Generate Barcode Image in Oracle ADF using OnBarcode API

In this tutorial we will learn how to generate Barcode Image for any Number(Barcode) in ADF using OnBarcode API, this API provides barcode SDK(Software Development Kit) to generate Barcode. This is paid.
You can get it from http://www.onbarcode.com/  , click on Download to get barcode SDK.

• Now create a fusion web application and add barcode.jar to project libraries, you will get this JAR , when you download SDK
• Good thing about this API is that it is very simple to use, not much code required to generate a simple barcode image
• You can generate multiple type of Barcode as Code 39, Code 128, EAN-8, EAN-13, UPC-A, UPC-E
• Suppose i have to generate a Code128 type of Barcode for any barcode number, so for this write this simple code and you are done






Code128 barcode = new Code128();

barcode.setData("122322311");
barcode.drawBarcode();  

• Download sample application that integrates this API with Oracle ADF Download Sample ADF Application 
• Unzip and Run this application
  
  
   
   
• I have used a servlet in order to show image on page fragment

Set and Get Value from Taskflow parameter (pageFlowScope variable) from Managed Bean- ADF

Hello All

This post is about getting and setting value in taskFlow parameter using Java Code so for that we have created a application with bounded taskFlow

Let's see how to do this -

We have bounded taskflow having Input Parameter defined in it named GLBL_PARAM_TEST

and we have to set its value from managed bean.
this is very simple -see how to do that

• Get pageFlowScope Map and put parameter 's value in it



        Map paramMap = RequestContext.getCurrentInstance().getPageFlowScope();
        paramMap.put("GLBL_PARAM_TEST", "Ashish"); 



• And get Value from taskFlow parameter in managed bean





    public String resolvEl(String data){
               FacesContext fc = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();
               Application app = fc.getApplication();
               ExpressionFactory elFactory = app.getExpressionFactory();
               ELContext elContext = fc.getELContext();
               ValueExpression valueExp = elFactory.createValueExpression(elContext, data, Object.class);
               String Message=valueExp.getValue(elContext).toString();
               return Message;
             }


String param=resolvEl("#{pageFlowScope.GLBL_PARAM_TEST}");

Beauty of ADF- Taskflow, Difference b/w Facelets and JSP XML fragments in bounded taskflow

Oracle ADF framework support modular architecture for enterprize application development. Multiple small module can be bound together to form a large module .
The greatest advantage of ADF controller over core JSF navigation model is that it splits a single bulky module to multiple reusable and interconnected modules known as Taskflows.

i am not going deeper in Taskflows as every ADF developer know about it ,so the important part is page fragment.

• When  we create taskflow as bounded taskflow , and check it to create fragment in taskflow.

• Now when we create pagefragment in bounded taskflow, there is 2 option for creating fragment

Create fragment as Facelets
Create fragment as JSP XML 

Facelets- is default and official view handler for JSF pages, priviously JSP was used to view JSF pages but it didn't support all component so Facelets comes in picture under APACHE open source license. It supprts all UI component used by JSF (Java Server Faces).
Facelets was developed by Jacob Hookom in 2005.
If you create Facelets fragment in bounded taskflow, then taskflow must be dropped in a JSF page (parent page) not in .jspx (JSP XML ) page.
if you try to drop it into JSP XML page-

JSP XML- jspx is XML variant of JSP(Java Server Pages) to support XML document . JSP XML fragments are used in ADF inorder to support XML document and more powerful page validation techniques.
If you create jsp xml fragments in bounded taskflow, then taskflow must be dropped in a JSP XML(.jspx) page(parent page) not in JSF page.

Using Contextual Event in Oracle ADF (Region Communication)

Contextual event ,in simple terms is a way to communicate between taskflows.

Sometimes we have taskflow open in a region and have to get some values from that taskflow .

This scenario can be achieved by contextual event.

 

Contextual Event have two parts-

1. Publisher Event (Producer)- As button or any component that can raise event 
2. Handler Event (Customer)- that listens and process event published by producer

This tutorial is based on example developed on default HR schema of Oracle DB 11g

I have created two application and called first one in secod application as region.

