B Configuring Oracle HTTP Server Distributed with Oracle9i Release 2

B.2.5.1 Unlock the APEX_PUBLIC_USER Account

The APEX_PUBLIC_USER account is locked at the end of a new installation of Oracle Application Express. You must unlock this account before configuring the database access descriptor (DAD) in a new installation.

To unlock the APEX_PUBLIC_USER account:

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

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER USER APEX_PUBLIC_USER ACCOUNT UNLOCK
   

B.2.5.2 Change the Password for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER Account

The APEX_PUBLIC_USER account is created with a random password in a new installation of Oracle Application Express. You will must change the password for this account before configuring the database access descriptor (DAD) in a new installation.

To change the password for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER account:

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

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER USER APEX_PUBLIC_USER IDENTIFIED BY new_password
   

   Where new_password is the new password you are setting for APEX_PUBLIC_USER. You will use this password when creating the DAD in the sections that follow.

B.2.5.3 Copy the Images Directory

Whether you are loading a new installation or upgrading from a previous release, you must copy the images directory from the top level of the apex\images directory to the location on the file system containing the Oracle home for Oracle HTTP Server.

Topics in this section include:

• Copying the Images Directory After an Upgrade

• Copying the Images Directory in a New Installation

B.2.5.4 Modifying the wdbsvr.app File

To create the DAD, you modify the wdbsvr.app file and add an entry for Oracle Application Express.

To modify the wdbsvr.app file:

1. Use a text editor and open the wdbsvr.app file:

   • On Windows, see:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\modplsql\cfg\wdbsvr.app
     

   • On UNIX and Linux, see:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/modplsql/cfg/wdbsvr.app
     

2. Add an entry for Oracle Application Express using the following syntax. Only change the settings indicated in italics.

   [DAD_apex] 
    connect_string = localhost:1521:orcl 
    password = apex 
    username = apex_public_user 
    default_page = apex 
    document_table = wwv_flow_file_objects$ 
    document_path = docs 
    document_proc = wwv_flow_file_mgr.process_download 
    reuse = Yes 
    enablesso = No 
    stateful = STATELESS_RESET 
    nls_lang = American_America.AL32UTF8
   

   Where:

   • connect_string refers to the host ID, port number, and Oracle9i database where Oracle Application Express was installed. Use the format host:port:sid.

     If the Oracle9i version of Oracle HTTP Server you want to use is installed in the same Oracle home as the database you specified for use with Oracle Application Express, leave this parameter blank.

   • password is the password you changed for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER. See "Change the Password for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER Account".

   • nls_lang determines the language setting of the DAD. The character set portion of the nls_lang value must always be set to AL32UTF8, regardless of whether or not the database character set is AL32UTF8.

     If either the territory portion or the language portion of the NLS settings contains a space, you must wrap the value in double quotes as shown in the following example:

     nls_lang = "ENGLISH_UNITED KINGDOM.AL32UTF8"
     

     You can find information about your database's NLS settings by querying the view NLS_DATABASE_PARAMETERS as shown in the following example:

     SELECT parameter,value 
      FROM nls_database_parameters 
      WHERE PARAMETER IN ('NLS_CHARACTERSET','NLS_LANGUAGE','NLS_TERRITORY');
     

3. Leave the remaining settings, including the user name setting, as they appear in the previous example.

4. Save and exit the wdbsvr.app file.

B.2.5.5 Modify the Oracle9i httpd.conf

You must modify the httpd.conf file to include an alias that points to the file system path where you copied the images directory. You may also need to modify the httpd.conf file to add two new MIME types to support SQL Workshop.

To modify httpd.conf file:

1. Use a text editor and open the httpd.conf file:

   • On Windows:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\Apache\conf\httpd.conf
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf/httpd.conf
     

2. Add an alias entry that points to the file system path where you copied the images directory.

   • Windows example:

     Alias /i/ "C:\oracle\ora92\Apache\Apache\images/" 
     

   • UNIX and Linux example:

     Alias /i/ "/home/oracle/OraHome1/Apache/Apache/images/" 
     

   Note that the previous examples assume you specified the image directory alias as /i/ when you ran the apexins.sql script.

