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JHeadstart Forms2ADF Generator – Migrating from

Oracle Forms to a Best-Practice ADF application
Steven Davelaar
Oracle Consulting
 Agenda

• What is JHeadstart?
• Demo: JHeadstart Forms2ADF Generator
• Demo: Modifying migration result
• Demo: OraFormsFaces
• Case Studies
 Before we start – Define a Forms
modernization strategy!
• Where are we now?
• Analyze current situation
• Where do we want to go?
• Identify top business drivers / business benefits
• How do we want to go?
• Identify and choose modernization options
• What do we need to do when and with whom?
• Define modernization approach/timeline/project plan
What is JHeadstart?

• JDeveloper extension for template-based automation of

ADF development tasks
• Development Toolkit on top of ADF
• Builds on ADF Runtime architecture
• Fully integrates with ADF Design Time
• Takes declarative development to the next level
• Generates complete ADF applications
• Like the Designer Forms Generator generates Forms apps,
JHeadstart generates ADF apps
• Transforms Oracle Forms into ADF applications
 JHeadstart – Main Components

• JHeadstart Application Generator (JAG)

• Generates best-practice web application
• JHeadstart Utilities
• Automate other ADF development tasks
• Perform quality checks
• JHeadstart Runtime
• Reusable components to implement complex functionality
• Auto-implements host of best practices
• JHeadstart Forms2ADF Generator
• Create fully-functional ADF app based on forms definitions
• JHeadstart Developer’s Guide
 Application
Application Generation
Definition
Definition
Process

JHeadstart JSF JSP

JSF JSP
ADF Faces
Faces View
Application ADF
Definition
Wizard
JSF+ADFc
JSF+ADFc Controller

ADF BC
ADF BC ADF Model
ADF Model
metadata
metadata
Data Bindings
Data Bindings Model
Data Controls
Data Controls

ADF
ADF
ADF Business
ADF
Business
Business
Business
Business Services
Components
Components
Components
Components
JDeveloper
ADF BC Wizard
 Application
Application
Definition
Definition

JHeadstart JSF JSP

JSF JSP
ADF Faces
Faces View
Application ADF
Definition
Wizard
JSF
JSF Controller

ADF BC
ADF BC ADF Model
ADF Model
metadata
metadata
Data Bindings
Data Bindings Model
Data Controls
Data Controls

ADF
ADF
ADF Business
ADF
Business
Business
Business
Business Services
Components
Components
Components
Components
JDeveloper
ADF BC Wizard
 Application
Application Generator
Generator Generation
Definition
Definition Templates
Templates
Process

JHeadstart JSF
JSF JSP
JSF JSP
JSF JSP
JSP
ADF Faces View
Application ADF
ADF Faces
ADF Faces
Faces
Definition
Wizard
JSF
JSF Controller
JSF+ADFc
JSF+ADFc

ADF BC
ADF BC ADF
ADF Model
ADF Model
ADF Model
Model
metadata
metadata JHeadstart
Data
Data Bindings
Data Bindings Model
Application Data Bindings
Bindings
Generator Data
Data Controls
Data Controls
Controls
Data Controls

ADF
ADF
ADF Business
ADF
Business
Business
Business
Business Services
Components
Components
Components
Components
JDeveloper
ADF BC Wizard
 Forms2ADF
Application
Application
Definition
Definition Generation
Process
Form
Form
(.fmb) JSF JSP
JSF JSP
Form
(.fmb) ADF Faces
Faces View
Form ADF
(.fmb)
(.fmb)

JSF ++ ADFc
JSF ADFc Controller

ADF Model
ADF Model

Data Bindings
Data Bindings Model
Data Controls
Data Controls
JHeadstart
Forms2ADF ADF
ADF
ADF Business
ADF
Business
Business
Business Services
Generator Business
Components
Components
Components
Components
 Application
Application Generation
Definition
Definition
Process
Form
Form
(.fmb) JSF JSP
JSF JSP
Form
(.fmb) ADF Faces
Faces View
Form ADF
(.fmb)
(.fmb)

JSF
JSF Controller

ADF Model
ADF Model

Data Bindings
Data Bindings Model
Data Controls
Data Controls
JHeadstart
ADF
ADF
Forms2ADF ADF
ADF
Business
Business
Business
Business Services
Generator Business
Components
Components
Components
Components
 Forms2ADF
Application
Application Generator
Generator
Definition
Definition Templates
Templates Generation
Process
Form
Form
(.fmb) JSF
JSF JSP
JSF JSP
JSP
Form
(.fmb) JSF JSP View
ADF
ADF Faces
Faces
ADF Faces
Faces
Form
(.fmb) ADF
(.fmb)

