Setting Up Your Own Local Environment

Instead of using the hosted demo environment, you can install Oracle Application Express locally. If you do a local installation, you must set up your development environment. The general steps you need to perform include:

  1. Log in to Application Express Administration Services, as described in "Logging In to Administration Services".

  2. Create a workspace, as described in "Creating a Workspace".

  3. (Optional) Create additional users with developer or administrator privileges, as described in "Creating Additional User Accounts".


Note:

This tutorial explains a simplified method for setting up your development environment so that you can begin using Oracle Application Express. However, when you want to set up your development environment to accommodate your real-life development needs, review "Oracle Application Express Hosted Instance Adminitration" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

Logging In to Administration Services

To set up your local development environment, you first need to log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services. This is a separate application for managing an entire Oracle Application Express instance.

To log in to the Oracle Application Express Administration Services:

  1. In a Web browser, go to the Oracle Application Express Administration Services application. By default, Oracle Application Express Administration Services installs to one of the following locations:

    • If your setup uses the embedded PL/SQL gateway, go to:

      http://hostname:port/apex/apex_admin
      

      Where:

      • hostname is the name of the system where Oracle XML DB HTTP Server is installed.

      • port is the port number assigned to Oracle XML DB HTTP Server. In a default installation, this number is 8080.

      • apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the configuration file.

        For users who have upgraded from earlier versions, or who have a custom configuration, this value may be htmldb or something else. Verify your DAD with your Oracle Application Express administrator.


      See Also:

      "Verifying the Oracle XML DB HTTP Server Port" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User's Guide

    • If your setup uses the Oracle HTTP Server (Apache) with mod_plsql, go to:

      http://hostname:port/pls/apex/apex_admin
      

      Where:

      • hostname is the name of the system where Oracle HTTP Server is installed.

      • port is the port number assigned to Oracle HTTP Server. In a default installation, this number is 7777. You can find information about your Oracle HTTP Server installation's port number from either of the following files:

        ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\install\portlist.ini
        
        ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\Apache\conf\httpd.conf
        

        Be aware that if you change a port number, it is not updated in the portlist.ini file. You can only rely on this file immediately after installation.

      • pls is the indicator to use the mod_plsql cartridge.

      • apex is the database access descriptor (DAD) defined in the mod_plsql configuration file.

        For users who have upgraded from earlier versions, or who have a custom configuration, this value may be htmldb or something else. Verify the DAD with your Oracle Application Express administrator.


        See Also:

        "Managing Oracle Database Port Numbers" in Oracle Application Express Installation Guide and ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HTTPSERVER_HOME\Apache\modplsql\conf\dads.readme for more information on database access descriptors

    The Login page appears.

  2. In Username, enter the username you specified when you installed Oracle Application Express.

  3. In Password, enter the Oracle Application Express administrator account password you specified when you installed Oracle Application Express.

  4. Click Login.

    Oracle Application Express Administration Services appears.

Creating a Workspace

From Administration Services, you need to create a workspace. A workspace is a shared work area within the Oracle Application Express development environment that has a unique ID and name. All users in the workspace can access all its applications and scripts. For more information about workspaces, see "About Workspaces".

To create a workspace:

  1. Log in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.

    The Home page appears for Administration Services.

  2. Click Manage Workspaces.

  3. Under Manage Workspaces, click Create Workspace.

    The Create Workspace Wizard appears.

  4. For Identify Workspace, enter the following information:

    1. Workspace Name - Enter a unique workspace name. This guide uses 2DayPlus for the workspace name.

      In general, you want to enter a workspace name that is significant to you. For example, you might enter your own name, your company name, or the name of the project or department to which your application pertains.

      If you want to use the same name for both your workspace and schema, enter a workspace name that contains only alphabetic characters. Schema names are restricted to alphabetic characters.

    2. Description - Enter a workspace description.

    3. Click Next.

    Description of cr_wkpc1.gif follows
    Description of the illustration cr_wkpc1.gif

  5. For Identify Schema, enter the following information:

    1. Re-use existing schema - Select No if you are creating your first workspace.

      A schema is a logical container for database objects. In this step, you are creating the container for database objects you will add later.

    2. Schema Name - Enter a schema name. This guide uses TWODAYPLUS for the schema name.

      You must use only alphabetic characters in your schema name.

    3. Schema Password - Enter a case-sensitive password.

    4. Space Quota (MB) - Select at least 10 MB to accommodate the necessary space for creating the objects required for this guide.

    5. Click Next.

    Description of cr_wkspc_schema.gif follows
    Description of the illustration cr_wkspc_schema.gif

  6. For Identify Administrator, enter the following information:

    1. Administrator Username - Accept the default, ADMIN, or enter another user name to be used in Oracle Application Express.

      You are creating an account for only one user, yourself as an administrator, at this time. To see instructions for creating additional users, see "Creating Additional User Accounts".

    2. Administrator Password - Enter a case-sensitive password.

    3. Enter the remaining information, including your valid email address, and click Next.

      The login credentials for accessing Oracle Application Express will be sent to the email address you enter here, if you have configured the email settings for your Oracle Application Express environment.

      Description of cr_wkspc_admin.gif follows
      Description of the illustration cr_wkspc_admin.gif

  7. Confirm your selections and click Create.

Logging In to Your Local Instance

To log in to your local instance of Oracle Application Express, you must have this information:

If you set up your development environment, you have your login credentials. Otherwise, contact the person who created your user account to supply the information.

To log in to Oracle Application Express:

  1. In a Web browser, go to the Oracle Application Express Login page. By default, Oracle Application Express installs to one of the following locations:

    • If your setup uses the embedded PL/SQL gateway:

      http://hostname:port/apex
      
    • If your setup uses the Oracle HTTP Server (Apache) with mod_plsql:

      http://hostname:port/pls/apex
      

    For an explanation of the URLs, see "Logging In to Administration Services".

    The Login page appears.

  2. Under Login, enter your login credentials.

  3. Click Login.