In APEX Instances within corporations you may want to display your own Logo or some custom text explaining your developers what to do and what not.

Some lines of javascript and jQuery to the rescue, i build a nice little function which is super easy to call and gives you full flexibility to customize the Workspace Login Page.

Many thanks to Chris for testing and reviewing the function and some important hints on how to improve my code!

This is what the Login Page per Default looks like:

After calling the new function the Login Page looks much nicer (notice the missing 3 regions at the bottom):

Looks way better, doesn’t it?

Now the most important part, here is all the code you need to get it running on your instance, you put this code in the “Login Message” which is defined in the Apex Administration panel under “Manage Instance”:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://apexlib.oracleapex.info/ApexLib_Loginpage.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
apexlib.loginpage.customizeLoginPage
( "click-click IT Solutions"
, "1.8em"
, "Welcome to the APEX Hosting Instance of <a href='http://www.click-click.at' target='_blank'>click-click IT Solutions</a>.<br />If you don't have a login please contact the Administrator to get one.<br /><br />Have a nice day!"
, "http://www.click-click.at/wp-content/themes/click/images/clickclick_logo.gif"
, "http://www.click-click.at"
, false
, false
, false
, false);
</script>

You can hotlink the new ApexLib_Loginpage.js directly from http://apexlib.oracleapex.info, or you download a local copy from the ApexLib Sourceforge SVN.

Taking a look at the function declaration should explain the options:

apexlib.loginpage.customizeLoginPage = function
( pLoginRegionTitle          // string to be displayed in the region header
, pLoginRegionTitleFontSize  // font-size for the region title, should include em or px
, pLoginRegionText           // replaces the explanation text inside the login-region, can include HTML
, pLoginRegionLogoImage      // URL pointing to an image with max size 240x200px
, pLinkLogoToHref            // when user clicks the new Logo, this URL will be opened
, pShowLoginMessageRegion    // true/false: show the Login Message Region (the yellow one)
, pShowWorkspaceRegion       // true/false: show the Workspace Region
, pShowGettingStartedRegion  // true/false: show the Getting Started Region
, pShowCommunityRegion       // true/false: show the Community Region
)

Yesterday the Patchset APEX 4.0.1.00.03 was released and today i can see it in my APEX Builder.As you can see on the picture below there is a new small section on the right side which appears only if there are any important news.

It integrates with Firefox and Internet Explorer to put a wealth of new features to your favourite development tool. The good news is, it’s Open Source and you can use it for free!

After reading Håvard Kristiansen Blogpost about Hotkeys for APEX 4.0 i decided to take Patrick Wolf’s APEX BuilderPlugin and adapt it to be used with APEX 4.0.

It was easier than i thought, basically only the HTML Structure of the APEX Builder had changed and the BuilderPlugin needed different jQuery Selectors.

The new Version 2.0 of the APEX BuilderPlugin now supports APEX 4.0 and 3.x.

Please read the Documentation to get a grip on what the BuilderPlugin can do for you.

I also added some default Keyboard Shortcuts:

• F8: Run Application
• F10: Apply Changes or Create Button
• Ctrl+Shift+S: go to Shared Components
• Ctrl+Shift+E: go to Edit Page
• Ctrl+Shift+>: go to next Page/Wizard Step
• Ctrl+Shift+<: go to previous Page/Wizard Step

You can easily change the defined Shortcuts by editing the apex_builder_plugin.js File as described in the documentation.

Note: When using the ApexLib Framework, the BuilderPlugin adds ApexLib Sections to the Builder where you can easily define the ApexLib Settings.

Now download the BuilderPlugin and enjoy the new comfort of your APEX Builder :-)

Talk about it, inform your customers, prepare workarounds for the nasty ones and bugfixes/patches for everything else.

Oracle knows all this and provides a list of known bugs/issues with Oracle APEX 4.0.