   Note you must include the forward slash (/) at the end of the path.

3. Next, add the following two lines to support SQL Workshop if they do not currently exist:

   AddType text/xml             xbl
   AddType text/x-component     htc 
   

   If you are upgrading from Oracle HTML DB 2.0 or later, these MIME types should already exist.

4. Save and exit the httpd.conf file.

5. Stop and restart Oracle HTTP Server.

   • On Windows, Stop and restart Oracle HTTP Server:

     • Stop Oracle HTTP Server - From the Start menu, select Programs, Oracle - OraHome, Oracle HTTP Server, and Stop HTTP Server.

     • Restart Oracle HTTP Server - From the Start menu, select Programs, Oracle - OraHome, Oracle HTTP Server, and Start HTTP Server.

   • On UNIX and Linux, execute the following commands:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin/apachectl stop
     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin/apachectl start
     

   Note that if the Oracle HTTP Server is listening on a port less than 1024, then these commands must be executed as a privileged user (such as root).

B.2.6.1 Granting Connect Privileges

The following example demonstrates how to grant connect privileges to any host for the APEX_030200 database user. This example assumes you connected to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS specifying the SYSDBA role.

DECLARE
  ACL_PATH  VARCHAR2(4000);
  ACL_ID    RAW(16);
BEGIN
  -- Look for the ACL currently assigned to '*' and give APEX_030200
  -- the "connect" privilege if APEX_030200 does not have the privilege yet.

  SELECT ACL INTO ACL_PATH FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS
   WHERE HOST = '*' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL;

  -- Before checking the privilege, ensure that the ACL is valid
  -- (for example, does not contain stale references to dropped users).
  -- If it does, the following exception will be raised:
  --
  -- ORA-44416: Invalid ACL: Unresolved principal 'APEX_030200'
  -- ORA-06512: at "XDB.DBMS_XDBZ", line ...
  --
  SELECT SYS_OP_R2O(extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef')) INTO ACL_ID
    FROM XDB.XDB$ACL A, PATH_VIEW P
   WHERE extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef') = REF(A) AND
         EQUALS_PATH(P.RES, ACL_PATH) = 1;

  DBMS_XDBZ.ValidateACL(ACL_ID);
   IF DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CHECK_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 'APEX_030200', 
     'connect') IS NULL THEN 
      DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ADD_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 
     'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect'); 
  END IF;

EXCEPTION
  -- When no ACL has been assigned to '*'.
  WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CREATE_ACL('power_users.xml',
    'ACL that lets power users to connect to everywhere',
    'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect');
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ASSIGN_ACL('power_users.xml','*');
END;
/
COMMIT;

The following example demonstrates how to provide less privileged access to local network resources. This example would enable indexing the Oracle Application Express Online Help and could possibly enable email and PDF printing if those servers were also on the local host.

DECLARE
  ACL_PATH  VARCHAR2(4000);
  ACL_ID    RAW(16);
BEGIN
  -- Look for the ACL currently assigned to 'localhost' and give APEX_030200
  -- the "connect" privilege if APEX_030200 does not have the privilege yet.
  SELECT ACL INTO ACL_PATH FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS
   WHERE HOST = 'localhost' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL;

  -- Before checking the privilege, ensure that the ACL is valid
  -- (for example, does not contain stale references to dropped users).
  -- If it does, the following exception will be raised:
  --
  -- ORA-44416: Invalid ACL: Unresolved principal 'APEX_030200'
  -- ORA-06512: at "XDB.DBMS_XDBZ", line ...
  --

  SELECT SYS_OP_R2O(extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef')) INTO ACL_ID
    FROM XDB.XDB$ACL A, PATH_VIEW P
   WHERE extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef') = REF(A) AND
         EQUALS_PATH(P.RES, ACL_PATH) = 1;

  DBMS_XDBZ.ValidateACL(ACL_ID);
   IF DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CHECK_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 'APEX_030200', 
     'connect') IS NULL THEN 
      DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ADD_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 
     'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect'); 
  END IF;

EXCEPTION
  -- When no ACL has been assigned to 'localhost'.
  WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CREATE_ACL('local-access-users.xml',
    'ACL that lets power users to connect to everywhere',
    'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect');
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ASSIGN_ACL('local-access-users.xml','localhost');
END;
/
COMMIT;

B.2.6.2 Troubleshooting an Invalid ACL Error

If you receive an ORA-44416: Invalid ACL error after running the previous script, use the following query to identify the invalid ACL:

REM Show the dangling references to dropped users in the ACL that is assigned
REM to '*'.

