Conversion to webforms 10g completed

1 July 2005 at 08:20 CEST | In 6i to 10g upgrade, AppServer, Forms, Oracle, Reports |

Today we started production on our new webforms 10g environment. This completes our migration from client-server Forms/Reports 6i running on Citrix MetaFrame to Forms and Reports 10g (v9.0.4.1) running on two Linux application servers. In total we’ve migrated 601 files (299 forms, 23 menus, 76 pl/sql libraries, 4 object libraries and 199 reports).

We also integrated Forms with Single Sign On. We’re building a number of J2EE web-applications and we didn’t want users to have to logon to each application separately. Our existing extranet has also been integrated with SSO and now functions as a portal to the user.

We’ll be running the new Forms 10g environment and the old 6i (on Citrix) environment in parallel for two months. This gives our 400 external users some time to switch to Internet Explorer/Java/Acrobat. It also means we’ll have to support both environments for a while. This is why development is still on 6i and the files are converted to 10g during deployment to test/production environments. This means our conversion process has to be repeatable. That’s why I’ve created a java program based on the JDAPI to do this conversion. You can read more details about this program in a past blog entry.

When we shutdown the Citrix environment, developers will start using Developer Suite 10g. By then, the JDAPI based conversion tool will no longer be needed. However, it has been a very valuable experience. I think we’ll continue to use JDAPI based tools for several things. One of the first things on my list is an automated tool for QA checks.

9 Comments

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  1. Hello,
    I found this site while searching desperately for answers to many different Oracle 10G AS problems. Very helpful. I have a question for you and any of your other users. We are attempting to upgrade our web site from forms 6i to 10G AS also, and the initial steps are very straight-forward. I have the site running, in SSL, serving up our forms and reports, with no problems. However, I must require client-side certificates from the users. The users all have Smartcards that contain their certs, and the cards do not allow cert exports to a file. Has anyone had any luck using hardware tokens or smartcards with 10G AS forms and reports? The Jinitiator doesn’t work when requiring client-side certs, so I have to use the Sun JRE. I am getting prompted from the OHS upon accessing the homepage, then prompted from the JRE prior to downloading the JAR files, and again after getting the JAR files. The user can then use the application for five minutes…at which time the JRE prompts them again for client authentication (regardless of activity or inactivity). This last prompt, however, is glitched and locks up the browser - it must be killed through task manager.
    Any ideas? anyone?
    Sorry if i posted this in the wrong area, my apologies.
    =8^)
    Thanks,
    sp

    Comment by Scott Ploetz — 11 April 2006 #

  2. Sorry Scott, but I don’t think I can help. We don’t work with client-side certificates. Although I must say your solution sounds very interesting and intriguing.

    I’m not sure which Forms version you’re using, but if it is 9.0.4.2 or 10.1.2.0.2 then Sun JRE/JPI is officially supported. In that case, I think you’re best off opening a service request at http://metalink.oracle.com assuming you have a valid support contract.

    If you don’t have a valid support account or run an earlier version of Forms, you’re better of post ing it at the Oracle Forms forum at http://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=82

    Comment by Wilfred — 12 April 2006 #

  3. Wilfred,
    I have a service request with Oracle already, but they seem to be struggling with it also. :(
    Once I find the solution, I will post it here for other admins who may be having this problem also. It’s proving to be exceptionally difficult to overcome.
    Thanks!
    Scott

    Comment by Scott Ploetz — 12 April 2006 #

  4. Scott what middleware are you using for the client certificate? We use Activcard and you can modify how long the middleware will cache the clients PIN. I would imagine it is the same on other middleware software. In Activecard you run the following executable while logged in with local admin rights.
    C:\Program Files\ActivCard\ActivCard Gold\acRegCfg.exe

    In the program you will see where you can modify the value for caching of the PIN Did you get the certificate issue figured out? I am struggling with the same issue.

    Comment by Warren — 11 August 2006 #

  5. Scott,

    Have you ever found an answer to this problem? I am also struggling with JRE 1.5.0. It insists on prompting repeatedly for authentication and eventually hangs my Oracle Forms application. In prior versions of JRE, the authentication was completely handled by the browser. But there doesn’t appear to be any way to configure JRE 1.5.0 to NOT perform authentication.

    Thanks,

    Bob

    Comment by Bob Becker — 20 December 2006 #

  6. I have applicatio version developer 2000 forms-5 and report-3 and developer designer-2.1
    I want to use the same application on oracle-10g.
    Can oracle-10g be compatible with forms-5 and reports-3 ? Pls geve a reply …
    amresh.kumar@cmcltd.com

    Comment by amresh kumar — 27 July 2007 #

  7. Amresh,

    I don’t know for sure, but I expect this NOT to be supported. Forms 5.0 and Reports 3.0 seem to be so old, that the certification information is no longer available at http://metalink.oracle.com

    The final patchset of Forms 5.0 was released July 2000. Database 10g is way newer then that. You’re best of asking oracle support at metalink.oracle.com to be sure. But be reminded that support for Forms 5.0 has been terminated years ago.

    Comment by wilfred — 27 July 2007 #

  8. I just ran across this thread today while researching the same problem. I’m trying to implement client-side authentication using JRE 1.6.0 and Oracle 10G AS. I’m having the exact same problem you describe where the logon works okay with the initial prompt, but occasionally a later prompt locks the user’s machine and they have to end task. Did you ever find a solution for this? We are also using a CAC card that contains 3 certificates.

    Comment by Wendell — 21 August 2007 #

  9. Sorry Wendell, I personally have no experience with key cards and certificates in combination with Oracle Forms. Perhaps it’s worthwhile to start a thread at the OTN Forums?

    Comment by wilfred — 21 August 2007 #

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