2 Oracle Application Express Hosted Instance Administration

Adding a New Task

To add a new task to a Site-Specific Tasks list:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Site-Specific Tasks.

   The Site-Specific Tasks page appears.

4. To create a new link, click Create.

5. On the Create/Edit Site-Specific Tasks page, you can specify the following:

   1. Display Sequence - Indicate the relative order of this task within the list.

   2. Display Location - Indicate the page on which the task should display (that is, the Workspace Login page or Workspace home page).

   3. Task Name - Enter a name for this task.

   4. Tasks Link - Enter the link target for this task using either a relative URL (for example, using f?p syntax) or an absolute URL (such as http://otn.oracle.com).

   5. Displayed - Select Yes to display the task link.

6. Click Create.

Editing an Existing Task

To edit an existing task:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Site-Specific Tasks.

   The Site-Specific Tasks page appears.

4. Select the task name.

5. On the Create/Edit Site-Specific Tasks page, edit the appropriate attributes.

6. Click Apply Changes.

Deleting a Task

To delete an existing task:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Site-Specific Task Lists.

   The Site-Specific Tasks page appears.

4. Select the task name.

5. Click Delete.

Deleting SQL Workshop Logs

The SQL Workshop logs maintain a history of recent commands and scripts run in the SQL Commands

To delete log files entries:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Logs.

   The Logs page appears.

4. Click SQL Workshop logs.

5. Click one of the following:

   • Script File executions log entries

   • SQL Command Processor history entries

6. On the Clean up Logs page:

   • To delete entries by age, specify the age of the entries to be deleted and click Delete Entries.

   • To delete all entries, click Truncate Log.

Deleting Page View Activity Log Entries

Page view activity logs track user activity for an application. Developers enable logging within their application using the Logging attribute on the Edit Definition page.

The Application Express engine actually uses two logs to track user activity. At any given time, one log is designated as current. For each rendered page view, the Application Express engine inserts one row into the log file. A log switch occurs at the interval listed on the Manage Activity Logs page. At that point, the Application Express engine removes all entries in the noncurrent log and designates it as current.

To truncate the activity logs manually:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Logs.

   The Logs page appears.

4. Click Page View Activity Log, with option to truncate.

5. Click Truncate Logs.

6. Click either Truncate Log 1 or Truncate Log 2.

Deleting Developer Activity Log Entries

The Developer Activity Log tracks changes to applications within an individual workspace. Log entries older than one month are automatically deleted.

To delete Developer Activity Log entries:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Logs.

   The Logs page appears.

4. Click Developer Activity Logs, with option to delete entries.

5. On the Developer Activity Log page, click Manage.

6. Specify the age of the entries to be deleted and click Delete Entries.

Deleting Click Counting Log Entries

The External Clicks Log counts clicks from an Oracle Application Express application to an external site. You can implement this functionality using the APEX_UTIL.COUNT_CLICK procedure.

To delete click counting log entries:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Logs.

   The Logs page appears.

4. Click External Click Counting Log, with option to truncate.

5. On the External Click Counting Log page, click Manage.

6. Specify the age of the entries to be deleted and click Delete Entries.

Deleting Mail Log Entries

The Oracle Application Express Mail Log records the message header information and send date of successfully sent mail message.

To truncate the mail log:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Logs.

   The Mail Logs page appears.

4. To control the number of rows that display, make a selection from the Display list and click Go.

5. Click Mail Log.

6. On the Mail Log page, click Truncate.

Deleting the Login Access Log

This table records authentication events by developers and administrators accessing the Oracle Application Express environment and by end users of Oracle Application Express applications that use the built-in login APIs available to developers. Log entries are aged out of the log tables and purged periodically.

To truncate the Login Access log:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Login Access Log.

   The Login Access Log page appears.

4. Click Manage.

5. On the Manage Login Access Log page, click Delete Entries.

Purging Sessions by Age

Using the Purge Session page, Oracle Application Express administrators can purge sessions by age.

To view specific session details:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Session State.

4. Click Purge Sessions, by age.

5. On the Purge Sessions page, specify:

   • The maximum number of sessions to be purged

   • The age of sessions to be purged

6. To view a report of session statistics, click Count Sessions.

7. To purge the selected sessions, click Purge Sessions.

Viewing Session Details Before Purging

Before purging sessions, Oracle Application Express administrators can use the Recent Sessions page to first view a listing of recent sessions and then drill down on session details.