SELECT ACL, PRINCIPAL
  FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS NACL, XDS_ACE ACE
 WHERE HOST = '*' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL AND
       NACL.ACLID = ACE.ACLID AND
       NOT EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM ALL_USERS WHERE USERNAME = PRINCIPAL);

Next, run the following code to fix the ACL:

DECLARE
  ACL_ID   RAW(16);
  CNT      NUMBER;
BEGIN
  -- Look for the object ID of the ACL currently assigned to '*'
  SELECT ACLID INTO ACL_ID FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS
   WHERE HOST = '*' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL;

  -- If just some users referenced in the ACL are invalid, remove just those
  -- users in the ACL. Otherwise, drop the ACL completely.
  SELECT COUNT(PRINCIPAL) INTO CNT FROM XDS_ACE
   WHERE ACLID = ACL_ID AND
         EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM ALL_USERS WHERE USERNAME = PRINCIPAL);

  IF (CNT > 0) THEN

    FOR R IN (SELECT PRINCIPAL FROM XDS_ACE
               WHERE ACLID = ACL_ID AND
                     NOT EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM ALL_USERS
                                  WHERE USERNAME = PRINCIPAL)) LOOP
      UPDATE XDB.XDB$ACL
         SET OBJECT_VALUE =
               DELETEXML(OBJECT_VALUE,
                         '/ACL/ACE[PRINCIPAL="'||R.PRINCIPAL||'"]')
       WHERE OBJECT_ID = ACL_ID;
    END LOOP;

  ELSE
    DELETE FROM XDB.XDB$ACL WHERE OBJECT_ID = ACL_ID;
  END IF;

END;
/

REM commit the changes.

COMMIT;

Once the ACL has been fixed, you must run the first script in this section to apply the ACL to the APEX_030200 user. See "Granting Connect Privileges".

B.2.8.1 Installing a Translated Version of Oracle Application Express

Whether you are installing for the first time or upgrading from a previous release, you must run the load_lang.sql script to run a translated version of Oracle Application Express.

The installation scripts are located in subdirectories identified by a language code in the unzipped distribution apex/builder. For example, the German version is located in apex/builder/de and the Japanese version is located in apex/builder/ja. Within each of directory, there is a language loading script identified by the language code (for example, load_de.sql or load_ja.sql).

To install a translated version of Oracle Application Express:

1. Set the NLS_LANG environment variable, making sure that the character set is AL32UTF8. For example:

   • Bourne or Korn shell:

     NLS_LANG=American_America.AL32UTF8
     export NLS_LANG
     

   • C shell:

     setenv NLS_LANG American_America.AL32UTF8
     

   • For Windows based systems:

     set NLS_LANG=American_America.AL32UTF8
     

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

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

3. Execute the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200;
   

4. Execute the appropriate language specific script. For example:

   @load_lang.sql
   

   Where lang is the specific language (for example, load_de.sql for German or load_ja.sql for Japanese).

B.2.9.1 Viewing the Number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES

There are currently three ways to view the number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES:

• In the installation log file

• On the About Application Express page in Oracle Application Express

• From SQL*Plus

SELECT VALUE FROM v$parameter WHERE NAME = 'job_queue_processes'

B.2.9.2 Changing the Number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES

You can change the number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES by running a SQL statement in SQL*Plus:

To update the number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES:

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

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. In SQL*Plus run the following SQL statement:

   ALTER SYSTEM SET JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES = <number>
   

   For example, running the statement ALTER SYSTEM SET JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES = 20 sets JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES to 20.

B.2.10.1 Obfuscating Passwords

To obfuscate passwords, run dadTool.pl by following the instructions in the dadTool.README file.