• Create first application using Department table of HR schema and drag Department Name on page fragment, now create publisher event (follow steps) for Department Name .
• Select Department Name field in structure window and go to property Inspector select ContextualEvent
  click on green add icon and select event type and name for publisher event

 

• Select field value from Iterator Binding
  
• here you are done with publisher event or producer create a jar of this application in order to use it in second application.
• Now start Second Application that will handle and process this event, create a page and put an output text and set its value from managed bean
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Now create a event handler class to process published event and to make it available to page binding level , we have to create DataControl for this class.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Right click on event class and Click on CreateDataControl.
• Now add this method binding to page so that it can be accessible from page binding

• Now drag and drop taskflow from jar library on page as region by this published event will also be available to page
  

  
• Now go to page binding and goto ContextualEvents tab ,click on subscribers tab and click on add icon this will open a popup window ,click on search button , it will show available publisher event, now select event and goto handler search option and select function that you have previously added in page binding
• Give consumer parameter name same as event handler function

 

Now Run your Application - Download ADF Sample Application

Memory Scope For ADF Managed Beans-As per Fusion Developer guide

Scope of managed bean is a very important aspect while developing applications, so it is necessary to clearly understand memory scope of managed bean-
As per Fusion Developer's Guide for Oracle Application Development Framework 11g Release 1 (11.1.1)-

Application Scope-

The application scope lasts until the application stops. Values that you store in a managed bean with this scope are available to every session and every request that uses the application.
Avoid using this scope in a task flow because it persists beyond the life span of the task flow.

Session Scope-

The session scope begins when a user first accesses a page in the application and ends when the user's session times out due to inactivity, or when the application invalidates the session.
Use this scope only for information that is relevant to the whole session, such as user or context information. Avoid using it to pass values from one task flow to another. Instead, use parameters to pass values between task flows. Using parameters gives your task flow a clear contract with other task flows that call it or are called by it. Another reason to avoid use of session scope is because it may persist beyond the life span of the task flow.

Pageflow Scope-

Choose this scope if you want the managed bean to be accessible across the activities within a task flow. A managed bean that has a pageFlow scope shares state with pages from the task flow that access it. A managed bean that has a pageFlow scope exists for the life span of the task flow.If another task flow's page references the managed bean, the managed bean creates a separate instance of this object and adds it to the pageFlow scope of its task flow.

View Scope-

Use this scope for managed bean objects that are needed only within the current view activity and not across view activities. It defines scope for each view port that ADF Controller manages, for example, a root browser window or an ADF region.
The life span of this scope begins and ends when the current viewId of a view port changes. If you specify view, the application retains managed bean objects used on a page as long as the user continues to interact with the page. These objects are automatically released when the user leaves the page.

Request Scope-

Use request scope when the managed bean does not need to persist longer than the current request.

Backing Bean Scope-

A backing bean is a convention to describe a managed bean that stores accessors for UI components and event handling code on a JSF page. It exists for the duration of a request and should not be used to maintain state.
Use this scope if it is possible that your task flow appears in two ADF regions on the same JSF page and you want to isolate each instance of ADF region.

Currency Conversion - Google Calculator API integration in ADF using GSON

First ,thanks to this post http://blog.caplin.com/2011/01/06/simple-currency-conversion-using-google-calculator-and-java/ .
I was looking for any API, webservice for retrieving live currency fluctuation, finally i came to this solution that integrates Google Calculator with Java to calculate currenct currency rates and i have integrated this with my Oracle ADF Application

I have created an application using bounded taskflow -

• Created a .jsff page with two input text , to get value of Base and Term currency and a button, on which rate is calculated

 

•  In order to use Goolge Calculator, we have to use GSON (open source java library (API) to convert JSON objects in POJO (pure java object)) 
• To access GSON library we have to add google-gson-stream-2.2.1.jar in our project library - Download Gson Jar
• this trick uses google calculator for calculating converion rate, as we all know Google Calculator is very smart, whenever we search like 1 USD ,it always shows results according to locale

