export application

SQL Workshop

• Browse DB Objects (Tables, Packages, DBLinks,
  Java Classes, )
• Create DB Objects
• Run arbitrary SQL

Data Workshop

• Import/Export Data from/to XML/Spreadsheet

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Page Creation Overview
Request
Page
Pre-processing
Client
Rendering
Order can be finely tuned mixing processing and
rendering.
Post-processing
Branching
Same or other Page
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Page Creation Rendering
User Interface Items
Data Loading PL/SQL
Repository
Input Text
Checkbox
Report
Every Item corresponds to a global variable
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Processing Branching

• Processes
• execute PL/SQL
• manage sessions state
• Reports pagination
• Many others

• Computations
• Set item values
• SQL or PL/SQL driven
• Static values
• Other item values

• Branches
• Application Page
• External URL
• Functions returning URL/page
• Others

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Example Room Booking

• Use Cases
• Search for first available time slot
• Book desired time slot
• Show room availability

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Conclusions

• Fast implementation
• Good looking results
• Good for small to medium applications
• It takes some time to get used to it

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Resources

• Official Oracle Page http//www.oracle.com/technol
  ogy/products/database/htmldb/index.html
• Good support forumhttp//forums.oracle.com/forums
  /forum.jsp?forum137
• AskTom http//asktom.oracle.com/
• Newsgroups comp.databases.oracle.tools

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Questions?
?