B.2.11.1 Creating a Workspace Manually

To create an Oracle Application Express workspace manually:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. Oracle Application Express Administration Services is a separate application for managing an entire Oracle Application Express instance. You log in using the ADMIN account and password created or reset during the installation process.

   1. In a Web browser, navigate to the Oracle Application Express Administration Services application.

      If your setup uses Apache and mod_plsql, go to:

      http://hostname:port/pls/apex/apex_admin
      

      Where:

      hostname is the name of the system where Oracle HTTP Server is installed.

      port is the port number assigned to Oracle HTTP Server. In a default installation, this number is 7777.

      pls is the indicator to use the mod_plsql cartridge.

      apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the mod_plsql configuration file.

   2. On the Login page:

      • In Username, enter admin.

      • In Password, enter the Oracle Application Express administrator account password you specified when you installed Oracle Application Express.

      • Click Login.

   See Also:

   See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

   Next, create a workspace.

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.

5. For Identify Schema, select the Oracle Forms application schema.

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

   2. Select a schema from the list.

   3. Click Next.

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

7. Confirm your selections and click Create.

B.2.11.2 Creating Oracle Application Express Users

To create an Oracle Application Express user account:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services as described in the previous section. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

2. Click Manage Workspaces.

3. Under Manage Workspaces, click Manage Developers and Users.

   The Manage Developers and Users page appears.

4. Click Create.

   The Create/Edit User page appears.

5. Under User Attributes, enter the appropriate information. Fields marked with an asterisk are required.

   Tip:

   To learn more about a specific attribute, click the item label. When Help is available, the item label changes to red when you pass your cursor over it and the cursor changes to an arrow and question mark.

6. Under Password, type a case-sensitive password for this account.

   If your organization has set up a password policy, be sure the password meets the requirements.

7. Under Developer Privileges, select the appropriate privileges:

   • User is a developer - To add this user as a developer or Workspace administrator, select Yes. For end users, select No.

     Developers can create and modify applications and database objects as well as view developer activity, session state, workspace activity, application, and schema reports.

   • User is a workspace administrator - To add this user as a Workspace administrator, select Yes. For developers or end users, select No.

     In addition to having developer privileges, workspace administrators can create and edit user accounts, manage groups, alter passwords of users within the same workspace, and manage development services.

8. Under Account Control, specify the following:

   • Account Availability - Select Unlocked to enable a user to log in to this account.

   • Require Change of Password on First Use - Select Yes to require the user to change the password immediately after logging in with the current, temporary password. Otherwise, select No.

9. Click Create User or Create and Create Another.

B.2.11.3 Logging in to Your Oracle Application Express Workspace

Once you create a workspace, you must log in to it using your login credentials (that is, the workspace name, user name, and password).

To log in to a workspace:

1. In a Web browser, navigate to the Oracle Application Express Login page.

   If your setup uses Oracle HTTP Server (Apache) and mod_plsql, go to:

   http://hostname:port/pls/apex
   

   Where:

   • hostname is the name of the system where Oracle HTTP Server is installed.

   • port is the port number assigned to Oracle HTTP Server. In a default installation, this number is 7777. You can find information about your Oracle HTTP Server installation's port number from either of the following files:

     ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\install\portlist.ini
     ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\Apache\conf\httpd.conf
     

     Be aware that if you change a port number, it is not updated in the portlist.ini file. You can only rely on this file immediately after installation.

   • pls is the indicator to use the mod_plsql cartridge.

   • apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the mod_plsql configuration file.

     For users who have upgraded from earlier releases, or who have a custom configuration, this value may be htmldb or something else. Verify your DAD with your Oracle Application Express administrator.

   The Login page appears.

2. Under Login, enter the following:

   • Workspace field - Enter the name of your workspace.

   • Username field - Enteryour user name.

   • Password field - Enter your case-sensitive password.

3. Click Login.

   Note that, depending on your setup, you might be required to change your password when you log in for the first time.

B.3.2.1 Change the Password for the ADMIN Account

First, change the password for the Oracle Application Express ADMIN account.

To change the password for the ADMIN account:

1. Change your working directory to ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\apex or whatever convention used to indicate the Oracle home.