As 1 USD searched in India-

As 1 USD searched in UK- 

• this is also hidden benefit for our application , we can pass locale to get changed values also- now see what is the code that get values from Google Calculator



   public void calculateFluctuationButton(ActionEvent actionEvent) throws Exception {  
     String google = "http://www.google.com/ig/calculator?en=hi&q=";  
     /**Get values from page component binding*/  
     String baseCurrency = baseCurrencyBind.getValue().toString();  
     String termCurrency = termCurrencyBind.getValue().toString();  
     String charset = "UTF-8";  
     /**Replace url using your values-*/  
     URL url = new URL(google + baseCurrency + "%3D%3F" + termCurrency);  
     /**Go to url directly to see you result*/  
     System.out.println(url);  
     Reader reader = new InputStreamReader(url.openStream(), charset);  
     Result result = new Gson().fromJson(reader, Result.class);  
     System.out.println(result);  
     // Get the value without the term currency.  
     String amount = result.getRhs().split("\\s+")[0];  
     System.out.println(amount);  
     resultBind.setValue(amount);  
   }  



• See in code i have passed currency notation from page (INR,USD ) to bean and passed it in url of google calculator and this url returns results

Download Complete Application -Sample ADF Application

Gmail Integration with Oracle ADF using Java Mail API

Gmail is a free secure webmail provided by google, can be accessed by using POP3 or IMAP4 protocol
we have option to integrate Gmail with Java using Java Mail API and I have tried same in Oracle
ADF.
I have developed an application that can send mail (with Attachements) using Gmail in Oracle ADF,
using bounded TaskFlow.

• First , in bounded taskflow ,a login page is created, and a page to send mail is created
• Now you can get values from page and use in bean- So I am not going to write these things
• Integration points starts when you get mail server properties- Managed Bean Code
• You have to use 2 JAR ,inorder to use Java Mail API

  1.mail.jar 2. Activation.jar- Download

Properties emailProperties;

public void setMailServerProperties() {
String emailPort = "587"; //gmail's smtp port
emailProperties = System.getProperties();
emailProperties.put("mail.smtp.port", emailPort);
emailProperties.put("mail.smtp.auth", "true");
emailProperties.put("mail.smtp.starttls.enable", "true");

}

• Now you have to create your message (With or Without attachments)--
   


public void createEmailMessageWidtAtchmnt() throws AddressException, MessagingException {
toWhom = toBind.getValue().toString();
subject = subjectBind.getValue().toString();
messagae = messageBind.getValue().toString();
String[] toEmails = { toWhom };

String emailSubject = subject;
String emailBody = messagae;

mailSession = Session.getDefaultInstance(emailProperties, null);
emailMessage = new MimeMessage(mailSession);

for (int i = 0; i < toEmails.length; i++) {
emailMessage.addRecipient(Message.RecipientType.TO, new InternetAddress(toEmails[i]));
}

emailMessage.setSubject(emailSubject);

//1) create MimeBodyPart object and set your message content
BodyPart messageBodyPart1 = new MimeBodyPart();
messageBodyPart1.setText(emailBody);

emailMessage.setContent(emailBody, "text/html"); //for a html email


}

• here I am getting values from page component binding so don't get confused by this- toBind
  subjectBind, messageBind are component binding of page
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Code snippet to create mail with attachements, you have to do little change in createEmailMessageWidtAtchmnt() to add files in mail . This code browse files from D drive
  
  of system .


//1) create MimeBodyPart object and set your message content
BodyPart messageBodyPart1 = new MimeBodyPart();
messageBodyPart1.setText(emailBody);

//2) create new MimeBodyPart object and set DataHandler object to this object
MimeBodyPart messageBodyPart2 = new MimeBodyPart();

String filename = "D://" + file_name; //change accordingly
System.out.println("Exact path--->" + filename);
DataSource source = new FileDataSource(filename);
messageBodyPart2.setDataHandler(new DataHandler(source));
messageBodyPart2.setFileName(filename);


//5) create Multipart object and add MimeBodyPart objects to this object
Multipart multipart = new MimeMultipart();
multipart.addBodyPart(messageBodyPart1);
multipart.addBodyPart(messageBodyPart2);

//6) set the multiplart object to the message object
emailMessage.setContent(multipart);

• To add files in mail in ADF you have to use af:inputFile component, and create a ValueChangeListener on component that get fileName when you browse any file from D drive of your system .
  
  
private String file_name;

public void uploadedFileAttachmentVCE(ValueChangeEvent valueChangeEvent) {
UploadedFile file = (UploadedFile)valueChangeEvent.getNewValue();
file_name = file.getFilename();
}

