Different database connection or proxy user change

Question

Hi forms guys,
in everyday life I am fulltime DBA, so please forgive my spare forms word pool.
Our users open a forms application that displays a menu with forms applications the user has access to. Users can then click on the menu items and another form pops up. Now having reviewed the code, I can say that the opening of the new forms is done by calling the builtin OPEN_FORM. As parameter "SESSION_MODE" for this function, "SESSION" is supplied. If I understand correctly, this means that another session using THE SAME username/password/connectionstring is created (for the purpose of parallel transactions in parent and child form).
At the moment each and every user (~400) has it's own database account which has roles (depending on the applications they are granted access to) assigned and also sometimes owns dblinks and synonyms. We want to get rid of them by storing the credentials in OID and just create ONE single application user for every application we host. This user shall contain all nescessary objects such as dblinks and private synonyms.
The enduser then logs in using the proxy mechanism. For example if user XYZ (defined in OID) wants to start application ABC, then he/she connects like XYZ[ABC_APPUSER]/XYZPASSWD. This must occur when the form opens, directly after the OPEN_FORM call.
Now my question: Is this possible somehow? Is there a way to have different database connections within a single forms window, if there are different forms? Or is it possible to make a switch to another proxy user within forms? e.g. JDBC has the ability to quickly switch to an other proxy user, without having to re-establish the whole session.
All I have read so far tells me, that it is not possible. But I would really like to hear that acknowledged by experts. Also other, perhaps better ideas for our intention are welcome.
Kindest regards
Matschbirne

Answer 1

Not really sure how to answer your question other than to say that from within your form's pl/sql you can connect and disconnect as often as you like programatically. However, you can only have one connection at a time (as far as I know). So if you connect as SCOTT and later want to do a login as FRED, you can do so, but SCOTT will no longer be connected.
Forms does support using Oracle SSO, but for the most part cannot directly access OID. Also, the db login information needed by Forms (when using SSO) is stored in a RAD (Remote Access Descriptor) in OID. The RAD behavior is unique to Forms and Reports. For each SSO user there is a related RAD. At the moment, there is no provided way to have RAD groups (e.g. Admin, Sales, Guests, etc). So each user get their own RAD.
If you are using Forms 11.1.x, Forms now supports db proxy users.
More information about SSO and Proxy users with Forms can be found in the Forms Deployment Guide:
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24269_01/doc.11120/e24477/sso.htm
In the code, you can control the connection using the LOGON, LOGOUT, and LOGON_SCREEN built-ins. Refer to the Forms Builder online help for details on how to use these.