Differences between Oracle APEX 4.2 and 5.0

If you haven’t heard: APEX 5.0 is out !

And I finally got some time on my hands to do my usual “diff” between the new and previous version to point out all API and View changes.

To me this is a very valuable exercise to absorb all new information and to get to know all new Features of a version. Because everything I find in View and API changes, must also be reflected in the APEX UI (Builder, Settings, …), right?
Well, lets say this is right most of the time. Sometimes I also stumble across hidden gems, which makes this even more valuable to me.

For previous posts please see:

Carsten Czarski also published an interesting approach to find out what’s new in a version: https://twitter.com/cczarski/status/595855489197600769

General

This was the longest development cycle ever in the history of APEX, upcoming versions will be delivered sooner again
There is a wealth of new stuff in this release, the two biggest changes are the Page Designer and the Universal Theme, which aren’t reflected in View and API changes
Processes have been converted to use the Plugin Interface
New Region Display Point “Page Template Body”

Changed API’s

This section lists public API’s and changes that are of interest for everyone. I have omitted some changes which are meant to be internal, even though they are part of public packages.

APEX_APPLICATION

new function apps_only_workspace – returns true/false if the current workspace is used for Packaged Applications only
stores all page-meta-data now in component-specific arrays: e.g. g_items, g_buttons, …

APEX_APPLICATION_INSTALL

new option and corresponding functions to get/set a flag to automatically install supporting objects with the application

APEX_AUTHORIZATION

now supports dynamic groups which do not need to exist in the APEX repository

APEX_AUTHENTICATION

p_password in post_login is now defaulted to NULL and should be omitted anyways

APEX_COLLECTION

now uses algorithm defined in CHECKSUM_HASH_FUNCTION for creating “MD5” checksums

APEX_ERROR

type t_error now also show the statement where the error occured (in case of parsing error) and the original_message/info

APEX_ESCAPE

removed some constants (e.g. SPACE#, HASH#) but included those values in c_html_whitelist_tags
new functions to escape json, regular expressions and css selectors

APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN

new functions to blacklist schemas using restrict_/unrestrict_schema, so that they cannot be assigned to a workspace
using create_schema_exception a restricted schema can be assigned to a workspace
add_workspace supports now the new workspace types through parameter p_workspace_type

APEX_IR

change_subscription_email allows to change the email address of a subscribed interactive report

new: APEX_JSON

create JSON from PL/SQL

APEX_LDAP

added support to search the LDAP repository

APEX_PAGE

get_page_mode returns NORMAL/MODAL/NON_MODAL
the new function get_url constructs an APEX url out of single parameters (p_application, p_page, p_session, …). It is a nice alternative to apex_util.prepare_url

APEX_PLUGIN

has now support for region columns (ie report columns)
Render-Region function now can return a navigable_dom_id
extended some record types

APEX_PLUGIN_UTIL

added p_escape_display_extra to all get_display_data functions
new helper functions get_html_attr, get_link, get_data2, get_attribute_as_number

APEX_REGION

purge_cache – new parameter p_current_session_only

removed: APEX_SITE_ADMIN_PRIVS

functionality moved to APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN

new: APEX_SPATIAL

technically it was added with 4.2.5

APEX_UTIL

function feedback_enabled returns true/falls whether feedback is enabled
new function reset_password can be used to implement a custom change-password page in an application.
helper function get_hash can be used to compute a hash over an array of values
uncompress_int was now introduced as counterpart to the already existing compress_int
new function set_group_group_grants and set_group_user_grants
prepare_url – new parameters p_triggering_element and p_dialog – also checks if mentioned page-items exist and raise exception otherwise

APEX_WEBSERVICE

make_request and make_rest_request – new parameter p_scheme can be Basic or AWS
there is now make_rest_request_b returning a BLOB instead of a CLOB

new: APEX_ZIP

zip/unzip BLOBs within PL/SQL

WWV_FLOW_API

has been extended to reflect the meta-data changes in APEX 5.0
standing out there is function varchar2_to_blob which converts a varchar2 array to a BLOB

WWV_FLOW_UTILITIES (maybe not 100% public…)

several new help functions to deal with large strings in CLOB’s: push, split, append, join, wrap
is_email checks if a string looks like an email address
other new functions could indicate friendly APEX URLs in a future version: get_friendly_app_url, get_friendly_workspace_url
export_application_to_clob – new params export_pkg_app_mapping, with_original_ids, exclude_subscriptions