• From login page you will get login emailId and password, that is set in managed bean code to authenticate user- and send mail


public void sendEmail() {

String emailHost = "smtp.gmail.com";
String fromUser = emailId; //just the id alone without @gmail.com
String fromUserEmailPassword = pwd;
Transport transport = null;
try {
transport = mailSession.getTransport("smtp");
} catch (NoSuchProviderException e) {
System.out.println("No such Provider Exception");
}
try {
transport.connect(emailHost, fromUser, fromUserEmailPassword);
transport.sendMessage(emailMessage, emailMessage.getAllRecipients());
transport.close();
StringBuilder msgEmail = new StringBuilder("Email Sent");
FacesMessage msg = new FacesMessage(msgEmail.toString());
msg.setSeverity(FacesMessage.SEVERITY_INFO);
FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().addMessage("No Network Error !", msg);
System.out.println("Email sent successfully.");
} catch (MessagingException e) {
System.out.println("somthing went wrong-->Messaging Exception");

}

}

Download Complete Application and map these code to bean-Download Sample ADF Application

Global Exception Handler for ADF Task Flow Method Calls

Exception Handler is the central point for handling unexpected Exceptions that are thrown during the Faces lifecycle.
ADF Task Flow provides this facility, using this you can handle all exception that raised in TaskFlow methods.
here i am using ADF bounded TaskFlow with page fragments(.jsff) .
Developers must use this facility to avoid unexpected exception inside taskflows.

This is very simple approach , you have to do nothing more but create a method in Task Flow and mark it as Exception Handler and write your code inside this method , that you want to show when any exception is caught in TaskFlow.

To implement this i have implemented this scenario-

• Create a method that throw an Exception and add it to taskFlow, and on page call this method on button click


public void exception() {
throw new JboException("Failded to load");
}

• When we click on button that call exception() method ,JboException is raised inside TaskFlow and look like this- Your page crashed

• Now create a method that will behave as ExceptionHandeler  and add it to TaskFlow and mark as Exception Handeler (Symbol in Jdev toolbar for marking)


public void exceptioHandeler() {
System.out.println("Inside Handeler");
FacesMessage message = new FacesMessage("This is custom Message for Jbo Exception-Exception Handeler");
message.setSeverity(FacesMessage.SEVERITY_WARN);
FacesContext fc = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();
fc.addMessage(null, message);

}

• Use this sign to mark method as Exception Handeler in bounded Task Flow

• Now Run your page and click on button that call exception() method, your page never crash, as there is handler

Find Sample application Download Sample ADF Application

Most Used Codes in ADF (Iterate over ViewObject, get Value from pageFlow Scope variable)

Iterate Over View Object-

Some times we need to iterate in table to check for some validation as we have  to check for duplicate record, we want to delete all data of table with one click.

then we have to get all rows of table- this is a very common use case in ADF, so you can use following snippet of code to do this

1. Using AllRowInRange method to get rows available in range

  ViewObject vo=am.getViewObject();


   // Get All Rows in range of ViewObject in an Array
    Row[] rArray=vo.getAllRowsInRange();
    
    //Loop over array of Rows
    for(Row r:rArray){

       /*your operation code*/

       }

2. Using RowSetIterator-

  ViewObject vo = this.getViewObject();
       
       //Create RowSetIterator
        RowSetIterator rsi = vo.createRowSetIterator(null);
       //Iterate Over this to get all rows
        while (rsi.hasNext()) {
            Row nextRow = rsi.next();
            
        }
        rsi.closeRowSetIterator();

Get Value from taskFlow parameter(Using pageFlow Scope)-

we can get value from TaskFlow parameter using pageflow scope and can use it in Our Bean.

Suppose we have defined a parameter in page to pass Session_Id.

We can get it using pageflow scope

Integer sessionId = Integer.parseInt(resolvEl("#{pageFlowScope.Session_Id}"));

 Code For resolvEl-

    public String resolvEl(String data) {
        FacesContext fc = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();
        Application app = fc.getApplication();
        ExpressionFactory elFactory = app.getExpressionFactory();
        ELContext elContext = fc.getELContext();
        ValueExpression valueExp = elFactory.createValueExpression(elContext, data, Object.class);
        String Message = valueExp.getValue(elContext).toString();
        return Message;
    }