Opening Form in Insert mode but making a query at the same time

Question

My problem is that I want to open a Portal Form in Insert mode but at the same time making a query.
If I call a form with patameters the form opens automatically in update mode (to be more precise with FORMSTATE = UPDATE_AND INSERT). In that case the insert button is not shown.
I have come very close to a solution by running this code:
BEGIN
p_session.set_value(
p_block_name => 'DEFAULT',
p_attribute_name => '_FORM_STATE',
p_value => 'QUERY_AND_INSERT');
END;
under "... before processing the form". The form-state changes to QUERY_AND_INSERT' and I get the record from the table that I want but I still see no insert button!
I think that I can solve this problem in some table-triggers in the database but it would be interesting to know weather it is possible to do this in the portal.

Answer 1

Kari,
You can workaround the disappearing Insert button by creating a custom button instead.
If you look at the "standard" Insert button code it looks like this:
--- Type your PL/SQL code here...
doInsert;--- This is the default handler
--- ...and here, thanks...
in the generated forms package doInsert just calls internal insert handler:
procedure doINSERT
is
begin
onINSERT(
p_block_name => p_block_name ,
p_object_name => p_object_name,
p_instance => p_instance ,
p_event_type => p_event_type ,
p_user_args => p_user_args ,
p_session => p_session);
end doINSERT;
If you add a custom button to your form and from PLSQL event combobox select "Custom", then copy&paste this code to the event code:
onINSERT(
p_block_name => p_block_name ,
p_object_name => p_object_name,
p_instance => p_instance ,
p_event_type => p_event_type ,
p_user_args => p_user_args ,
p_session => p_session);
You will get a custom button which does exactly what the Insert button does and it will not disappear from the screen.
Thanks,
Dmitry