Problem Playing Audio in Forms 6i On Web

Question

Hi there,
I'm trying to get sound out of a form running over the web under Forms 6i using JDK 1.1.8 and after two solid days of reading documentation, scanning Oracle's support sites and searching the web I've been unable to figure out what I need to do to get sound to work in this environment. The maddening part is that I've been able to do it under Forms 9i and JDeveloper (using Java2) 9i so I know how easy this should be. Unfortunately, 9i is not our corporate standard yet so I am forced to go the 6i route instead for now.
Based on my research I find it impossible to believe that I'm dealing with that complex a problem and that if any of you have managed to figure it out it won't require that much time to pass it on.
Okay, if you are still reading then I thank you and hope that you'll be able to help. The specifics of my situation are as follows:
-Using Oracle 8.1.7 as the database but that's pretty much irrelevant here as I do no database access in this simplified form I'm testing in.
-Forms Server and Form Builder 6i (version 6.0.8.13.0) running on Solaris and being used to develop a simple form with just one button on it which implements my PJC. My real need is a bit more complex but this is fine for a start.
-JDeveloper 3.2.3 used to develop the PJC, compiled with the 1.1.8 JDK and deployed to a standard JAR file.
-Have tried signing my JAR file and resigning the f60all.jar using the same user. Have tried not signing either one. Have tried just signing one of the two. I believe I've tried every combination here with the one that gets me the furthest being the scenario where I don't sign mine and just use the standard one that came with the Forms install. This allows me to get my form up on the screen and at least try to play the sound.
-The code for the PJC is as follows. This code was mostly auto-generated by JDev with the setproperty function and its debug code having been created by me using my successfull 9i experiment code as the base. Anyway, here is the PJC code.
// Copyright (c) 1999 Oracle Corporation
package soundpkg;
import oracle.forms.ui.*;
import oracle.forms.properties.ID;
import java.net.URL;
import java.applet.*;
public class sound extends VButton {
public final static ID PLAY = ID.registerProperty("PLAY");
public String sou_loc = "http://rhqt-oracle.on.prv:6900/las/paul.wav";
public sound() {
super();
try {
jbInit();
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
private void jbInit() throws Exception {
public boolean setProperty(ID property, Object value) {
if (property == PLAY)
try
System.out.println("before soundplay");
sou_loc = value.toString();
System.out.println(sou_loc);
URL sou = new URL(sou_loc);
System.out.println("1");
Applet testapp = new Applet();
System.out.println("2");
AudioClip clip = testapp.getAudioClip(sou);
System.out.println("3");
clip.play();
System.out.println("after soundplay");
return true;
} catch(Exception ex)
ex.printStackTrace();
return super.setProperty(property, value);
Pretty much the only change from my 9i code was to the function call for opening the audio file.
Under Jdev 9i, using Java2 it was:
AudioClip clip = Applet.newAudioClip(sou);
Under Jdev 3.2.3 and using JDK 1.1.8 (have to in order to work with Forms 6i) I changed it to:
AudioClip clip = testapp.getAudioClip(sou);
From all of my reading, I thought this SHOULD have worked. But, of course, it doesn't. One possible problem is the fact that I was forced to create a new instance of Applet in order to be able to reference the getAudioClip function. My other two attempts to reference it without creating a new instance were:
1)Just access it on its own:
AudioClip clip = getAudioClip(sou);
- This resulted in the expected, "method getAudioClip(java.net url) not found in class soundpkg.sound" error
2)Access it by first referencing Applet
AudioClip clip = Applet.getAudioClip(sou);
- This resulted in a, "non-static method getAudioClip(java.net.URL) cannot be referenced from a static context", message
Hence, how I wound up creating the new instance and using it to access the getAudioClip function. Maybe this was the wrong way to troubleshoot it but, being new to Java and about five years removed from my C++ experience, it was the best I could come up with and it at least allowed me to compile. However, once I click on my button to play the sound I get the following error output from the Java Console. I've left the beginning info on just in case version numbers are required or something. Seemingly, the more relevant stuff comes later, beginning with the line generated by my debug code saying "before soundplay". Though, I must admit I'm curious as to why I'm getting all of those other, "opening blah blah blah no proxy", messages as well but they don't seem to be stopping me from running the form so I've ignored them for now. Anyway, here are the errors thrown up by the Java Console:
OUTPUT FROM JAVA CONSOLE FOLLOWS
Oracle JInitiator version 1.1.8.10
Using JRE version 1.1.8.10
User home directory = C:\Documents and Settings\duane.colucci
Proxy Configuration: Manual Configuration
Proxy: blvgate.on.prv:80
Proxy Overrides: *.prv,10.*,*.hrdc-drhc.net
JAR caching enabled.
Cache directory: C:\Program Files\Oracle\JInitiator 1.1.8.10\jcache
Maximum cache size: 50000000 bytes
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/f60all.jar no proxy
Loading http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/f60all.jar from JAR cache.
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/sound118.jar no proxy
Loading http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/sound118.jar from JAR cache.
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/oracle/forms/engine/MainBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/sun/beans/infos/MainBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/oracle/ewt/swing/JBufferedAppletBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/sun/beans/infos/JBufferedAppletBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/oracle/ewt/lwAWT/BufferedAppletBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/sun/beans/infos/BufferedAppletBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/oracle/ewt/popup/PopupAppletBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/sun/beans/infos/PopupAppletBeanInfo.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/oracle/forms/engine/RunformBundle_en_CA.class no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/oracle/forms/engine/RunformBundle_en_CA.properties no proxy
Opening http://svr02113075.on.prv:8200/web_code/oracle/forms/registry/Registry.dat no proxy
connectMode=Socket
serverHost=svr02113075.on.prv
serverPort=9001
Forms Applet version is : 60813
before soundplay
http://rhqt-oracle.on.prv:6900/paul.wav
1
2
java.lang.NullPointerException:
     at java.applet.Applet.getAppletContext(Applet.java:138)
     at java.applet.Applet.getAudioClip(Applet.java:240)
     at soundpkg.sound.setProperty(sound.java:57)
     at oracle.forms.handler.ComponentItem.setCustomProperty(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.handler.ComponentItem.onUpdate(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.handler.ButtonItem.onUpdate(Unknown Source)
     at oracle.forms.handler.UICommon.onUpdate(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.engine.Runform.onUpdateHandler(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.engine.Runform.processMessage(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.engine.Runform.processSet(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.engine.Runform.onMessageReal(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.engine.Runform.onMessage(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.forms.engine.Runform.processEventEnd(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.ewt.lwAWT.LWComponent.redispatchEvent(Compiled Code)
     at oracle.ewt.lwAWT.LWComponent.processEvent(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Compiled Code)
     at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Compiled Code)
As you can see from the output and a quick glance at my code above, the program crashes out on the line where I attempt to call the getAudioClip function. And that's about it. This is where I'm stumped. So, again, any help anybody can provide is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Duane Colucci

