Oracle ADF Task Flow
Beyond the 10-Minute Demo
Presented by: John Jay King
Download this paper from: http://www.kingtraining.com
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Session Objectives
• Learn how JDeveloper may be used to
create ADF-based applications
• Use ADF Task Flow to control application
execution
• Take advantage of ADF’s built-in
application control (MVC)
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
2 http://www.kingtraining.com
Who Am I?
• John King – Partner, King Training Resources
• Oracle Ace & member Oak Table Network
• Providing training to Oracle and IT community for
over 20 years – http://www.kingtraining.com
• “Techie” who knows Oracle, SQL, Java, and
PL/SQL pretty well (along with many other topics)
• Leader in Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Member of ODTUG (Oracle Development Tools
User Group) Board of Directors
• Member of RMOUG (but I live in Arizona!)
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
3 http://www.kingtraining.com
Who Are You?
• Oracle ADF JDeveloper
– New (< 1 yr)
– 1-2 years
– Over 2 years
• Oracle ADF Eclipse
• Oracle Forms Developer
• 4GL Developer (.NET, etc…)
• Java Developer
• All of the above
• None of the above
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF Comes of Age
• Oracle Application Development Framework
(ADF) is a Java-based development tool (much
like Forms is a PL/SQL-based tool) designed to
take full advantage of Java EE
• Java EE is one of the most widespread
application environments today
• ADF’s 4GL features make application
development easier than normal Java “coding”
• Oracle is rewriting their ERP stack as “Fusion
Applications” using ADF; the already rich
toolset gets richer every day
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
5 http://www.kingtraining.com
Oracle JDeveloper
• JDeveloper is a world-class, easy to use IDE
• JDeveloper goes beyond Java to include:
– Oracle creation of mobile applications via checkbox
– Oracle ADF modeling, business svcs, and GUI design
– XML edit including Syntax Checking & Validation
– SQL development with debugging of stored PL/SQL
– UML Modeling and MDA (Model Driven Architecture)
– Web Services development
– ESB design
– BPEL design
– Portlets
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Java Server Faces (JSF)
• Java Server Faces (JSF) is a Web-tier
framework of JSP technology and JSP Tag
libraries to create and use User Interface
components
• JSF is extended by components of Oracle ADF
Faces
• JSF includes:
– Runtime architecture
– Library of JSF components
– JSF “Life Cycle”
– Many JSF-Oriented Files
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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JSF Life Cycle
• JSF (and ADF Faces) perform a predictable cycle:
1. Restore Components
2. Apply Request Values
3. Process Validations
4. Update Model Values
5. Invoke Application
6. Render Response
• This Life Cycle is normally transparent; however,
when choosing where to store session variables
and debugging it is useful to understand
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF Faces
• Even though JSF sought to simplify the API; it
is often felt to be too complex
• Oracle has extended JSF as “ADF Faces”
providing a set of libraries and tags that include
enhanced UI components and easier use
• Oracle has presented ADF Faces to the Open
Source community where it is part of the
Apache Foundation Trinidad MyFaces project
http://myfaces.apache.org/trinidad/index.html
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Using ADF
• Using ADF Faces is simple using JDeveloper:
– Add ADF Faces components to layout containers
– Add Application layout containers to describe user
interface
– Describe Task Flows
– All UI is done with ADF Faces; no HTML coding
• Features added by ADF Faces:
– Pop-ups and Dialog boxes
– Data Visualization Tools: Charts, graphics, etc...
– Declarative AJAX support
– More…
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF Controller
• The ADF Controller extends the JSF controller
and controls ADF’s MVC
• ADF Controller features include:
– Sequence of page displays (may be conditional)
– Allows partial-page processing in the same way as
full page processing; only the necessary part of a
page is rendered, the rest is unchanged
– Allows reuse of page parts
– Provides conditional control of page flow
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
11 http://www.kingtraining.com
What is MVC ?
