APEX-AT-WORK by Tobias Arnhold

Browsing "Older Posts"

Run an executable file from your browser

Von Tobias Arnhold → 4.23.2010

Internet Explorer is the only browser which can run executable files. I don't know any other browser which supports this feature. Of course there are common reason why! With IE you need to use VBScript. As we all know it is not secure way of developing web application. So be careful in creating security rules inside your Internet Explorer.

This code shows two examples:


<HTML>
  <HEAD>
  </HEAD>
  <BODY> 
 
 <SCRIPT language = "vbscript">
 'define application
 dim v_prog
 
 'set command
 v_prog = "C:\Programme\7-Zip\7zFM.exe"
 
 'create a shell
 set v_shell = createobject("wscript.shell")

        'run application 
 v_shell.run(v_prog)
 </SCRIPT>
    
 <SCRIPT language = "vbscript">
  'set variables
  dim v_shell
  dim v_return
  dim v_prog
  
  'set command
  v_prog = "%SystemRoot%\system32\ping 192.168.0.1"
  
  'create a shell
  set v_shell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
  
  'run application
  v_return = v_shell.Run(v_prog,1,TRUE)
  
  'check return value
  if v_return = 0 then
   MsgBox "Server is up",64,"Server status"
  else
   MsgBox "Server is down",64,"Server status"
  end if
 </SCRIPT>
 
  </BODY>
</HTML>

How to: Visual Basic Scripting - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t0aew7h6%28v=VS.85%29.aspx

APEX issues

Get current url string

Von Tobias Arnhold → 4.19.2010

There are a couple of ways getting the url within javascript:
Netlobo.com - Get URL Parameters Using Javascript
mattwhite.me - Get URL Parameter in Javascript
It's all about this function: document.location.href

To get the url with APEX features just follow these posts:
Oracle Apex Notebook - Get server URL in Apex
APEX forum - Display current URL on page
APEX forum - How to get the Current page's URL to an Item?
APEX forum - How to get Current URL in Apex?

APEX examples

Fill select results with blank rows

Von Tobias Arnhold → 4.14.2010

To fill selects to a specific amount of rows with blank rows. Just use the rownum connect by trick:


-- select template
SELECT *
FROM (SELECT rownum, test_col
      FROM test_table t
      UNION ALL
      SELECT *
      FROM (SELECT rownum AS er, 'empty' 
            FROM dual CONNECT BY rownum <= 99) e
      WHERE e.er > (SELECT MAX(rownum) FROM test_table));

-- emp table example for 20 rows
SELECT *
FROM (SELECT rownum, ename, job
      FROM emp em
      UNION ALL
      SELECT *
      FROM (SELECT rownum AS er, '-' as er1, '-' as er2 
            FROM dual CONNECT BY rownum <= 20) e
      WHERE e.er > (SELECT MAX(rownum) FROM emp));

I tried the select inside the APEX SQL Workshop:

APEX examples

Open Windows directory with APEX (IE only)

Von Tobias Arnhold → 4.12.2010

All you need to open a MS file system folder with APEX is this little javascript:
Header part


<script type="text/javascript">
function fnc_window()  {w = open('C:\\Users', "winLov","scrollbars=yes,resizable=no,width=600,height=400");
if (w.opener == null)
w.opener = self;
}
</script>

Open window on page load


<body onload="javascript:fnc_window()">

About a comment from Carsten
Dies ist das richtige Select:
SELECT '\\apc' || pcnummer || '\c$' as LINK FROM table....;
Interessante Idee!

APEX examples

Open your browser window in fullscreen mode

Von Tobias Arnhold → 4.07.2010

I answered a question in the APEX forum about an automatic full screen mode for your APEX application.

There are a couple of ways how you can achieve this. Anyway there is no simple solution and each way has some bad sides too.

Solution 1: Use a temporary HTML page to open your application window


<HTML>
  <HEAD>
    <TITLE>Test</TITLE>
  </HEAD>
  <BODY>
  <script type="text/javascript">
   window.opener=self;
   // fullscreen only 
   window.open('http://YOUR_URL','','fullscreen=yes');
   // fullscreen with no bars inside your browser
   window.open('http://YOUR_URL','','fullscreen=yes,menubar=no,toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes');
 window.close();
  </script>
  </BODY>
</HTML>

Solution 2: Use ActiveX (IE only)


<HTML>
 <HEAD>
 <script type="text/javascript">
  function fnc_fullscreen()
  {
  var obj = new ActiveXObject("Wscript.shell");
  obj.SendKeys("{f11}");
  }
 </script>
 </HEAD>
 <BODY onload="javascript:fnc_fullscreen()"> 
 
 </BODY>
</HTML>

Solution 3: Set size after max screen size (not good for two screens, not tested yet)


<HTML>
 <HEAD>
 <script type="text/javascript">
 function fnc_fullscreen()
  {
  window.moveTo(0,0);
  window.resizeTo(screen.availWidth,screen.availHeight);
  }
 </script>
 </HEAD>
 <BODY onload="javascript:fnc_fullscreen()"> 
 
 </BODY>
</HTML>

Source: http://www.webmasterworld.com/webmaster/3792262.htm

If you found a better way fixing this issue. I would really like to hear it.

Browsing "Older Posts"

Run an executable file from your browser

More interesting blog posts about common APEX issues

Get current url string

Fill select results with blank rows

Open Windows directory with APEX (IE only)

Open your browser window in fullscreen mode