Re: PL/SQL web question

tony (ttigger4321_at_hotmail.com) wrote:
: I have a hypothetical plsql question.

: We want an application with a procedure, say, pkg_form.procedure_fill,
: which invokes a web form with several text fields. A user completes
: at least one field and then clicks on a link to
: pkg_search.procedure_lookup which closes the form window & opens
: another. After finding the data they want in the search screen they
: want a link to take them back to the form screen where previously
: filled in data will not be lost and the data they found in the search
: screen will be filled in as well.

: Can we do this with plsql or do we have to use javascript with a
: pop-up window? Any pointers are appreciated.

plsql can be used to solve many problems including the above (assuming you have some way for a web form client to interact with the plsql), but the fact that you are even comparing plsql and javascript, and wondering if you "have to use javascript/pop-up window" makes me think that the you do not understand how the web form application works in the first place.

That being so, it's hard to properly answer your question.

Many web applications such as the above are written using techniques like CGI (often that means Perl) or Java servlets/JSP's. The application has access to a database so it can retrieve and store data as required, but the database does not normally interact directly with the user.

So, a first step to solve your problem would be to build a dummy web app using one of those techniques but just using a few hard coded values. This phase would allow a user to step through the various web screens and forms, but only certain (hard coded) input would actually work.

The second step would be to connect the application to a database so that real data could be handled. The web app would still handle the interactions, but it would do lookups against the database to provide values. It also, might, do updates into the database to record the data the user has selected earlier, though you may also decide to use any one of various other techniques for solving that (typical) aspect of the problem.

In the web screens, you might decide that javascript and pop-up windows provides a good interface, and the way you built the app would have to support that, but ultimately that's a design decision for the interface, not any kind of requirement in solving the problem. Received on Mon Jun 03 2002 - 12:37:26 CDT