• The Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern was
first described by Glenn E. Krasner and Stephen
T. Pope in the paper titled
“A Description of the Model-View-Controller User
Interface Paradigm in the Smalltalk-80
System” (1988)
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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MVC Pattern
• The MVC pattern separates functionality:
– Model Provides data services; changes
to data management or business
rules do not impact the view
– View Provides interface shown
and/or delivered to the client;
output changes don’t impact data
– Controller Provides decision making and
navigational control
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF and MVC
• In ADF MVC is implemented via:
– Model ADF BC components
– View ADF Faces components
– Controller ADF/JSF Controller and
Task Flows
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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JSF Task Flow
• JSF navigates declaratively
(default file named “faces-config.xml”)
– Navigation may be configured manually using
XML
– JSF Navigation may be configured graphically
using JDeveloper's JSF Navigation
diagrammer
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ADF Task Flow
• ADF Task Flow (pageflow) navigation and
transition is specified declaratively
(default file named “adfc-config.xml")
– Navigation may be configured manually using
XML
– ADF Task Flow may be configured graphically
using the JDeveloper ADF Task Flow
diagrammer
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Task Flow Diagrams
• Task Flow diagrams illustrate all or part of
an application’s navigation
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UnBounded vs Bounded
• ADF supports two types of Task Flows;
Unbounded and Bounded
• Unbounded Task Flows
– Multiple entry points and multiple exit points
– No input parameters or return values
– Page-oriented (initial page, help, menus, etc…)
– Typically one per application; not reusable
• Bounded Task Flows
– Single entry point and multiple exit points
– Allows input parameters and return values
– Process-oriented (checkout, calculate taxes, etc…)
– Frequently many in an application; reusable objects
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Using Task Flows
• Unbounded Task Flows
– Top-level (bootstrap) flow
– Navigation may begin anywhere in the flow using URL
• Bounded Task Flows
– Process flow with defined boundary
– Navigation must begin at defined point
– Started via URL, other task flows, or Task Flow binding
– When called from other task flows may use input
parameters to pass data
– When exiting may return values
– Generally execute in an area of the parent page called
a “Region”
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF Region
• ADF Regions contain bounded task flows
representing
page fragments
within a Page
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Pages and Page Fragments
• Pages
– Use .jsf or .jspx file suffix
– May include many Page Fragments
• Page Fragments
– Use .jsff suffix
– Provide content for Pages (above)
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF Task Flow Diagram
• Most applications use multiple web pages, the
JDeveloper ADF Task Flow diagram is used to
diagram movement through an application
(sort of an electronic story-board)
• To diagram a “Page Flow”
– Open the “adf-config” or “adfc-config” in an
application's ViewController project
(look under “Page Flows”)
– Use “New ADF Task Flow”
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Blank Task Flow
• Use the component palette to build flows
by dragging existing pages or new
components to diagram
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Component Palette
• The ADF Task Flow component palette
contains tools used to create a task flow
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Main Task Flow Components
• View Activity Task Flow page
• Control Flow Case Navigation between
two points in Task Flow
• Method Call Activity Call to method
• Wildcard Control Flow Rule Define activity
access via known paths
• Router Activity Expression-based
branching
• Task Flow Return Activity Pass control back to
calling Task Flow
• URL View Activity Navigate to any page
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Creating Task Flow
• Drag “View” components to represent pages
• Drag “Control Flow Rules” from the View where
control begins to the View where control is to end
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Component Review
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View
• Displays one page (.jsf, .jspx, .jsff)
– May have one or more Task Flow regions
– Default view of Bounded Task Flow shaded
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Control Flow
• Control flow describes flow between parts of a
task flow
– Control Flow properties describe actions to be taken
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Passing Data
• Parameters and Return Values are generally
passed using Expression Language (EL)
#{controllerContext.currentViewPort.ta
skFlowContext.trainModel}
• ADF’s EL is similar to the JSP EL commonly used
