The APEX_APP_OBJECT_DEPENDENCY API was introduced in Oracle APEX 24.1 to help developers analyze their applications and report all references to database objects by page or application. In Oracle APEX 24.2, developers can find a new utility that uses the API to scan applications easily and view reports on references to database objects within a workspace, making managing object dependencies much simpler.

Features

  • Use the hierarchical tree control at the left side to visualize all the errors, tables, packages, schemas, and system dependencies that the application references, as well as their components, such as table columns, package procedures, and functions.
  • Links to jump to the component property where each reference is detected.
  • Filter the list of dependencies using a search filter.
  • Review your application code that references any selected database object.
  • New detection dependencies:
    • In a report column based on a SQL expression.
    • Arising from REST Service queries (#APEX$SOURCE_DATA#).
    • Arising from Data Profile SQL expressions.

How to Use It?

  1. Navigate to App Builder
  2. Click on the application you wish to scan
  3. Click on Utilities
  4. Click on Database Object Dependencies and then click on Scan Application
    Figure 1: Database Object Dependencies Feature
    Figure 1: Database Object Dependencies Feature

     

  5. You can perform a full scan to scan all sources for dependencies, including errors. Or scan errors only to report code errors. You can also choose the scan scope: Scan the entire application or just one page of your application. Once you have made your selection, click Scan.
    Figure 2: Scan options
    Figure 2: Scan options

     

  6. You will get a detailed scan report of your application.
    Figure 3: Database objects dependencies report
    Figure 3: Database objects dependencies report

     

  7. To clear the dependencies report, click on the Clear Dependencies button and follow the steps.

Watch this quick video to learn how to use this new feature on your APEX applications:

Figure 4: Video

 

Summary

The new Database Object Dependencies utility in Oracle APEX 24.2 not only allows developers to easily identify database objects referenced by APEX components and system dependencies owned by system users including SYS, SYSTEM, PUBLIC and the APEX Schema Owner, but also helps list the potential errors that users can face when they run the application and were missing database objects referenced by the application.

Try this feature and other new features in APEX 24.2 on Oracle Cloud, apex.oracle.com or download this release from apex.oracle.com/download.