JSF
JSF Controller
JSF+ADFc
JSF+ADFc

ADF
ADF Model
ADF Model
Model
ADF Model
JHeadstart
Data
Data Bindings
Data Bindings Model
Application Data Bindings
Bindings
Generator Data
Data Controls
Data Controls
Controls
Data Controls
JHeadstart
ADF
ADF
Forms2ADF ADF
ADF
Business
Business
Business
Business Services
Generator Business
Components
Components
Components
Components
D E M O N S T R A T I O N

Forms2ADF
Generator
Architecture OCM Demo

Web Browser

JSP JSF

JSF Oracle Oracle10g

Forms Server Application
ADF Data Binding
Server
ADF Bus. Comp.

CDM RuleFrame
Oracle10g
Data Database
 JHeadstart Forms2ADF Generator

• Generates ADF Business Components based on Forms Data Usages

• ADF BC Entity Objects created for used tables
• ADF BC View Objects created for blocks and record group queries
• Query Bind parameters created based on references to :block.item
• Model LOV’s created for each LOV / Record Group
• ADF BC Application Module created for each form
• Extracts Forms User Interface Definitions into JHeadstart Application
Definition
• Groups created for each block
• Group Items created for each item in a block
• (Stacked) region containers and regions created based on item placement
on (tabbed) canvasses and within framed graphics
• Domains created based on forms item allowable values
• PL/SQL logic copied as “documentation” nodes
Generated ADF Business Components
Generated Application Definition
Oracle Forms Screen
JHeadstart Generated ADF/JSF Page
Oracle Forms Screen
JHeadstart Generated ADF/JSF Page
Oracle Forms Screen
JHeadstart Generated ADF/JSF Page
Oracle Forms Screen
JHeadstart Generated ADF/JSF Page
 What about PL/SQL Logic?

• Custom PL/SQL Logic not automatically migrated to

Java
• JHeadstart prefers sound multi-tier target architecture
(ADF MVC) above automated PL/SQL migration
• Analyze the logic
• Determine in which tier(s) it should be implemented
• Determine how to implement it
• Application Definition Editor shows all form, block and
item triggers and all program units
• Good overview of all custom PL/SQL logic
• Ability to move logic to database, to ADF BC or to JSF
managed beans
PL/SQL Code in Appl. Definition Editor
 Forms2ADF Generator - Benefits

• Auto-created ADF Business Components, including model-

based LOV’s and UI Hints
• Migrates Forms user interface to metadata, not application
code!
• Easy to redesign into task-oriented web 2.0 user interface.
• JFG provides most savings for forms with
• Standard data blocks based on table or view
• Complex user interface: many (stacked) canvasses, tabs, LOV’s,
and other display types
• PL/SQL logic mostly limited to user interface dynamics
• Best Practice ADF architecture (see slides later on)
D E M O N S T R A T I O N

Modifying Migration
Results
JHeadstart Uses Best Practice ADF
Design Patterns
• “One-page” application (UIShell)
• Generated bounded task flows use page fragments and can be
embedded as ADF region in page
• One page with dynamic region driven by application menu
• Generated task flows are highly reusable
• Use with traditional menu structure
• Use with dynamic tabs
• Use in handbuilt drag-and-drop pages
• Use as child within another region
• Use with human workflow task list
• Use as popup / list of values
• Use as WebCenter portlet
• Add at runtime using WebCenter Composer
JHeadstart Uses Best Practice ADF
Design Patterns
• Generated task flows are highly configurable
• Configure to start in create mode (new row)
• Configure to show one specific row (deeplinking)
• Configure to go to summary or detail page
• Configure to hide action buttons (Save, Cancel, Nav. Buttons)
• Configure to hide search region
• Configure to show in read-only mode
• Generates layout best practices
• Easy switching between stretching and non-stretching layouts
• Region interaction design patterns are auto-
implemented
Configurable TaskFlows Generated
• Taskflow Template Parameters

• Taskflow Parameters
Configurable Task Flows Generated
 JHeadstart Superior Productivity – In
Many Ways
• Saves you months to figure out ADF best practices
• Saves you months with ready-to-use reusable
components
• Maximizes reuse
• JAG is actually RTG: Reusable Taskflows Generator
• Facilitates agile development
• Start with generating functional prototypes that evolve into
working system
• Eases upgrade to new JDeveloper releases
• Technology-agnostic metadata layer!
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OraFormsFaces
OraFormsFaces