To purge sessions by age:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Session State.

4. Click Recent Sessions, with drill down to session details.

5. On the Recent Sessions page, you can:

   • Click a session number to view additional details.

   • Click Purge Sessions to delete the displayed sessions.

Viewing Session Statistics Before Purging

On the Session State Statistics page, Oracle Application Express administrators can view statistics about current sessions before purging.

To view session state statistics:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Session State.

4. Select Session State Statistics.

5. Click Purge Sessions to delete the current sessions.

Viewing the Mail Queue

Oracle Application Express administrators can use the Manage Mail Queue page to monitor email messages in the mail queue.

To monitor messages in the mail queue:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Mail Queue.

   The Mail Queue page appears.

4. To send email messages, click Send All Mail.

5. To delete email messages, select the messages to be deleted and click Delete.

Viewing the Mail Log

The Oracle Application Express Mail Log records the message header information and send date of successfully sent mail message.

To view the mail log:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Service, click Logs.

   The Logs page appears.

4. Click Mail log.

   The Mail Log appears.

5. To control the number of rows that display, make a selection from the Display list and click Go.

6. To delete all log entries, click Truncate.

Adding a Public Theme to the Theme Repository

To add a theme to the Theme repository:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Shared Components, click Public Themes.

   The Public Themes page appears.

4. Select Create.

5. For Workspace, select a workspace and click Next.

6. For Application, select an application and click Next.

7. For Theme, select a theme and click Next.

8. For Name, specify the following:

   1. Theme Number - Enter a number that uniquely identifies a theme within a workspace.

   2. Theme Name - Enter a name for the workspace theme.

   3. Description - Enter a description.

   4. Click Next.

9. Click Create Public Theme.

Deleting a Public Theme

To delete a public theme:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Shared Components, click Public Themes.

   The Public Themes page appears.

4. Select the theme to be deleted.

5. Click Delete.

Modifying a Public Theme

You cannot edit a public theme directly. To modify a public theme, you must create a new application using the theme, modify it, and then manually add it to the theme repository.

To modify a public theme:

1. Create an application using the theme you want to modify. See "Creating an Application" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User’s Guide.

2. Modify the theme. See "Editing a Theme" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User’s Guide.

3. Delete the existing public theme. See "Deleting a Public Theme".

4. Add the modified theme to the theme repository. See "Adding a Public Theme to the Theme Repository".

About Exporting a Public Theme

You export a theme in the same way you export any related application files. Exporting a public theme involves the following steps:

1. Create an application using the theme. See "Creating an Application" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User’s Guide.

2. Export the application. See "Exporting an Application" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User’s Guide.

3. Import the exported file into the target Oracle Application Express instance. See "Importing an Application or Page" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User’s Guide.

4. Install the exported file from the Export Repository. See "Installing Export Files" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User’s Guide.

Turning Off Cookies Used to Populate the Login Form for Application Express

Oracle Application Express administrators can control if a convenience cookie is sent to the user's computer whenever a developer or administrator logs in to a workspace from the Application Express Login page. By default, the Set Workspace Cookie option is set to Yes.

If selected, Oracle Application Express sends a persistent cookie that:

• combines the last used workspace name and user name

• has a lifetime of six months

• is read to populate the Application Express Workspace Login form (but not the Oracle Application Express Administration Services Login form)

To prevent a cookie from being sent to the user's computer when logging in:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Locate the Security section.

5. For Set Workspace Cookie, select No.

6. Click Apply Changes.

Disabling Access to Oracle Application Express Administration Services

Oracle Application Express administrators can restrict user access to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. This prevents any user from logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.

To disable user access to Oracle Application ExpressAdministration Services:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Locate the Security section.

5. For Disable Administrator Login, select Yes.

6. Click Apply Changes.

Setting this value and logging out prevents anyone from logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.

Disabling Access to Oracle Application Express Internal Applications

The applications that constitute Oracle Application Express (such as Application Builder and SQL Workshop) exist within a workspace named Internal. To restrict user access to Internal applications, select Yes from Disable Workspace Login. Selecting Yes in production environments prevents all users from running applications (such as Application Builder and SQL Workshop) in the Internal workspace. Administrators who use this feature should also consider disabling user access to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.