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

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

3. Run apxchpwd.sql. For example:

   @apxchpwd.sql
   

   When prompted enter a password for the ADMIN account.

B.3.2.2 Unlock the APEX_PUBLIC_USER Database User

When configuring Oracle HTTP Server for Oracle Application Express in a new installation, the database user APEX_PUBLIC_USER must be an unlocked account. To unlock the account for database user APEX_PUBLIC_USER, execute the following steps:

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
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER USER APEX_PUBLIC_USER ACCOUNT UNLOCK
   

B.3.2.3 Change the Password for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER Database User

In order to specify the password in the DAD file, you have to change the password for the database user APEX_PUBLIC_USER. Please use the following steps to change the password for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER database user:

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
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   SQL> PASSWORD APEX_PUBLIC_USER
   Changing password for APEX_PUBLIC_USER
   New password: password
   Retype new password: password
   

B.3.2.4 Modifying the wdbsvr.app File

To create the DAD, you modify the wdbsvr.app file and add an entry for Oracle Application Express.

To modify the wdbsvr.app file:

1. Use a text editor and open the wdbsvr.app file:

   • On Windows, see:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\modplsql\cfg\wdbsvr.app
     

   • On UNIX and Linux, see:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/modplsql/cfg/wdbsvr.app
     

2. Add an entry for Oracle Application Express using the following syntax. Only change the settings indicated in italics.

   [DAD_apex] 
    connect_string = localhost:1521:orcl 
    password = apex 
    username = apex_public_user 
    default_page = apex 
    document_table = wwv_flow_file_objects$ 
    document_path = docs 
    document_proc = wwv_flow_file_mgr.process_download 
    reuse = Yes 
    enablesso = No 
    stateful = STATELESS_RESET 
    nls_lang = American_America.AL32UTF8
   

   Where:

   • connect_string refers to the host ID, port number, and Oracle9i database where Oracle Application Express was installed. Use the format host:port:sid.

     If the Oracle9i version of Oracle HTTP Server you want to use is installed in the same Oracle home as the database you specified for use with Oracle Application Express, leave this parameter blank.

   • password is the password you changed for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER. See "Change the Password for the APEX_PUBLIC_USER Database User".

   • nls_lang determines the language setting of the DAD. The character set portion of the nls_lang value must always be set to AL32UTF8, regardless of whether or not the database character set is AL32UTF8.

     If either the territory portion or the language portion of the NLS settings contains a space, you must wrap the value in double quotes as shown in the following example:

     nls_lang = "ENGLISH_UNITED KINGDOM.AL32UTF8"
     

     You can find information about your database's NLS settings by querying the view NLS_DATABASE_PARAMETERS as shown in the following example:

     SELECT parameter,value 
      FROM nls_database_parameters 
      WHERE PARAMETER IN ('NLS_CHARACTERSET','NLS_LANGUAGE','NLS_TERRITORY');
     

3. Leave the remaining settings, including the user name setting, as they appear in the previous example.

4. Save and exit the wdbsvr.app file.

B.3.2.5 Modify the Oracle9i httpd.conf

You must modify the httpd.conf file to include an alias that points to the file system path where you copied the images directory. You may also need to modify the httpd.conf file to add two new MIME types to support SQL Workshop.

To modify httpd.conf file:

1. Use a text editor and open the httpd.conf file:

   • On Windows:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\Apache\conf\httpd.conf
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf/httpd.conf
     

2. Add an alias entry that points to the file system path where you copied the images directory.

   • Windows example:

     Alias /i/ "C:\oracle\ora92\Apache\Apache\images/" 
     

   • UNIX and Linux example:

     Alias /i/ "/home/oracle/OraHome1/Apache/Apache/images/" 
     

   Note that the previous examples assume you specified the image directory alias as /i/ when you ran the apexins.sql script.

   Note you must include the forward slash (/) at the end of the path.

3. Next, add the following two lines to support SQL Workshop if they do not currently exist:

   AddType text/xml             xbl
   AddType text/x-component     htc 
   

   If you are upgrading from Oracle HTML DB 2.0 or later, these MIME types should already exist.