If you encounter a bug which is not listed there, please report it in the forum (maybe using “Bug” or “Bugreport” in the Subject).

Don’t be shy, even if it turns out not to be a bug, you’ll definitely learn something :-)

Update:
Look at a very good example of how fast a bug can be solved as soon as it is reported.

• Is ApexLib still under active development?
• Do we need ApexLib on APEX 4.0?
• What about my applications using ApexLib, can i upgrade to APEX 4.0?

In short: you don’t need to worry.

ApexLib continues to make Oracle APEX an even better product and runs perfectly smooth with Version 4.0 of APEX.

Check out the Feature Demonstration Application on apex.oracle.com or download ApexLib Framework and try it on your local database.

Is ApexLib still under active development?

Yes. ApexLib is an ongoing project which aims to improve APEX where it isn’t as perfect or as comfortable as you wish. I’m currently planning improvements especially for APEX 4.0, e.g. even better TabForm support.

Do we need ApexLib Framwork on APEX 4.0 ?

Oracle APEX 4.0 includes many improvements which ApexLib provides for a long time (thanks to Patrick Wolf, who now develops cool new features in APEX).
But there are still plenty things ApexLib can help you with, even when you are using APEX 4.0.

What about my applications using ApexLib, can i upgrade to APEX 4.0?

Absolutely, just make sure you are using the latest version of ApexLib Framework, then you are good to upgrade to APEX 4.0.

Do you include Feature XY in your next release?

If you need certain features for the upcoming release of ApexLib Framwork, just drop me a note. I’ll try to include whatever you need and whatever my limited time makes possible.

I’m soooo happy with ApexLib, it made my application even better!

Good to hear, makes me happy and proud. If you want you also can thank me in USD or EUR :-)

That’s all, hope you enjoy ApexLib Framework and Oracle APEX 4.0!

Peter

P.S.: Make sure to check out the ApexLib Tools, will be more there soon!

During download i copied my Apex 3.2 virtual machine, assigned new ip’s and so on.

As soon as the download was finished i checked the installation documentation, nothing so far has changed, that is a good sign.

So just calling @apexins, passing the required parameters and of it went.

And now, just 50 min. after hitting the Download button APEX 4.0 is running successfully on my notebook!

Come on and get it !

See also David Peakes Blog.

Don’t loose any time, go get it.

If you aren’t sure whether or how to install it, you also can use the SaaS-Instance on http://apex.oracle.com to give it a spin.

Have you already read the Overview about New Features ?

If you want to get an expert introduction into APEX 4.0 and you live near Vienna/Austria you should definitely book this workshop.

Enjoy Oracle APEX 4.0 and show all the Java and .NET guys how fast you can develop amazing applications!

Everyone?No, a small group of APEX enthusiasts are glued to their monitors since Patrick started to leak informations (also here on Twitter) APEX 4.0 would be released soon.

After attending many conferences and events where Oracle told (since early 2008) how fantastic APEX 4.0 will be (and myself talking to countless customers about whats there to come and how fantastic it will be), it comes finally true.

Enough said: go to http://apex.oracle.com and try APEX 4.0 online. Since this is a pre-production release you cannot download it now, but this is one step closer than the Early-Adopter releases :-)

Spread the Word: APEX 4.0 is out finally coming!

Websheets are available now, a totally new and better debug interface and many more.

Read these posts to get a complete picture:

• Joel Kallman – Application Express 4.0 Early Adopter Phase II is available
• Patrick Wolf – Oracle APEX 4.0 Early Adopter Release 2 available!
• John Scott – APPLICATION EXPRESS 4.0 – EARLY ADOPTER 2 NOW AVAILABLE
• Mark Lancaster – APEX 4.0 EA2: Improved debugging, my new favorite feature

Don’t waste any time, go to http://tryapexnow.com/ and sign yourself up for a workspace. After logging in to your new workspace click the “Learn more” button to go to a very good introduction documentation.