To disable user access to the Internal workspace:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Locate the Security section.

5. From Disable Workspace Login, select Yes.

   Selecting Yes prevents users from logging in to the Internal workspace.

6. Click Apply Changes.

Disabling Public File Upload

Use the Allow Public File Upload attribute to control whether unauthenticated users can upload files in applications that provide file upload controls.

To control file upload:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Locate the Security section.

5. From Allow Public File Upload, select one of the following:

   • Yes enables unauthenticated users to upload files in applications in the Internal workspace.

   • No prevents unauthenticated users from uploading files in applications in the Internal workspace.

6. Click Apply Changes.

Restricting User Access by IP Address

Oracle Application Express administrators can restrict user access to an Oracle Application Express instance by creating a Runtime setting named RESTRICT_IP_RANGE.

To restrict user access by IP address:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Locate the Security section.

5. For Disable Administrator Login, select No.

6. In Restrict Access by IP Address, enter a comma-delimited list of IP addresses. Use an asterisk (*) to specify a wildcard.

   You can enter IP addresses from one to four levels. For example:

   141, 141.* ...
   192.128.23.1 ...
   

   Note:

   When using wildcards, do not include additional numeric values after wildcard characters. For example, 138.*.41.2.

7. Click Apply Changes.

Requiring HTTPS

Secure Socktets Layer (SSL) is a protocol for managing the security of data transmitted on the Internet. For Web applications, SSL is implemented by using the HTTPS protocol. Oracle recommends that you run Oracle Application Express applications using SSL (HTTPS protocol) to prevent any sensitive data from being sent over an unencrypted (cleartext) communication channel.

You can configure both your Oracle Application Express instance and all related applications to require HTTPS by setting the Require HTTPS attribute to Yes on the Manage Service page.

To require HTTPS for an Oracle Application Express instance:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Locate the Security section.

5. For Require HTTPS, select Yes.

6. Click Apply Changes.

Configuring Session Timeout

Use the attributes under Session Timeout to reduce exposure to abandoned computers with an open Web browser at the application level.

To manage session settings for an Oracle Application Express instance:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Under Session Timeout For Application Express, specify the following attributes:

   • Maximum Session Length in Seconds - Enter a positive integer representing how many seconds a session can exist for Oracle Application Express applications (that is, Application Builder, SQL Workshop, and so on). Leave the value NULL to revert the value to the default of 28800 seconds (or 8 hours). This session duration may be superseded by the operation of the job that runs every eight hours which deletes sessions older than 24 hours.

   • Maximum Session Idle Time in Seconds - Enter a positive integer representing how many seconds a session may remain idle for Oracle Application Express applications (that is, Application Builder, SQL Workshop, and so on). Leave the value null to revert the value to the default of 1 hour (3600 seconds).

5. Click Apply Changes.

Excluding Domains from Regions of Type URL and Web Services

It is possible to restrict regions of type URL and Web services for the entire Oracle Application Express instance. The Oracle Application Express administrator defines excluded domains and regions of type URL. If a Web reference or region of type URL contains an excluded domain, an error displays informing the user that it is restricted.

To exclude a domain from regions of type URL and Web services:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. In Domain Must Not Contain, enter a colon-delimited list of excluded domains.

5. Click Apply Changes.

Enabling Login Controls for All Workspaces

By default, no login controls are enabled across an Oracle Application Express instance. Oracle Application Express administrators can enable login controls for all accounts in all workspaces across an entire development instance. Account login controls include:

• Require user account expiration and locking

• Set up a maximum number of failed login attempts

• Set the lifetime of a password before prompted for a new one

If the Oracle Application Express administrator does not enable login controls for an entire instance then each Workspace administrator can enable the following controls on a workspace-by-workspace basis. See "Enabling Login Controls for a Workspace".

Note that Account Login control affect applications that use the Application Express user account creation facilities and authentication against those accounts.

To enable login controls for all workspaces:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. Scroll down to Account Login control.

5. Under Account Login Control:

   1. Require User Account Expiration and Locking - Select Yes to enable this feature for all workspaces across an entire Oracle Application Express instance. This feature applies to end-user accounts created using the Application Express end-user account management interface.

      Select No to relinquish control to each Workspace administrator.