4. Save and exit the httpd.conf file.

B.3.2.6 Stop and Restart Oracle HTTP Server

To stop and restart Oracle HTTP Server:

• On Windows, Stop and restart Oracle HTTP Server:

  • Stop Oracle HTTP Server - From the Start menu, select Programs, Oracle - OraHome, Oracle HTTP Server, and Stop HTTP Server.

  • Restart Oracle HTTP Server - From the Start menu, select Programs, Oracle - OraHome, Oracle HTTP Server, and Start HTTP Server.

• On UNIX and Linux, execute the following commands:

  ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin/apachectl stop
  ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin/apachectl start
  

Note that if the Oracle HTTP Server is listening on a port less than 1024, then these commands must be executed as a privileged user (such as root).

B.3.2.7 Copy the Images Directory

Whether you are loading a new installation or upgrading from a previous release, you must copy the images directory from the top level of the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\apex directory to the location on the file system containing the Oracle home for Oracle HTTP Server.

Topics in this section include:

• Copying the Images Directory After an Upgrade

• Copying the Images Directory in a New Installation

B.3.3.1 Granting Connect Privileges

The following example demonstrates how to grant connect privileges to any host for the APEX_030200 database user. This example assumes you connected to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS specifying the SYSDBA role.

DECLARE
  ACL_PATH  VARCHAR2(4000);
  ACL_ID    RAW(16);
BEGIN
  -- Look for the ACL currently assigned to '*' and give APEX_030200
  -- the "connect" privilege if APEX_030200 does not have the privilege yet.

  SELECT ACL INTO ACL_PATH FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS
   WHERE HOST = '*' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL;

  -- Before checking the privilege, ensure that the ACL is valid
  -- (for example, does not contain stale references to dropped users).
  -- If it does, the following exception will be raised:
  --
  -- ORA-44416: Invalid ACL: Unresolved principal 'APEX_030200'
  -- ORA-06512: at "XDB.DBMS_XDBZ", line ...
  --
  SELECT SYS_OP_R2O(extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef')) INTO ACL_ID
    FROM XDB.XDB$ACL A, PATH_VIEW P
   WHERE extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef') = REF(A) AND
         EQUALS_PATH(P.RES, ACL_PATH) = 1;

  DBMS_XDBZ.ValidateACL(ACL_ID);
   IF DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CHECK_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 'APEX_030200', 
     'connect') IS NULL THEN 
      DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ADD_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 
     'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect'); 
  END IF;

EXCEPTION
  -- When no ACL has been assigned to '*'.
  WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CREATE_ACL('power_users.xml',
    'ACL that lets power users to connect to everywhere',
    'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect');
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ASSIGN_ACL('power_users.xml','*');
END;
/
COMMIT;

The following example demonstrates how to provide less privileged access to local network resources. This example would enable indexing the Oracle Application Express Online Help and could possibly enable email and PDF printing if those servers were also on the local host.

DECLARE
  ACL_PATH  VARCHAR2(4000);
  ACL_ID    RAW(16);
BEGIN
  -- Look for the ACL currently assigned to 'localhost' and give APEX_030200
  -- the "connect" privilege if APEX_030200 does not have the privilege yet.
  SELECT ACL INTO ACL_PATH FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS
   WHERE HOST = 'localhost' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL;

  -- Before checking the privilege, ensure that the ACL is valid
  -- (for example, does not contain stale references to dropped users).
  -- If it does, the following exception will be raised:
  --
  -- ORA-44416: Invalid ACL: Unresolved principal 'APEX_030200'
  -- ORA-06512: at "XDB.DBMS_XDBZ", line ...
  --

  SELECT SYS_OP_R2O(extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef')) INTO ACL_ID
    FROM XDB.XDB$ACL A, PATH_VIEW P
   WHERE extractValue(P.RES, '/Resource/XMLRef') = REF(A) AND
         EQUALS_PATH(P.RES, ACL_PATH) = 1;

  DBMS_XDBZ.ValidateACL(ACL_ID);
   IF DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CHECK_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 'APEX_030200', 
     'connect') IS NULL THEN 
      DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ADD_PRIVILEGE(ACL_PATH, 
     'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect'); 
  END IF;

EXCEPTION
  -- When no ACL has been assigned to 'localhost'.
  WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.CREATE_ACL('local-access-users.xml',
    'ACL that lets power users to connect to everywhere',
    'APEX_030200', TRUE, 'connect');
  DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN.ASSIGN_ACL('local-access-users.xml','localhost');
END;
/
COMMIT;

B.3.3.2 Troubleshooting an Invalid ACL Error

If you receive an ORA-44416: Invalid ACL error after running the previous script, use the following query to identify the invalid ACL:

REM Show the dangling references to dropped users in the ACL that is assigned
REM to '*'.