• Third party product supplied by Commit Consulting

• Allows reuse of existing Forms as full featured JSF
components
• Two-way communication between forms and ADF
Faces web pages
• Allows for incremental migration to ADF/SOA world
 JHeadstart OraFormsFaces Generator

• JHeadstart accelerates use of OraFormsFaces

• Generate pages with embedded Form components using Item
display type “OraFormsFaces”
• Easy deeplinking into Oracle Forms
• Generate Create, Delete, Save buttons that call out to
embedded Oracle Form
• Add security to JSF pages holding Forms Components
D E M O N S T R A T I O N

OraFormsFaces
Integration JHeadstart - OraFormsFaces
Setting up Deeplinking between ADF
Page and Oracle Form
Setting up Deeplinking between ADF
Page and Oracle Form
Setting up Deeplinking between ADF
Page and Oracle Form
Integration JHeadstart – OraFormsFaces
Deeplinking JSF Page and Oracle Form
Integration JHeadstart – OraFormsFaces
Deeplinking JSF Page and Oracle Form
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Forms2ADF Case
Studies
 Finland - Financial Institution

• Why Forms2ADF
• Performance problems with Forms over WAN
• Problems with Java applet due to different Java versions in
browser
• Architecture Forms App
• Simple user interface
• Complex data retrieval: DB procs populate temp tables or
record groups
• Complex data manipulation through DB procs
• Complex mexhanism to call reports through DBMS_PIPE with
polling mechanism
• Added Value JHeadstart Forms2ADF Generator
• None
 Finland - Financial Institution

• Customer Impressed with Added Value ADF and

JHeadstart
• Dynamic form rebuilt in ADF in three hours with much cleaner
architecture
• Polling requirement: 15 minutes work with standard ADF
Faces components
• ADF Business Components well suited to reuse existing SQL
statements
• Reuse capabilities of ADF task flows
• Clean MVC architecture
• Customer strongly considers to move to ADF and
JHeadstart, has to do strategic thinking first!
 Netherlands - ISV

• Why Forms2ADF
• Wants to add self service capabilities to core app
• Wants modern user interface
• Architecture Forms App
• Complex user interface, many tabs, many items on canvas
• Standard data retrieval and manipulation
• Most business logic in database
• Added Value JHeadstart Forms2ADF Generator
• Business Components auto-created based on forms
definitions (1 form resulted in 162 business components)
• Migrated metadata strongly modified to generate new user
interface
 Netherlands – Government IT
Department
• Why Forms2ADF
• Forms 4.5 and DB 8.1.7 no longer supported
• System integration dificult because of old/obsolete technology
• Character-based user interface, end users complain
• High maintenance cost
• Hard to find resources skilled with older Forms versions
• Architecture Forms App
• Character-based 24*80 screens
• Standard data retrieval and manipulation
• Most business logic in forms
• Added Value JHeadstart Forms2ADF Generator
• Business Components auto-created based on forms definitions,
inclusing UI labels derived from boilerplate text
• Migrated screens generated with minor changes to metadata
• Amount of UI redesign to be decided
 Netherlands – Government IT
Department
• Migrated ADF 11 prototype used to create
enthousiasm and gain credibility in organisation
• Existing Forms developers keen to learn ADF
• JHeadstart Migration Estimating Utility generates
excel sheet with estimates based on forms
characteristics
• Used to provide insight in total migration effort
 Forms2ADF - Recommendations

• Think Big - Start Small

• Make a roadmap for your Forms app
• Review Architecture of your Forms app
• Review Business and Functional requirements
• How does it fit in your overall IT landscape
• Start Forms to Oracle ADF Assessment / Proof of
Concept
• Start SOA Maturity Assessment
 JHeadstart – Next Steps
• Get more info at “JHeadstart Product Center” (google):
• Developer’s guide
• Tutorial
• Online Forms2ADF demonstrations
• Customer success stories
• Frequently asked questions
• Evaluate JHeadstart
• JDeveloper Help -> Check for Updates -> Open Source and
Partner Extensions
• Do the tutorial
• Buy JHeadstart
• Ask additional questions at OTN JHeadstart Discussion Forum
or email idevcoe_nl@oracle.com