   2. Maximum Login Failures Allowed - Enter a number for the maximum number of consecutive unsuccessful authentication attempts allowed before a developer or administrator account is locked. If you do not specify a value in this field, the default value is 4.

      This setting applies to Application Express administrator and developer accounts. It does not apply to end user accounts.

      The value you enter is used as the default for the workspace-level Maximum Login Failures Allowed preference, if the Workspace administrator does not specify a value. That preference is used for end-user accounts within the respective workspace.

   3. Account Password Lifetime (days) - Enter a number for the maximum number of days a developer or administrator account password may be used before the account expires. If you do not specify a value in this field, a default value is 45 days.

      This setting applies to accounts used to access the Application Express administration and development environment only. It does not apply to end-user accounts used by applications developed in Application Express.

      The value you enter is used as the default workspace-level End User Account Lifetime preference, if the Workspace administrator specifies no value. That preference is used for end-user accounts within the respective workspace.

6. Click Apply Changes.

About Password Policies

Oracle Application Express administrators can enable password policies for:

• All users across all workspaces (that is, Workspace administrators, developers, and end users).

  Oracle Application Express administrators can set up restrictions for all users, including password characters, lengths, words, and differences in consecutive passwords.

• Users logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services

  Turning on the strong password requirement for Oracle Application Express adds another layer of security to prevent hackers from determining an administrator's password. When this option is selected, passwords must meet these requirements:

  • consist of at least six characters

  • contain at least one lowercase alphabetic character, one uppercase alphabetic character, one numeric digit, and one punctuation character

  • cannot include the username

  • cannot include the word Internal

  • cannot contain any words shown in the Must Not Contain Workspace Name field in this section

Configuring Password Policies

To configure password policies:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Security.

4. To set up a password policy for Workspace administrators, developers, and end users, scroll down to Workspace Password Policy and specify the attributes described in Table 2-2.

   Table 2-2 Workspace Password Policy Attributes

   Attribute	Description
   Minimum Password Length	Enter a number for the minimal character length for passwords.
   Minimum Password Differences	Enter a positive integer or 0. When users change their password, the new password must differ from the old password by this number of characters. The old and new passwords are compared, character-by-character, for differences such that each difference in any position common to the old and new passwords counts toward the required minimum difference.
   Must Contain At Least One Alphabetic Character	Select Yes to require that user passwords contain at least one alphabetic character. The Alphabetic Characters field lists the letters considered alphabetic characters.
   Must Contain At Least One Numeric Character	Select Yes to require that user passwords contain at least one numeric character: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9.
   Must Contain At Least One Punctuation Character	Select Yes to require that user passwords contain at least one punctuation character. The Punctuation Characters field lists the symbols considered punctuation characters.
   Must Contain At Least One Upper Case Character	Select Yes to require that user passwords contain at least one uppercase alphabetic character.
   Must Contain At Least One Lower Case Character	Select Yes to require that passwords for users contain at least one lowercase alphabetic character.
   Must Not Contain Username	Select Yes to prevent user passwords from containing the username, regardless of case.
   Must Not Contain Workspace Name.	Select Yes to prevent user passwords from containing the workspace name, regardless of case.
   Must Not Contain	Enter words, separated by colons, that may not be included in user passwords. These words may not appear in the password in any combination of uppercase or lowercase. This feature improves security by preventing the creation of some simple, easy-to-guess passwords based on words like hello, guest, welcome, and so on.
   Alphabetic Characters	Enter new text or edit the existing text. This is the set of characters used in password validations involving alphabetic characters.
   Punctuation Characters	Enter new text or edit the existing text. This is the set of characters used in password validations involving punctuation characters.

   
   

   Next, set up a password policy for service administrators.

5. Scroll down to the Service Administrator Password Policy and specify one of the following:

   1. Use policy specified in Workspace Password Policy - Applies the password rules specified above in Workspace Password Policy to service administrator passwords.

   2. Use default strong password policy - Applies the default strong password policy to service administrator passwords. To learn more, see item Help.

6. Click Apply Changes.

Restricting Access to Oracle Application Express by Database Access Descriptor (DAD)

mod_plsql and the embedded PL/SQL gateway support a directive which enables you to name a PL/SQL function which will be called for each HTTP request. You can use this functionality to restrict the procedures that can be invoked through the embedded PL/SQL gateway or mod_plsql. The function returns TRUE if the named procedure in the current request is allowed and FALSE if it is not allowed. You can use this function to enforce access restrictions for Oracle Application Express on a per-database access descriptor (DAD) basis.