Answer 1

Duane,
don't knowwhy you chose to extend VButton, but the following code works for me. Note that I extend the VBean class. Also I am using Jinitiator 1.3.1.9 (this is what I had available for testing). My first test chowed that there was a problem with the way you specify teh URL string, which is why I harcoded the URL string when building the URL.
Another issue when running it is that you need to sign the file because it needs socket permission (at least this was the error shown on a remote client).
Here's the code
package mypackage3;
import oracle.forms.ui.*;
import oracle.forms.properties.ID;
import java.net.URL;
import java.applet.*;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import oracle.forms.handler.IHandler;
public class Class1 extends VBean {
public final static ID PLAY = ID.registerProperty("PLAY");
private IHandler mHandler = null;
public Class1()
super();
public void init(IHandler handler)
mHandler = handler;
super.init(handler);
public boolean setProperty(ID property, Object value) {
if (property == PLAY)
try
System.out.println("before soundplay");
URL sou = new URL("http://fnimphiu-lap.de.oracle.com/forms60java/Drums.wav");
System.out.println("1");
//Applet testapp = new Applet();
Applet testapp = mHandler.getApplet();
System.out.println("2");
AudioClip clip = testapp.getAudioClip(sou);
System.out.println("3");
clip.play();
System.out.println("after soundplay");
return true;
catch(Exception ex)
ex.printStackTrace();
return super.setProperty(property, value);
Fran