View pdf file stored in oracle database through oracle forms

Question

Forms [32 Bit] Version 10.1.2.0.2 (Production)
Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.8.0 - 64bit Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP and Oracle Data Mining options
JServer Release 9.2.0.8.0 - Production
Oracle Toolkit Version 10.1.2.0.2 (Production)
PL/SQL Version 10.1.0.4.2 (Production)
Oracle Procedure Builder V10.1.2.0.2 - Production
PL/SQL Editor (c) WinMain Software (www.winmain.com), v1.0 (Production)
Oracle Query Builder 10.1.2.0.2 - Production
Oracle Virtual Graphics System Version 10.1.2.0.2 (Production)
Oracle Tools GUI Utilities Version 10.1.2.0.2 (Production)
Oracle Multimedia Version 10.1.2.0.2 (Production)
Oracle Tools Integration Version 10.1.2.0.2 (Production)
Oracle Tools Common Area Version 10.1.2.0.2
Oracle CORE     10.1.0.4.0     Production
I have created external directory and am able to load pdf files in oracle database table called test_blob.
CREATE TABLE test_blob (
id NUMBER(15)
, file_name VARCHAR2(1000)
, image BLOB
, timestamp DATE
I have 2 pdf files in the table. I want to view this pdf from forms when the user clicks on the button. On when-button-pressed trigger I want to show pdf on the screen. Any help is appreciated. Not on the designer. I want to run form application.
SELECT id, file_name,
DBMS_LOB.GETLENGTH(image) Length,
timestamp
FROM test_blob
ID|FILE_NAME|LENGTH|TIMESTAMP
1001|2011 HeartlandEmployeeReferralCard.pdf|353718|1/28/2013 11:44:41 AM
1002|2011 HeartlandEmployeeReferralCard.pdf|353718|1/28/2013 11:51:07 AM
Edited by: user_anumoses on Jan 28, 2013 11:45 AM

Answer 1

We were able to do the same thing with Oracle Application Server and Oracle WebLogic Server. I cannot remember how different the processes were, but it seems like they were very similar. I am going to give you the instructions on how we implemented a "Read PDF" procedure on the WebLogic Server. If you are still on the Application Server you may have to do some Google searches, but it all boils down to the mod_plsql DAD Configuration file.
Our PDF was located in a table with the following structure:
CASE_DOCUMENTS
   (id_document                    NUMBER NOT NULL,
    doc_blob                       BLOB,
    note                           VARCHAR2(240),
    created_by                     VARCHAR2(20) NOT NULL,
    created_dt                     DATE NOT NULL,
    case_id                        NUMBER NOT NULL,
    filename                       VARCHAR2(100) NOT NULL)Based on that table structure we created a procedure named READ_PDF which you will reference below in the dads.conf file below:
CREATE or REPLACE procedure read_pdf (p_id_document IN number)
is
  view_file     blob;
BEGIN
  select doc_blob
    into view_file
    from case_documents
   where id_document = p_id_document;
  OWA_UTIL.MIME_HEADER ('APPLICATION/PDF', FALSE);
  HTP.P ('CONTENT-LENGTH: ' || DBMS_LOB.GETLENGTH (view_file));
  OWA_UTIL.http_header_close;
  WPG_DOCLOAD.download_file (view_file);
END;
GRANT EXECUTE ON read_pdf TO financial_user_role  -- Name of role to execute
/Basically, you are passing in one parameter and that is the primary key for your table. You are selecting the pdf stored in a BLOB for that primary key. The commands below that allow the pdf to open up so you can view it – we got this off some search we did a few years ago.
Now, you need to add logic to your Oracle Form that will call the procedure above, but the URL is based on the dads.conf file that we will set up below… Anyway, we created a button on the form module with a label of "View". In the WHEN-BUTTON-PRESSED trigger the logic looks like this:
-- The View logic uses the DAD (Database Access Descriptors) method to view a .pdf file from the form.
-- The DAD was created on WebLogic Server  with the name findadgen.  This allows an http request be made
-- to the database.
declare
  v_file          varchar2(400);
  v_success       boolean;
  ret_val         number;
  v_http_link     varchar2(400);
begin
  -- The format of the link is as follows: hostname:port/pls/DAD_name/procedure_name
  v_http_link := 'http://finas03:8888/pls/findadgen/read_pdf?p_id_document=' || :case_documents.id_document;
  web.show_document(v_http_link, '_BLANK');
end;The name of our WebLogic Server is "finas03" so that is what is listed in the URL. The "findadgen" is the name of the <Location> in the dads.conf file below, the "read_pdf" is the name of the procedure we created above, the "p_id_document=" is the IN parameter listed in the READ_PDF procedure created above, and the ":case_documents.id_document" is the reference to the primary key in our Oracle Form.
For WebLogic, you can either go through Enterprise Manager (directions below) or update the dads.conf file on the filesystem directly (if you update the dads.conf file directly then skip to step 4 and ignore step 5):
1.     Enterprise Manager -> Web Tier -> ohs1
2.     Oracle HTTP Server (pull-down) – Administration – Advance Configuration
3.     Select File – dads.conf
4.     Add something similar:
# ============================================================================ 
#                     mod_plsql DAD Configuration File                         
# ============================================================================ 
# 1. Please refer to dads.README for a description of this file                
# ============================================================================  
# Note: This file should typically be included in your plsql.conf file with 
# the "include" directive. 
# Hint: You can look at some sample DADs in the dads.README file 
# ============================================================================
<Location /pls/findadgen>
    SetHandler pls_handler
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from All
    AllowOverride None
    PlsqlDatabaseUsername financial
    PlsqlDatabasePassword sdo_3#d1
    PlsqlDatabaseConnectString ffindbTNSFormat
    PlsqlNLSLanguage AMERICAN_AMERICA.WE8ISO8859P1
    PlsqlAuthenticationMode Basic
    PlsqlDefaultPage read_pdf
</Location>You are adding the <Location> section to your dads.conf file. The "finddadgen" is the name that you will reference in a change you fill make to your Oracle Form. The "financial" is the Schema, the "sdo_3#d1" is the password for that Schema, the "ffindb" is the database that the stored procedure is located on, and the "read_pdf" is a stored procedure you will have to create in order to read the pdf.
5.     Press the "Apply" Button
6.     Obfuscate the DAD password by running the dadTool.pl script located in $ORACLE_HOME/bin (This was done on Unix on our server with the following commands):
$> LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib;export LD_LIBRARY_PATH
$> cd $ORACLE_HOME/bin
$> perl dadTool.pl -f /u01/app/oracle/middleware/asinst_1/config/OHS/ohs1/mod_plsql/dads.conf
7.     Restart the Oracle HTTP Server using Fusion Middleware Control:
Enterprise Manager -> Web Tier -> ohs1
Oracle HTTP Server – Control – Shutdown
Oracle HTTP Server – Control – Start Up
If you followed the instructions above, you should have created a stored procedure, added logic to your Oracle form to reference that stored procedure, and created an entry in the dads.conf file. Once you move the form onto the server and you restart the HTTP Service, you should be able to view a pdf that is stored in a table directly from your Oracle Form.