Oracle Application Express ships with a request validation function named wwv_flow_epg_include_modules.authorize. This function specifies access restrictions appropriate for the standard DAD configured for Oracle Application Express.

During installation, the installer also creates a PL/SQL function in the Oracle Application Express product schema (APEX_030200). You can change and recompile this function to restrict access. The source code for this function is not wrapped and can be found in the Oracle Application Express product core directory in the file named wwv_flow_epg_include_local.sql. The source code is as follows

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION
wwv_flow_epg_include_mod_local(
    PROCEDURE_NAME IN VARCHAR2)
RETURN BOOLEAN
IS  
BEGIN  
    RETURN FALSE; -- remove this statement when  
you add procedure names to the "IN" list
    IF UPPER(procedure_name) IN (
          '') THEN  
        RETURN TRUE;  
    ELSE  
        RETURN FALSE;  
    END IF;  
END wwv_flow_epg_include_mod_local;
/

To add names of procedures that should be allowed:

1. Remove or comment out the RETURN FALSE statement that immediately follows the BEGIN statement:

   ...
   BEGIN  
       RETURN FALSE; -- remove this statement when 
   you add procedure names to the "IN" list
   ...
   

2. Add names to the clause representing procedure names that should be allowed to be invoked in HTTP requests. For example to allow procedures PROC1 and PROC2 the IN list you would write IN ('PROC1', 'PROC2').

After changing the source code of this function, alter the Oracle Application Express product schema (APEX_030200) and compile the function in that schema.

To alter the product schema, APEX_030200

1. Log in to SQL Command Line (SQL*Plus) as SYS.

2. Alter the product schema (APEX_030200) by entering the following command:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA APEX_030200; 
   

3. Compile the function wwv_flow_epg_include_local.sql.

The wwv_flow_epg_include_mod_local function is called by Oracle Application Express's request validation function which itself is called by the embedded PL/SQL gateway or mod_plsql. The Oracle Application Express function first evaluates the request and based on the procedure name, approves it, rejects it, or passes it to the local function, wwv_flow_epg_include_mod_local, which can evaluate the request using its own rules.

When you create new Database Access Descriptors for use with Oracle Application Express, the request validation function directive should be specified. Specifically, the function wwv_flow_epg_include_modules.authorize should be named in the directive PlsqlRequestValidationFunction in the Database Access Descriptor entry in dads.conf.

If you have no additional restrictions beyond those implemented in the wwv_flow_epg_include_modules.authorize function, there is no need to take any action with respect to the source code for the wwv_flow_epg_include_mod_local function.

The PL/SQL Request Validation Function directive is only available in Oracle Application Server 10g and Oracle HTTP Server 11g or later, as well as the embedded PL/SQL gateway in Oracle Database 11g or later. This directive is not available in Oracle HTTP Server Release 9.0.3.

Configuring Email in a Full Development Environment

To configure Oracle Application Express to send mail in a full development environment:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Instance Settings.

4. Under Email, enter the following:

   1. SMTP Host Address - Defines the server address of the SMTP server. By default on installation, this is set to localhost. If you are using another server as an SMTP relay, change this parameter to that server's address.

   2. SMTP Host Port - Defines the port the SMTP server listens to for mail requests. The default setting is 25.

   3. Administration Email Address - Defines the "from" address for administrative tasks that generate email, such as approving a provision request or resetting a password.

5. Click Apply Changes.

Configuring Email in a Runtime Environment

To configure Oracle Application Express to send mail in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN
      APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME, PARAMETER_VALUE);
   END;
   

   For a description of email parameters, see Table 2-3.

   Table 2-3 Email Parameters

   Parameter Name	Description
   SMTP_FROM	Defines the "from" address for administrative tasks that generate email, such as approving a provision request or resetting a password. Enter a valid email address, for example: someone@somewhere.com
   SMTP_HOST_ADDRESS	Defines the server address of the SMTP server. If you are using another server as an SMTP relay, change this parameter to that server's address. Default setting: localhost
   SMTP_HOST_PORT	Defines the port the SMTP server listens to for mail requests. Default setting: 25

   
   

Determining Email Settings in a Runtime Environment

To determine email settings in runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   SELECT 
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME)
   FROM DUAL;
   

   For a description of email parameters, see Table 2-3.