SELECT ACL, PRINCIPAL
  FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS NACL, XDS_ACE ACE
 WHERE HOST = '*' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL AND
       NACL.ACLID = ACE.ACLID AND
       NOT EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM ALL_USERS WHERE USERNAME = PRINCIPAL);

Next, run the following code to fix the ACL:

DECLARE
  ACL_ID   RAW(16);
  CNT      NUMBER;
BEGIN
  -- Look for the object ID of the ACL currently assigned to '*'
  SELECT ACLID INTO ACL_ID FROM DBA_NETWORK_ACLS
   WHERE HOST = '*' AND LOWER_PORT IS NULL AND UPPER_PORT IS NULL;

  -- If just some users referenced in the ACL are invalid, remove just those
  -- users in the ACL. Otherwise, drop the ACL completely.
  SELECT COUNT(PRINCIPAL) INTO CNT FROM XDS_ACE
   WHERE ACLID = ACL_ID AND
         EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM ALL_USERS WHERE USERNAME = PRINCIPAL);

  IF (CNT > 0) THEN

    FOR R IN (SELECT PRINCIPAL FROM XDS_ACE
               WHERE ACLID = ACL_ID AND
                     NOT EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM ALL_USERS
                                  WHERE USERNAME = PRINCIPAL)) LOOP
      UPDATE XDB.XDB$ACL
         SET OBJECT_VALUE =
               DELETEXML(OBJECT_VALUE,
                         '/ACL/ACE[PRINCIPAL="'||R.PRINCIPAL||'"]')
       WHERE OBJECT_ID = ACL_ID;
    END LOOP;

  ELSE
    DELETE FROM XDB.XDB$ACL WHERE OBJECT_ID = ACL_ID;
  END IF;

END;
/

REM commit the changes.

COMMIT;

Once the ACL has been fixed, you must run the first script in this section to apply the ACL to the APEX_030200 user. See "Granting Connect Privileges".

B.3.5.1 Installing a Translated Version of Oracle Application Express

Whether you are installing for the first time or upgrading from a previous release, you must run the load_lang.sql script to run a translated version of Oracle Application Express.

The installation scripts are located in subdirectories identified by a language code in the unzipped distribution apex/builder. For example, the German version is located in apex/builder/de and the Japanese version is located in apex/builder/ja. Within each of directory, there is a language loading script identified by the language code (for example, load_de.sql or load_ja.sql).

To install a translated version of Oracle Application Express:

1. Set the NLS_LANG environment variable, making sure that the character set is AL32UTF8. For example:

   • Bourne or Korn shell:

     NLS_LANG=American_America.AL32UTF8
     export NLS_LANG
     

   • C shell:

     setenv NLS_LANG American_America.AL32UTF8
     

   • For Windows based systems:

     set NLS_LANG=American_America.AL32UTF8
     

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

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

3. Execute the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_030200;
   

4. Execute the appropriate language specific script. For example:

   @load_lang.sql
   

   Where lang is the specific language (for example, load_de.sql for German or load_ja.sql for Japanese).

B.3.6.1 Viewing the Number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES

There are currently three ways to view the number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES:

• In the installation log file

• On the About Application Express page in Oracle Application Express

• From SQL*Plus

SELECT VALUE FROM v$parameter WHERE NAME = 'job_queue_processes'

B.3.6.2 Changing the Number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES

You can change the number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES by running a SQL statement in SQL*Plus:

To update the number of JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES:

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

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. In SQL*Plus run the following SQL statement:

   ALTER SYSTEM SET JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES = <number>
   

   For example, running the statement ALTER SYSTEM SET JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES = 20 sets JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES to 20.