Deprecated/Deleted Functions

APEX_CSS.new_css_repository_record – use wwv_flow_api.create_app_static_file and create_workspace_static_file instead
APEX_CSS.remove_css
APEX_PAGE.is_jqm_tablet_ui
APEX_UTIL.get_language_selector_list
APEX_UTIL.get_language_selector_ul
APEX_UTIL.get_language_selector_ul2
APEX_UTIL.reset_authorizations – use apex_authorization.reset_cache instead
APEX_UTIL.public_check_authorization – use apex_authorization.is_authorized instead
APEX_UTIL.export_application
APEX_UTIL.export_application_page
APEX_UTIL.export_application_component
APEX_UTIL.get_application_id_status
APEX_UTIL.get_application_name
WWV_FLOW_API.create_or_remove_file – use wwv_flow_api.create_app_static_file, create_workspace_static_file instead

Changed Views

APEX_APPLICATIONS

FILE_PREFIX
FILE_VERSION
RUNTIME_API_USAGE
REJOIN_EXISTING_SESSIONS
HTTP_RESPONSE_HEADERS
BOOKMARK_CHECKSUM_FUNCTION
Obsolete:
- CONTENT_DELIVERY_NETWORK
- JAVASCRIPT_FILE_URLS
- INCLUDE_LEGACY_JAVASCRIPT
- those columns now show NULL if more than one USER_INTERFACE is defined

APEX_APPLICATION_AUTH

RAS_MODE
RAS_DYNAMIC_ROLES
RAS_NAMESPACES

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGES

new columns for PAGE_MODE (NORMAL/MODAL/NON_MODAL) and some DIALOG settings (title, height, width, …)
also new settings to store navigation-list information
PAGE_CSS_CLASSES
PAGE_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
CACHE_MODE
REJOIN_EXISTING_SESSIONS

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_DA

WHEN_SELECTION_TYPE_CODE

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_DA_ACTS

AFFECTED_ELEMENTS_TYPE_CODE

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_BUTTONS

BUTTON_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
GRID_COLUMN_CSS_CLASSES
GRID_COLUMN_ATTRIBUTES
ICON_CSS_CLASSES
PRE_ELEMENT_TEXT — Region and Page Item Buttons are now the same and stored in the same table !
POST_ELEMENT_TEXT
REQUEST_SOURCE_TYPE

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_FLASH5

EXTRA_Y_AXIS_MIN
EXTRA_Y_AXIS_MAX

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_IR

SHOW_PIVOT
FIXED_HEADER
FIXED_HEADER_MAX_HEIGHT

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_IR_COL

REGION_NAME
ALLOW_PIVOT
STATIC_ID
CSS_CLASSES

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_IR_GRPBY

FUNCTION*07* and FUNCTION*08*
SORT*05* and SORT*06*

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_IR_RPT

REGION_ID

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_ITEMS

ITEM_CSS_CLASSES
ITEM_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
GRID_LABEL_COLUMN_SPAN
GRID_COLUMN_CSS_CLASSES
GRID_COLUMN_ATTRIBUTES

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_PROC

PROCESS_TYPE_PLUGIN_NAME

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_REGIONS

GRID_COLUMN_CSS_CLASSES
GRID_COLUMN_ATTRIBUTES
ICON_CSS_CLASSES
REGION_SUB_CSS_CLASSES
REGION_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
COMPONENT_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
SOURCE_TYPE_PLUGIN_NAME
FIXED_HEADER
FIXED_HEADER_MAX_HEIGHT
CACHE_DEPENDS_ON_ITEMS
LIST_ID
BREADCRUMB_ID

APEX_APPLICATION_PROCESSES

PROCESS_TYPE_PLUGIN_NAME

APEX_APPLICATION_TEMP_BC

DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
PRESET_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS

APEX_APPLICATION_TEMP_BUTTON

DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
PRESET_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS

APEX_APPLICATION_TEMP_LABEL

DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
PRESET_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
BEFORE_ELEMENT
AFTER_ELEMENT
HELP_LINK
ERROR_TEMPLATE

APEX_APPLICATION_TEMP_LIST

JAVASCRIPT_FILE_URLS
JAVASCRIPT_CODE_ONLOAD
CSS_FILE_URLS
INLINE_CSS
DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
PRESET_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
A01_LABEL … A20_LABEL