Creating a Wallet

To create a wallet:

1. The database administrator must create a wallet on the Oracle Application Express database instance. See "Using Oracle Wallet Manager" in Oracle Database Advanced Security Administrator's Guide.

2. The Oracle Application Express administrator configures the Wallet section of the Instance Settings page to specify the file system path to the wallet and the wallet password (if required).

Configuring a Wallet in a Full Development Environment

To specify wallet settings in a full development environment:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Instance Settings.

4. Scroll down to Wallet.

5. In Wallet, enter the path on the file system where the wallet is located using the following format:

   file:directory-path
   

6. If a password is required to open the wallet:

   1. Enter a password in the Wallet Password field.

   2. Select Check to confirm that you wish to change the wallet password.

7. Click Apply Changes.

Configuring a Wallet in a Runtime Environment

To specify wallet settings in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN 
       APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME, PARAMETER_VALUE);
   END;
   

   For a description of wallet parameters, see Table 2-4.

   Table 2-4 Wallet Parameters

   Parameter Name	Description
   WALLET_PATH	The path to the wallet on the file system, for example: file:/home/<username>/wallets
   WALLET_PWD	The password associated with the wallet.

   
   

Determining Wallet Settings in a Runtime Environment

To determine wallet settings in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   SELECT 
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME) 
   FROM DUAL;
   

   For a description of wallet parameters, see Table 2-4.

Configuring Report Printing in a Full Development Environment

To configure the printing of reports in a full development environment:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Instance Settings.

4. Scroll down to Report Printing:

5. For Oracle BI Publisher, select one of the following:

   • Standard Support - This is the default setting. Standard Support enables you to print report regions and report queries using either the built-in templates provided with Oracle Application Express or other XSL-FO compatible formats you provide. This setting does not support RTF (rich text format).

     Standard Support provides declarative formatting of report regions and report queries with basic control over page attributes, including orientation, size, column heading formats, page header, and page footer.

   • Advanced Support - Requires a valid license of Oracle BI Publisher (also known as Oracle XML Publisher). Advanced Support provides you with all the capabilities of the Standard setting plus the ability to define RTF-based report layouts developed using the BI Publisher Word Template Builder.

     See Also:

     PDF Printing in Application Express 3.1 to learn more about installing and configuring Oracle BI Publisher. Go to:

     http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_express/html/configure_printing.html
     

6. For Print Server Protocol, select the protocol that the print server uses.

7. For Print Server Host Address, specify the host address of the print server engine.

8. For Print Server Port, define the port of the print server engine. By default, this is set to 8888 when the report server is installed.

9. For Print Server Script, define the script that is the print server engine. The default setting is:

   /xmlpserver/convert
   

10. Click Apply Changes.

Configuring Report Printing Settings in a Runtime Environment

To configure report printing settings in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN
       APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME, PARAMETER_VALUE);
   END;
   

   For a description of available parameters, see Table 2-5.

   Table 2-5 Report Printing Parameters in Runtime Environment

   Parameter Name	Description
   PRINT_BIB_LICENSED	Specify either standard support or advanced support. Advanced support requires an Oracle BI Publisher license. Valid values include: STANDARD ADVANCED
   PRINT_SVR_PROTOCOL	Valid values include: http https
   PRINT_SVR_HOST	Specifies the host address of the print server converting engine, for example, localhost. Enter the appropriate host address if the print server is installed at another location.
   PRINT_SVR_PORT	Defines the port of the print server engine, for example 8888. Value must be a positive integer.
   PRINT_SVR_SCRIPT	Defines the script that is the print server engine, for example: /xmlpserver/convert

   
   

Determining Report Printing Settings in a Runtime Environment

To determine report printing settings in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   SELECT 
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME)
   FROM DUAL;
   

   For a description of available parameters, see Table 2-5.

Managing a Login Message

A login message displays on the Oracle Application Express login page. Oracle Application Express administrators can create a login message using the Login Message section of the Messages page.

To create a login message:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Messages.

