Oracle Forms

Okay guys, as I am in a hurry to demonstrate the developer 6i application that is migrated to 12c environment, approached the situation like explained below.

I've made a standalone installation for the forms 12.2.1.3.0 & compiled the modules

So far, everything is falling in place as expected. However, I believe, what I setup is a workaround solution for the situation. I do hope someone will come with a standard & approved method to resolve the asked situation.

regards,

rajesh

If you are saying that you performed an "upgrade" rather than a new install, then likely what is happening is that you are starting the Builder with a reference to the old OHome.  You have a variety of options:

1.  Double check the system PATH and ensure that the old home is not listed.  If it is, remove its entries.  Also, it might be worth reviewing all other system variables.

2.  Rename the old Oracle Home parent directory (even if just for testing the theory).  If the right thing happens you can assume #1 is your issue.

3.  Remove all installations and do a clean install of the version you want.

Hello Michael

Thank you very much for the reply. Well, as I mentioned, my instance was migrated/upgraded & I can assure that, the frmbld.exe remains 12.2.1.0.0 on the "upgraded" domain. None of the associated executables are upgraded to 12.2.1.3.0

My path doesn't have a single reference to weblogic installations

D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home\forms\common>path
PATH=C:\Java\jdk\bin;D:\Oracle11g64\product\11.2.0\dbhome_1\bin;D:\oracle\product\12.1.0\dbhome_1\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\iis express\PHP\v5.3;C:\Program Files (x86)\iis express\PHP\v5.5;C:\Program Files (x86)\iis express\PHP\v5.6;D:\DevSuiteHome_1\jdk\jre\bin\classic;D:\DevSuiteHome_1\jdk\jre\bin;D:\DevSuiteHome_1\jdk\jre\bin\client;D:\DevSuiteHome_1\jlib;D:\DevSuiteHome_1\bin;D:\DevSuiteHome_1\jre\1.4.2\bin\client;D:\DevSuiteHome_1\jre\1.4.2\bin;D:\Oracle\product\12.1.0\client_1\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\iCLS\;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\iCLS\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components;C:\php;C:\NSSM\nssm-2.24\win64;C:\Unix;C:\Users\rthampi\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\orant\bin;C:\orant\jdk\bin;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;

As all the upgrade processes were completed without any warnings or errors, I believe it was 100% successful upgrade. I am wondering whether I am missing an additional configuration...

regards,

rajesh

First, let me start by saying that given the PATH entry you provided, I am amazed anything "Oracle" works correctly. I strongly recommend cleaning this up.  Remove anything that doens't need to be there.  For example, \orant?  As in "Forms 6" or possibly older?  I can't imagine how any part of that will work correctly with such newer Oracle products listed first (including Java).

As for your current issue, I've discussed this with our (Oracle) development team and although we did not 100% confirm our suspicion we believe the issue is the result of a bug.  Please contact Oracle Support so that the issue can be tracked and properly investigated by the development team.

For now, a possible work-around might be to do the following:

1.  Stop all servers associated with the new installation.  Node Man, Admin Server, managed servers, etc.

2.  Ensure that the Builder or any other utilities are exited.

3.  Rename the "forms1" instance directory "forms1_old"

DOMAIN_HOME\config\fmwconfig\components\FORMS\instances\forms1_old

4.  Restart Node Manager, Admin Server, and managed servers (in that order).

The result should be that "forms1" is recreated.  Upon recreation, the expectation is that it will also update the Windows Registry entries to correctly point to your new binaries, which I suspect do exist.

@"Michael Ferrante-Oracle"

Well A really worth observation. Michael I am supporting a 20+ years old Developer 6i application, supporting Oracle EBS R12 and passionate about testing out Oracle's new products (limited to Forms and reports). In addition to, I do blogging about the way I figure out how few hacks could co-host a number of different Oracle products over a development environment.

I strictly follow the Oracle's guidelines for production environment and believe it or not, I had the same complex development machines tweaked perfectly by "ME", as I am a part time .net & android developer as well form last 10+ years.

You said "As for your current issue, I've discussed this with our (Oracle) development team and although we did not 100% confirm our suspicion we believe the issue is the result of a bug.  Please contact Oracle Support so that the issue can be tracked and properly investigated by the development team." Although I have support contract with Oracle for chosen products, unfortunately WebLogic is not supported under this contract.

I believe the same & for my current requirements, as I have mentioned with my previous reply, made a standalone forms developer installation and currently compiling the elements. Thanks for your inputs Michael.

Edit: Forgot to tell you, I am sure going to give a try with your workaround solution!

regards,

rajesh

Rajesh,

Please let us know if what I recommended fixes the issue.  If it does, others will be able to benefit from the temporary work-around as needed.

And most of all... Thank you for your loyalty to Oracle Forms

Mike

@"Michael Ferrante-Oracle"

I have tried your suggestion & under windows, node manager should be started with elevated privileges in order to write to registry (for those who are going to give it a try) & the forms1 instance was created with 12.2.1.0.0 binaries. I think there is a vital point which we didn't discuss in details

My 12.2.1.0.0 installation was on D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home and I have one user domain "D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home\user_projects\domains\base_domain".