in Java
– ADF’s EL usually uses the hash-mark/pound-sign (#)
indicating a deferred reference
– Deferred EL works within the JSF-cycle of ADF;
immediate EL ($) may be evaluated prematurely
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Input Parameter Example
• Here is an input parameter from a control flow
• Note the “pageFlowScope” in user for “username”
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Servlet/JSF Memory Scopes
• Application Scope Attributes/beans available
globally to all users for life
of application
• Session Scope Attributes/beans available
for life of browser session
• Request Scope Attributes/beans available
until application returns
control to user (one page)
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
32 http://www.kingtraining.com
ADF Memory Scope
• Some memory scopes are ADF-specific
• View Scope Attributes/beans for single
page for duration user
works with page
• PageFlow Scope Attributes/beans live for
duration of Task Flow
(“pushed” if new Bounded
Task Flow called; “popped”
upon return)
• Backing Bean Scope Attributes/beans specific
to specific component
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF Variable Scope EL
#{applicationScope.varname}
#{sessionScope.varname}
#{requestScope.varname}
#{varname}
#{pageFlowScope.varname}
#{viewScope.varname}
#{backingBeanScope.varname}
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Use Scope Wisely
• Use Application Scope for things that should live
for the life of the server and that should be global
• Use Session Scope only when values should
survive for the entire browser session duration
• Use Request Scope for data that is passed while
processing a single page
• Use PageFlow Scope for data to be passed
from screen-to-screen during a Task Flow
• Use View scope for value local to a given page
• Use Backing Bean scope for specific field data
passed within a single page (like Request Scope)
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Common Task Flow Practice
• Build Bounded Task Flows in separate
applications to increase portability
• Use Task Flow within page fragments
• Use input parameters to pass data and provide
conditional behavior
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Task Flow Summary
• Unbounded Task Flows
– Entry to application or where user might enter flow at
any point
– Menu pages
• Bounded Task Flows
– Has single entry point
– Part of a page within a Region
– Used/Reused by other applications
– Usually performs commit/rollback on exit
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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ADF EMG Task Flow Tester
• The ADF EMG (Enterprise Methodology Group)
has created a tool for testing ADF Task Flows
http://java.net/projects/adf-task-flow-tester
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
38 http://www.kingtraining.com
Wrapping it all Up
• Oracle ADF provides a mostly-declarative capability to
create applications easily using industry-standard
technology “under the covers”
• Oracle ADF Task Flows improve on JSF Task Flows
and allow declarative management of MVC application
flow via GUI interface and XML files
• Bounded ADF Task Flows may be reused; processes
that appear in several applications (e.g. “checkout”) are
not repeated needlessly
• Bounded ADF Task Flows may use input parameters
and produce result values; EL is most often used to
simplify and increase reusability
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
39 http://www.kingtraining.com
Support on the Web
• OTN provides a great deal of support for ADF
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/adf/
overview/index.html
– See the Oracle ADF Architecture Square on Learn More tab -
Architecture Square has links to suggested coding, project layout,
and naming guidelines
– Community tab has links to blogs and other community support
• ODTUG is the non-Oracle home for ADF developers
http://www.odtug.com
http://www.kscope13.com
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Available Books
• Quick Start Guide to Oracle Fusion Development
– Grant Ronald
– Oracle Press
• Oracle JDeveloper 11g Handbook
– Duncan Mills, Peter Koletzke, Dr. Avrom Roy-Federman
– Oracle Press
• Oracle Fusion Developer's Guide
– Frank Nimphius, Lynn Munsinger
– Oracle Press
• Oracle JDeveloper 11gR2 Cookbook
– Nick Haralabidis
– Packt Publishing
Copyright @ 2013, John Jay King
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Training Days 2014
2 Days of inexpensive Oracle-related training in Denver !!
February 6-7
February 5: University day: More low-cost training!
Check the website for details
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April 2013 – Get Ready to Go!
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Please Fill Out Session Evaluations
Oracle ADF Task Flow
Beyond the 10-Minute Demo
To contact the author:
John King
King Training Resources
P. O. Box 1780
Scottsdale, AZ 85252 USA
Thanks for your attention!
1.800.252.0652 - 1.303.798.5727
Email: john@kingtraining.com
Today’s slides and examples are on the web:
http://www.kingtraining.com
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