4. For Login Message, select Custom Message.

5. In Message, enter a message. The message can contain any text and can optionally include HTML formatting.

6. Click Apply Changes.

To disable a login message:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Service.

3. Under Manage Environment Settings, click Messages.

4. For Login Message, select No Message.

5. Click Apply Changes.

Managing a System Message

System messages display on the Workspace home page, Application Builder home page, Application home page, SQL Workshop home page, and the Oracle Application Express Utilities page.

Oracle Application Express administrators can create a system message using the System Message section of the Messages page.

Granting the Privilege to Assign Oracle Default Schemas

The DBA can grant an Oracle Application Express administrator the ability to assign Oracle default schemas to workspaces by using SQL*Plus to run the APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.UNRESTRICT_SCHEMA procedure from within the Application Express engine schema. For example:

EXEC APEX_030200.APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.UNRESTRICT_SCHEMA(p_schema => 'SYSTEM');
COMMIT;

This example would enable the Oracle Application Express administrator to assign the SYSTEM schema to any workspace.

Revoking the Privilege to Assign Oracle Default Schemas

The DBA can revoke this privilege using SQL*Plus to run the APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.RESTRICT_SCHEMA procedure from within the Application Express engine schema. For example:

EXEC APEX_030200.APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.RESTRICT_SCHEMA(p_schema => 'SYSTEM');
COMMIT;

This example would prevent the Oracle Application Express administrator from assigning the SYSTEM schema to any workspace. It does not, however, prevent workspaces that have already had the SYSTEM schema assigned to them from using the SYSTEM schema.

Working with Restricted Schemas

If a schema has been designated as restricted using the RESTRICT_SCHEMA procedure, the DBA can designate specific workspaces as exceptions by running the APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.CREATE_EXCEPTION procedure. For example:

EXEC APEX_030200.APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.CREATE_EXCEPTION(p_schema => 'SYSTEM', p_workspace=> 'DBA_WORKSPACE');
EXEC APEX_030200.APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.CREATE_EXCEPTION(p_schema => 'SYSTEM', p_workspace  => 'AUDITOR_WORKSPACE');
COMMIT;

This example would prevent the Oracle Application Express administrator from assigning the SYSTEM schema to the workspace named AUDITOR_WORKSPACE. However this restriction only applies to workspace provisioning requests processed after the REMOVE_EXCEPTION procedure has been run. If the AUDITOR_WORKSPACE already had the SYSTEM schema assigned to it, this method would not prevent that workspace from continuing to use the schema.

EXEC APEX_030200.APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.REMOVE_WORKSPACE_EXCEPTIONS(p_schema => 'SYSTEM');
COMMIT;

EXEC APEX_030200.APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.REMOVE_WORKSPACE_EXCEPTIONS(p_workspace => 'AUDITOR_WORKSPACE');
COMMIT;

Determining the Privilege Status

The DBA can determine the current status of the privilege by using SQL*Plus to run the APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.REPORT procedure. For example:

SET SERVEROUTPUT ON
EXEC APEX_030200.APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS.REPORT;

This example would display the text of a query that dumps the tables that defines the schema and workspace restrictions.

SELECT a.schema "SCHEMA",b.workspace_name "WORKSPACE" FROM WWV_FLOW_RESTRICTED_SCHEMAS a, WWV_FLOW_RSCHEMA_EXCEPTIONS b WHERE b.schema_id (+)= a.id;

When reviewing the output of this query, remember the following:

• A schema name in the SCHEMA column indicates that the schema is restricted.

• Schemas that are not listed are not restricted and may be assigned to any workspace.

• A workspace name next to a schema name means that an exception exists for the schema for the named workspace.

You can run this query in SQL*Plus as shown above, or you can change it and format the output.

Creating Workspace Manually in a Full Development Environment

Oracle Application Express administrators can provision a workspace manually by running the Create Workspace Wizard.

To create a workspace manually:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Workspaces.

3. Under Manage Workspaces, click Create Workspace.

   The Create Workspace Wizard appears.

4. For Identify Workspace, enter a workspace name and description and click Next.For Identify Schema, specify whether you are re-using an existing schema or creating a new one.

