Pankaj Chandiramani's Blog

11g for linux is available for download @OTN from here.
Read all abt the new features for HA , Db Replay   etc from http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/oracle11g/index.html

I have been using Apex extensively now , have created 3-4 application for production usage & i can finally say that its easy to use for us non developers also ;)

I will be covering the installation of Apex 3.0.1 in this post & will cover the SSO part in next .

Software Req:

1. Download Apex 3.0.1 from here
   
2. 10g Db
   
3. Http server

In short , the process of Installing & configuring apex goes like this :
Install 10g Db --> Install Http server (i used 10g AS) -->Install Apex

Starting the Apex Installation
I assume you have 10g Db installed , else read this post for details .

You need to create 2 table space , i created  apex1 & apex2 to seed the apex data :

create tablespace apex1 datafile '/apexdb/apex1.dbf' size 50M autoextend on next 10M maxsize 300M;

create tablespace apex2 datafile '/apexdb/apex2.dbf' size 50M autoextend on next 10M maxsize 300M;

Now we will seed the db with Apex configs .
Download Apex 3.0.1 from here & unzip it .

This will craete a subdirectory with name apex , cd into it & start sqlplus as sysdba & run apexins.sql as shown below.
cd apex
sqlplus system@tns_alias as sysdba
@apexins.sql {pass} {ts for user} {ts for files} {ts for temp} /i/

Where

pass - Password for Apex Super User
ts for user - Tablespace for User data (Created above)
ts for files - Tablespace for Apex files (Created above)
ts for temp - temporary tablespace (Usually Temp)
i - is the alias for image directory configuration in Application Server (Apache httpd.conf)

According to our config above , i used :

Sqlplus > @apexins.sql welcome apex1 apex2 temp /i/

It Takes ard 1 hr to get the seed data .

After this is complete , we go to the HTTP server location to configure Apex with it . AS we have the Oracle 10g AS installed we go to $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/modplsql/conf directory .

There in dads.conf we add the below lines :

#######
Alias /i/ "/apex/images/"  (replace with your image location)

AddType text/xml xbl
AddType text/x-component htc
<Location /pls/apex>
Order deny,allow
PlsqlDocumentPath docs
AllowOverride None
PlsqlDocumentProcedure wwv_flow_file_mgr.process_download
PlsqlDatabaseConnectString host:port:service_name ServiceNameFormat
PlsqlNLSLanguage AMERICAN_AMERICA.AL32UTF8
PlsqlAuthenticationMode Basic
SetHandler pls_handler
PlsqlDocumentTablename wwv_flow_file_objects$
PlsqlDatabaseUsername APEX_PUBLIC_USER
PlsqlDefaultPage apex
PlsqlDatabasePassword apex_public_user_password
Allow from all
</Location>
###################

For above replace according to your server & install locations , we did below :
PlsqlDatabaseConnectString xyz.com:1521:apexdb apexdb

Post Install
After this you need to restart the Appache server as shown below :

dcmctl updateconfig -ct ohs
opmnctl restartproc ias-component=HTTP_Server (Restart HTTP Server to check it)
ou are all set to use the Apex , try http://hostname.domainname:port/pls/apex

I will be writing on how to configure sso in next post

I am loving the experience with Apex , we plan to have couple of new application using APEX , for that i neeed to configure SSO with apex .

It can be done in 3 steps :

1. Creating partner app
2. Installing sdk (You need to get sso sdk from midtier)
   
3. Configuring apex for sso(You need to login a zip file from here)

For step 1 , you need below :
HOME URL : http: // apex_server_name/pls/apex
Success URL : http: // apex_server_name/pls/apex/wwv_flow_custom_auth_sso.process_success
Log Out URL : http: // apex_server_name/pls/apex/apex

Note : not covering the actual creation process , pls look at "Creating Partner App in AS admin guide"

For Step 2:
First unlock the flows schema according to the apex version you have .
SQL> alter user flows_030100 account unlock; (If your Apex version is 2.0.0.0.0 change acccordingly)

Now you need to copy sso sdk from the midtier , Login to Middle tier $ORACLE_HOME/sso/lib
copy ssosdk902.zip , unzip it . It creates some sql scripts & packages .

Login to db as user flows_030100 & run loadsdk.sql
SQL>@loadsdk.sql (Make sure you are executing under flows_XXXX)

Above will load the sso schema into flows account.

For Step 3:
Now we need to wire sso & apex schema(flows_xx)

SQL> @regapp.sql
It will prompt you for
Enter value for listener_token: HTML_DB:Hostname:7777
Enter value for site_id: enter_value_returned_while_registering_sso
Enter value for site_token: enter_value_returned_while_registering_sso
Enter value for login_url: http: // apex_url_here/pls/orasso/orasso.wwsso_app_admin.ls_login
Enter value for encryption_key: enter_value_returned_while_registering_sso
Enter value for ip_check: N

These above value you will get from Registring as partner app in step 1

Now configure authentication packages under flows_XXX schema
You need to login a zip file from here:
Unzip & get 2 files , execute as below

SQL> @custom_auth_sso.sql
SQL> @custom_auth_sso.plb

Finally you should lock flows_XXXX schema & grant execute permission to public user
SQL> alter user flows_020200 account unlock;
SQL> grant execute on wwv_flow_custom_auth_sso to APEX_PUBLIC_USER;

All set , once you use the authentication schema as sso , you can see the login page .