B.3.7.1 Obfuscating Passwords

To obfuscate passwords, run dadTool.pl by following the instructions in the dadTool.README file.

B.3.8.1 Creating a Workspace Manually

To create an Oracle Application Express workspace manually:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. Oracle Application Express Administration Services is a separate application for managing an entire Oracle Application Express instance. You log in using the ADMIN account and password created or reset during the installation process.

   1. In a Web browser, navigate to the Oracle Application Express Administration Services application.

      If your setup uses Oracle HTTP Server (Apache) and mod_plsql, go to:

      http://hostname:port/pls/apex/apex_admin
      

      Where:

      hostname is the name of the system where Oracle HTTP Server is installed.

      port is the port number assigned to Oracle HTTP Server. In a default installation, this number is 7777.

      pls is the indicator to use the mod_plsql cartridge.

      apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the mod_plsql configuration file.

   2. On the Login page:

      • In Username, enter admin.

      • In Password, enter the Oracle Application Express administrator account password you specified when you installed Oracle Application Express.

      • Click Login.

   See Also:

   See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

   Next, create a workspace.

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.

5. For Identify Schema, select the Oracle Forms application schema.

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

   2. Select a schema from the list.

   3. Click Next.

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

7. Confirm your selections and click Create.

B.3.8.2 Creating Oracle Application Express Users

To create an Oracle Application Express user account:

1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services as described in the previous section. See "Logging in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

2. Click Manage Workspaces.

3. Under Manage Workspaces, click Manage Developers and Users.

   The Manage Developers and Users page appears.

4. Click Create.

   The Create/Edit User page appears.

5. Under User Attributes, enter the appropriate information. Fields marked with an asterisk are required.

   Tip:

   To learn more about a specific attribute, click the item label. When Help is available, the item label changes to red when you pass your cursor over it and the cursor changes to an arrow and question mark.

6. Under Password, type a case-sensitive password for this account.

   If your organization has set up a password policy, be sure the password meets the requirements.

7. Under Developer Privileges, select the appropriate privileges:

   • User is a developer - To add this user as a developer or Workspace administrator, select Yes. For end users, select No.

     Developers can create and modify applications and database objects as well as view developer activity, session state, workspace activity, application, and schema reports.

   • User is a workspace administrator - To add this user as a Workspace administrator, select Yes. For developers or end users, select No.

     In addition to having developer privileges, workspace administrators can create and edit user accounts, manage groups, alter passwords of users within the same workspace, and manage development services.

8. Under Account Control, specify the following:

   • Account Availability - Select Unlocked to enable a user to log in to this account.

   • Require Change of Password on First Use - Select Yes to require the user to change the password immediately after logging in with the current, temporary password. Otherwise, select No.

9. Click Create User or Create and Create Another.

B.3.8.3 Logging in to Your Oracle Application Express Workspace

Once you create a workspace, you must log in to it using your login credentials (that is, the workspace name, user name, and password).

To log in to a workspace:

1. In a Web browser, navigate to the Oracle Application Express Login page.

   If your setup uses Oracle HTTP Server (Apache) and mod_plsql, go to:

   http://hostname:port/pls/apex
   

   Where:

   • hostname is the name of the system where Oracle HTTP Server is installed.

   • port is the port number assigned to Oracle HTTP Server. In a default installation, this number is 7777. You can find information about your Oracle HTTP Server installation's port number from either of the following files:

     ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\install\portlist.ini
     ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\Apache\conf\httpd.conf
     

     Be aware that if you change a port number, it is not updated in the portlist.ini file. You can only rely on this file immediately after installation.

   • pls is the indicator to use the mod_plsql cartridge.

   • apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the mod_plsql configuration file.

     For users who have upgraded from earlier releases, or who have a custom configuration, this value may be htmldb or something else. Verify your DAD with your Oracle Application Express administrator.

   The Login page appears.

2. Under Login, enter the following:

   • Workspace field - Enter the name of your workspace.

   • Username field - Enteryour user name.

   • Password field - Enter your case-sensitive password.

3. Click Login.

   Note that, depending on your setup, you might be required to change your password when you log in for the first time.