Forms is not cooperating at all!!

Question

ok so idk maybe I'm just not intelligent enough to understand Forms but I have read through various Documentation on Forms 11g and done research on it and I have typed stuff exactly how I read about to put it and nothing seems to be working like it is supposed to.
I am working on making a page that can upload and download a PDF from the client's computer to the Database and back by use of buttons. The upload page has a browse button that is supposed to bring up an open dialog box using webutil and then when the user selects a file the file path of that file will be placed into a text box so that 1. they can verify that it is correct and 2. to store the file path for later. Then the user clicks the upload button and the button is supposed to pull the file path from the text item and store the file located in that location into the database.
here is the code for each of the buttons.
browse button:
DECLARE
     File_Path VARCHAR2(255);
BEGIN
     FILE_PATH := WEBUTIL_FILE.FILE_OPEN_DIALOG
          C,
          null,
          '*.pdf'
     :block.file_upload_text := FILE_PATH;
     Synchronize;
     END;
upload button:
Declare
     Result_Upload BOOLEAN;
Begin
     Result_Upload := Webutil_File_Transfer.Client_To_DB
          :block.file_upload_text,
          'file_tbl',
          'file'
End;
and the text box is in the data blocks drop down under buttons it was put there automatically by Forms. But when I try to compile it I get an Error 49 bad bind variable 'block.file_upload_text'
the text item name is spelled correctly and everything I have found online says that is how to access the text in a text item I dont understand what is gong on that it isnt working and I am really getting annoyed at Forms because no matter how much I read about it and how much of the little of what is available that I look at I can not figure out what is wrong.
Another problem I am having is that before you even get to this upload page there is another page and that page has a button that is supposed to pull up the upload page and I have figured out enough to figure out that I need the upload page canvas to be a data block in order to call it and then you use a go_block or something like that to pull it up but what I can't figure out is how to make that canvas into a data block... everything that I am finding is saying that to create a data block you need to call a table and stuff and I dont know how I am supposed to put that canvas into a table in the database so that I can create a data block with that canvas in it. I even found something that is supposed to walk you through how to do it and I got to like step 4 of 6 and it said to do something to do with double clicking the database node button or something and I looked everywhere and didn't find anything that said anything about database node. I have been working on this for about a month and a half now and it feels like I have gotten nowhere on it I still haven't even gotten to the download part at all.
I got this same program working completely upload and download in Java in 2 weeks then found out we needed it to work with Forms so I found out I needed it to be a java bean not just java so I tried to figure that out, couldn't seem to figure out how a java bean worked with what I was trying to do and the only documentation I was able to find that might have been helpful for it was on a blog which are blocked from my work computer and I was informed that Forms had something built in that did exactly what I needed, well that hasn't helped much either so far... I could really use some detailed absolutely as dumbed down as possible help here because I really need to get this thing done.
I know I rambled a little and I am sorry, any help that can be provided will be greatly appreciated!!

Answer 1

Sorry for feeling uncomfortable with Forms. But your, I think there is a lot of room fpr (re-)reading forms documentation and other educational handouts.
I won't solve yout problems, but may be I can give you few hints, tht came into my mind, when browsing yout post:
DECLARE
File_Path VARCHAR2(255);
BEGIN
FILE_PATH := WEBUTIL_FILE.FILE_OPEN_DIALOG( C, null, '*.pdf')
+:block.file_upload_text := FILE_PATH;+
Synchronize;
END;
1. What is C? You should get a compilation error since iot is nor declared.
2. Do you need a directory ot a file. If the first take FILE_SELECTION_DIALOG into consideration. Or may ist easier for you to use CLIENT_GET_FILE_NAME. For this function don't miss to set FILE_SELECT-Parameter to FALSE.
3. Are you sure the block, where the item FILE_UPDLOAD_TEXT is in is named BLOCK. Forms automatic naming will generate something like BLOCKn (where n is a number). But may be you have renamed the Block (what is common use).
4. Declaration of file_path is not really necessary; you may assigne the result of the Function immediately to your forms item (via bind variable :<block_name>.<item_name>)
5. Synchronize is not neccessary at this point, just costs a round-trip ofr the AS.
(6. I'm an fan of PL/SQLs named parameter syntax; it make code easier to read and to maintaine. So your function call would read
WEBUTIL_FILE.FILE_OPEN_DIALOG( directory_name => c, file_name => NULL, ...
just a suggestion, fell free to uswr or not)
The following is hard to understand. Probably you have a complete different understandind of how to program. You have to accept it's oracle forms an not sonething. That means there are certain structures:
1. Data
1 Form consits of one or several blocks; some of them may be connect to the database, often to a table, but it need not be a table; these are called database blocks, others (no database connect) are often called control block (but might also hold data).
1 Block consists of one or several items; some of them hold data in form of text, numbers, date, image, lists, radios ...; others are means to control the application, e.g. buttons.
2. View
1 Form consists of one or several windows.
1 Window contains one or more canvases; at least one content canvas; there are also other types, but I think you don't need them.
On the the canvases you "paint" all the things you want to sho to your users, your items (you have to make an item visible and assigne a canvas in the canvas property), free text, graphic elements.
You don't program a "page"! Your application is running within an applet within a page.
3. Logic
You may assigne logic via triggers to the elements of the data stack (form, block, item), not the view stack.
You may put logic into procedures and functions for better readability and maintainance; these can be stored locally in the form or in own libraries for re-use in other forms.
What trigger to use in which situation? That beyond my post.
A special topic here: you can extend forms functionality with java beans. You have to extend forms functionalty with java beans, if you need to get our of the applet sand box. You need that because you want to read/write information of your local client. Basic Java beans you find in WEBUTIL. It offers, I am sure, all the functionality you need. And you have found them.
So to get your problem solved of showing the whole stuff after pressing a button there a several possibilities:
easiest: create 2nd content canvas and put your items there; at the switching button issue GO_BLOCK('<block_name>') OR GO_ITEM('<block_name>.<item_name>'), where block_name is that thing that makes the compilation trouble.
bit mor an effort: create an own window with a new content canvas; the rest as described above; get some knowledge about SET_WINDOW_PROPERTY, espacially in cinjunction with the property VISIBLE, you will need it, whenn switching back;
even more effort: create an new forms + .... and call this form on the swithing button.
This might be a reasonable way if you want to re-use this function (up-/down-loading) from several forms.
Last sentence, in java it took 2 weeks?in forms, Iwould say it's a task for 2-4 hours (forms and webutil correctly installed nd configured). But I won't tell your boss.