As I cannot install the 12.2.1.3.0 stack on existing 12.2.1.0.0 home due to incompatibility issues, I have install 12.2.1.3.0 to a new home "E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home"

Now, I have upgraded the domain "D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home\user_projects\domains\base_domain" by calling ua.bat from "E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\oracle_common\upgrade\bin", as mentioned with the Oracle document(S) those I were referring during the upgrade exercises.

I can see startNodeManager .cmd file under "D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home\user_projects\domains\base_domain\bin" (12.2.1.0.0) are referring the location 12.2.1.3.0 is installed, please refer the below:

@ECHO OFF
@REM WARNING: This file is created by the Configuration Wizard.
@REM Any changes to this script may be lost when adding extensions to this configuration.
SETLOCAL
@REM *************************************************************************
@REM  This script is used to start a NodeManager.
@REM  This script should be used only when node manager is configured per domain.
@REM  This script sets the following variables before starting 
@REM  the node manager:
@REM 
@REM  WL_HOME    - The root directory of your WebLogic installation
@REM  NODEMGR_HOME  - The product name. Here it will product name and domain name
@REM  *************************************************************************
set JAVA_OPTIONS=%JAVA_OPTIONS% -Doracle.security.jps.config=D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home\user_projects\domains\base_domain\config\fmwconfig\jps-config-jse.xml -Dcommon.components.home=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\oracle_common -Dopss.version=12.2.1.3
if NOT "%POST_CLASSPATH%"=="" (
 set POST_CLASSPATH=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\oracle_common\modules\oracle.jps\jps-manifest.jar;%POST_CLASSPATH%
) else (
 set POST_CLASSPATH=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\oracle_common\modules\oracle.jps\jps-manifest.jar
)

set WL_HOME=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\wlserver
for %%i in ("%WL_HOME%") do set WL_HOME=%%~fsi
set NODEMGR_HOME=D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home\user_projects\domains\base_domain\nodemanager
for %%i in ("%NODEMGR_HOME%") do set NODEMGR_HOME=%%~fsi
set DOMAIN_HOME=D:\Weblogic\Middleware\Oracle_Home\user_projects\domains\base_domain
for %%i in ("%DOMAIN_HOME%") do set DOMAIN_HOME=%%~fsi
set JAVA_OPTIONS=%JAVA_OPTIONS% -Dweblogic.RootDirectory=%DOMAIN_HOME% 
set JAVA_OPTIONS=-Dreports.tools.product.home=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\ReportsToolsComponent %JAVA_OPTIONS%
set PATH=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\ReportsToolsComponent\..\oui\lib\win64;%PATH%

set JAVA_OPTIONS=-Dohs.product.home=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\ohs %JAVA_OPTIONS%

set JAVA_OPTIONS=-Dreports.server.product.home=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\ReportsServerComponent %JAVA_OPTIONS%

set JAVA_OPTIONS=-Dreports.bridge.product.home=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\ReportsBridgeComponent %JAVA_OPTIONS%

set JAVA_OPTIONS=-Dreports.product.home=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\reports %JAVA_OPTIONS%

set JAVA_OPTIONS=-Dforms.product.home=E:\Weblogic12213\Middleware\Oracle_Home\forms %JAVA_OPTIONS%

@REM  Set JAVA_HOME for node manager
call "%DOMAIN_HOME%\bin\setNMJavaHome.cmd"
@REM  start node manager
call "%WL_HOME%\server\bin\startNodeManager.cmd"
ENDLOCAL

So, I believe there is something I am not doing properly? Or this is how it is supposed to be?

regards,

rajesh

When you start the servers for the first time (with any new install) you must start them with an elevated DOS shell.  This is explained in the Installation Guide.  The result of not doing this is that the Registry will not be properly updated.

Also, creating the new home for the new version is the expected way in which to upgrade.  You cannot install into an existing home.

@"Michael Ferrante-Oracle"

Michael Ferrante-Oracle wrote:
When you start the servers for the first time (with any new install) you must start them with an elevated DOS shell. This is explained in the Installation Guide. The result of not doing this is that the Registry will not be properly updated.
Also, creating the new home for the new version is the expected way in which to upgrade. You cannot install into an existing home.

Well, I am trying to understand what did the upgrade process actually done to the existing 12.2.1 installation. I start weblogic admin server it shows 12.2.1.3.0, so do the forms and reports server application deployments & OHS. All the windows command line executables are patched with 12.2.1.3.0 path references, the ONLY one stack which is NOT really upgraded, as I have found already are the development related.

By having 12.2.1.3.0 paths in the domain that was upgraded, it would become mandatory for me to let the 12.2.1.3.0 installation always in place so that the domain that was upgraded from 12.2.1 could function properly.

Anyway, thank you very much for the comments and I will do my "researches" to come up with some hacks, with which I were lucky in the past.

regards,

rajesh

Hello @"Michael Ferrante-Oracle"

Well, I am concluding the "research" with following findings

The upgrade process is basically meant for the user domains from previous releases & loaded with the binaries from the newer version of forms & reports

Developer tools those are created with the earlier versions are not upgraded, they remain the same at the domain level

Hence, if a developer wants to continue developing for the upgraded domain, should either create a new domain using the latest version of WebLogic + forms & reports OR go for a standalone installation of the forms developer.

I am pretty happy with having a choice to go for standalone forms developer, which I think is one of the best features Oracle has made available with 12c, compared to WebLogic 10.x and 11g developer suite.

Thanks once again "Mike"

regards,

rajesh