Re: Converting Forms 4.0.12 to Forms 4.5

In article <41t8nc$96v_at_sndsu1.sedalia.sinet.slb.com>, ramesh_at_eagle.uucp says...
>
>
> Has anybody done a conversion of Oracle Forms 4.0.12 (Motif on
 SunOS)
> applications to Forms 4.5.x? I am trying to figure out whether there
 are any
> problems involved in this conversion (without making any changes in the
> functionality). I want to come up with a time estimate for the
 conversion of
> our applications.
>

hi!

we haven't done much of this yet, but will likely be converting a whole pile of apps in the near future (ie: when the clients come up with some money for the conversions - oh, the joys of consulting).

we HAVE made a few tests. MOSTLY the conversion goes straightforeward (ie: load the 4.0 form into designer4.5, and then save it!) but:

(1) this does not take advantage of any of the fancy new features of forms4.5. these you'll have to do by hand

(2) depemding whether you have any "system" libraries, you may need to change things. with 4.0 we stored a library" form in the database, whereas in 4.5 we'll go the PLL route. i think that this will require re-referencing the items....

(3) THIS IS THE GOTCHA - in an application that we inherited, there was a table name change somewhere after the initial development of the form. forms4.0 handled this by keeping the original table/block name, but adding some kind of "alias" to the new correct tablename. during the conversion (to forms4.5.5). this alias was lost, and the block tried to reference the table under the old name.... oops..... we had to re-code the table reference.

other that these things, the conversion of a few test screens went pretty simple.

my suggestion would be to try out one of your forms - preferably the "biggest" and "hairiest".

my general feeling is about 1/2 day per form. so double or maybe tripple that for a "worst case"....

anyone else have any goodluck/badluck stories???

dan

-- 
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      dan macdonald                        LGS Group Inc
      dmacdonald_at_vic.lgs.ca                victoria, bc, canada
                                           phone:604.380.6377
          "Let the words be yours, I'm done with mine..."
                                                         - john p barlow
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