   If you are using an existing schema:

   1. For Re-use existing schema, select Yes.

   2. Select a schema from the list.

   3. Click Next.

   If you are creating a new schema:

   1. For Re-use existing schema, select No.

   2. Enter a schema name and password.

   3. Specify a space quota.

   4. Click Next.

5. For Identify Administrator, enter the Workspace administrator information and click Next.

6. Confirm your selections and click Create.

Creating a Workspace Manually in a Runtime Environment

To add a workspace in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.ADD_WORKSPACE(WORKSPACE_ID,WORKSPACE_NAME, SCHEMA_NAME, SCHEMA_LIST)
   END;
   

   Where:

   • WORKSPACE_ID is the ID for the workspace. Auto-assigned if NULL.

   • WORKSPACE_NAME is the name of the workspace.

   • SCHEMA_NAME is the name of the primary schema to associate with the workspace.

   • SCHEMA_LIST is a colon delimited list of additional schemas to associate with the workspace.

Viewing Schema and Workspace Assignments in a Development Environment

Oracle Application Express administrators can view the existing schema to workspace assignment on the Manage Workspace to Schema Assignments page.

To view the existing schema to workspace assignment:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Workspaces.

3. Under Manage Workspaces, click Manage Workspace to Schema Assignments.

   'The Manage Workspace to Schema Assignments page appears. It lists all workspaces in your environment along with their associated schemas.

Viewing Schema and Workspace Assignments in a Runtime Environment

To view the existing schema to workspace assignment in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   SELECT APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_SCHEMAS(WORKSPACE_NAME) 
   FROM DUAL;
   

   Where WORKSPACE_NAME is the name of the workspace.

Editing Existing Schema and Workspace Assignments

To edit an existing schema and workspace assignment:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Workspaces.

3. Under Manage Workspaces, click Manage Workspace to Schema Assignments.

   The Manage Workspace to Schema Assignments page appears.

4. To edit an existing workspace to schema assignment:

   1. Select the workspace name.

      The Edit Schema to Workspace Assignment page appears.

   2. Select a new workspace or schema.

   3. Click Apply Changes.

Associating Additional Schemas with a Workspace

Oracle Application Express administrators can associate (or map) additional existing schemas to a workspace.

Removing a Schema Mapping from a Workspace in a Runtime Environment

To remove a schema mapping from a workspace in a runtime environment:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     connect sys as sysdba
     

   When prompted enter the appropriate password.

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.REMOVE_SCHEMA(WORKSPACE_NAME, SCHEMA_NAME)
   END;
   

   Where:

   • WORKSPACE_NAME is the name of the workspace.

   • SCHEMA_NAME is the name of the schema.

Creating a New Schema

Oracle Application Express administrators can create a new schema and associate it with a workspace.

To create a new schema for a workspace:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services".

2. Click Manage Workspaces.

3. Under Manage Workspaces, click Manage Workspace to Schema Assignments.

   The Manage Workspace to Schema Assignments page appears.

4. Click Create.

   The Add Schema wizard appears.

5. For New or Existing Schema, select New and click Next.

6. For Choose Workspace, select the workspace that you want to associate the new schema with and click Next.

7. For Identify Schema:

   1. Schema - Enter a unique name containing only letters.

      Tip:

      To verify that the new schema name is unique, open the select list and search for the name.

   2. Password - Enter a case-sensitive password.

   3. Default Tablespace - Identify the default tablespace that you want this schema to use.

   4. Temporary Tablespace - Identify the temporary tablespace you want this schema to use.

   5. Click Next.

8. Confirm the information and click Add Schema.

9. To verify that the new schema is added to the workspace:

   1. Log in to the workspace on Oracle Application Express.

   2. Review the Workspace Schemas list on the Workspace home page. The list shows all schemas associated with this workspace.

More About the Approval Process

If you are using Email Verification, when an Oracle Application Express administrator approves a workspace request, the following events occur:

1. An email containing a verification link is sent to the user.

2. When user clicks the verification link, the workspace is created.

3. Another email is sent to the user containing login credentials (that is, the workspace name, User ID, and password).

4. The status of the workspace request changes from Accepted to Approved.

If the user fails to click the verification link, you can quickly delete the request by clicking the DELETE link in the Action column.

When an Error Occurs

If an error occurs during the workspace creation process, the status of the request reverts to Requested and an email is sent to the user containing the following message:

Please contact administrator.

Once the issue is resolved, the administrator can again repeat the previous procedure and approve the request.