APEX_APPLICATION_TEMP_PAGE

DIALOG_JS_INIT_CODE
DIALOG_JS_CLOSE_CODE
DIALOG_JS_CANCEL_CODE
GRID_ALWAYS_EMIT
GRID_DEFAULT_LABEL_COL_SPAN
DIALOG_HEIGHT
DIALOG_WIDTH
DIALOG_MAX_WIDTH
DIALOG_CSS_CLASSES
DIALOG_BROWSER_FRAME
DEFAULT_TEMPALTE_OPTIONS
PRESET_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
PAGE_TEMPLATE_ID

APEX_APPLICATION_TEMP_REGION

DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
PRESET_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS

APEX_APPLICATION_TEMP_REPORT

DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
PRESET_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS

APEX_APPLICATION_THEMES

Navgiation List/Bar changes
new DEFAULT*TEMPLATE columns
several columns for Icons and Icon-Library
JAVASCRIPT_FILE_URLS
CSS_FILE_URLS
FILE_PREFIX
FILES_VERSION

APEX_APPLICATION_THEME_STYLES

THEME_ROLLER_INPUT_FILE_URLS
THEME_ROLLER_CONFIG
THEME_ROLLER_OUTPUT_FILE_URL
THEME_ROLLER_READ_ONLY

APEX_APPLICATION_TRANSLATIONS

IS_JS_MESSAGE

APEX_APPL_LOAD_TABLES

SKIP_VALIDATION

APEX_APPL_PLUGINS

JAVASCRIPT_FILE_URLS
CSS_FILE_URLS
FILES_VERSION

APEX_APPL_PLUGIN_ATTRIBUTES

IS_COMMON
SHOW_IN_WIZARD
MIN_VALUE
MAX_VALUE
UNIT
SUPPORTED_UI_TYPES
DEPENDING_ON_COMP_PROP_ID
REFERENCE_SCOPE
EXAMPLES

APEX_APPL_PLUGIN_ATTR_VALUES

IS_QUICK_PICK
HELP_TEXT

APEX_APPL_TEMP_PAGE_DP

GLV_NEW_ROW

APEX_APPL_TEMP_REGION_DP

GLV_NEW_ROW

APEX_APPL_USER_INTERFACES

Navigation List/Bar settings
CONTENT_DELIVERY_NETWORK
JAVASCRIPT_FILE_URLS
CSS_FILE_URLS
INCLUDE_LEGACY_JAVASCRIPT
INCLUDE_JQUERY_MIGRATE

APEX_WORKSPACES

ALLOW_PACKAGED_APP_INS_YN
ALLOW_TEAM_DEV_FILES_YN
FILE_STORAGE_MAX
FILES_VERSION
EMAIL_MAXIMUM
TEAM_DEV_FS_LIMIT
MAXIMUM_SESSION_LIFE_SECONDS
MAXIMUM_SESSION_IDLE_SECONDS
MAX_WORKSPACE_REQUESTS
MAX_SESSION_REQUESTS
MAX_SESSION_KILL_TIMEOUT

APEX_WORKSPACE_ACTIVITY_LOG

PAGE_VIEW_TYPE
REQUEST_VALUE
DEBUG_PAGE_VIEW_ID

APEX_WORKSPACE_APEX_USERS + APEX_WORKSPACE_DEVELOPERS

PASSWORD_VERSION

APEX_WORKSPACE_FILES

TEMP_FILE_SESSION_ID

APEX_WORKSPACE_SESSIONS

REMOTE_ADDR
SESSION_IDLE_TIMEOUT_ON
SESSION_LIFE_TIMEOUT_ON
SESSION_MAX_IDLE_SEC

APEX_WS_DATA_GRID_COL

ALLOW_PIVOT

New Views

APEX_APPLICATION_LOCKED_PAGES
APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_IR_PIVOT
APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_IR_PVAGG
APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_IR_PVSRT
APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_REG_COLS
APEX_APPLICATION_STATIC_FILES
APEX_APPLICATION_THEME_FILES
APEX_APPL_CONCATENATED_FILES
APEX_APPL_DEVELOPER_COMMENTS
APEX_APPL_PAGE_CALENDARS
APEX_APPL_TEMPLATE_OPTIONS
APEX_APPL_TEMPLATE_OPT_GROUPS
APEX_WORKSPACE_GROUP_GROUPS
APEX_WORKSPACE_SESSION_GROUPS
APEX_WORKSPACE_STATIC_FILES
WWV_FLOW_TEMP_FILES

Deleted Views

APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_FLASH_CH
APEX_APPLICATION_PAGE_FLASH_S

Deleted Settings / View Columns