A Javabean timer

07.02.2006

Purpose

This is a Javabean component that allows to replace the internal Oracle Forms’ timer

Bean Timer

The java code

package oracle.forms.demo;

import oracle.forms.handler.IHandler;
import oracle.forms.ui.CustomEvent;
import oracle.forms.properties.ID;
import oracle.forms.ui.VBean;

import oracle.forms.engine.Main;
import oracle.forms.engine.*;
import oracle.forms.handler.*;

public class Timer extends VBean implements Runnable
{
    static Thread runner ;
    static int seconds = 0 ;
    static IHandler mHandler;
    protected static final ID TIMEREXPIRED   = ID.registerProperty("TimerExpired");
    protected static final ID pInitTimer     = ID.registerProperty("initTimer");
    protected static final ID pStartTimer    = ID.registerProperty("Start");
    protected static final ID pStopTimer     = ID.registerProperty("Stop");

    public Timer()
    {
      super();
    }

    public void init(IHandler handler)
    {
      super.init(handler);
      mHandler = handler;
      System.out.println("*** oracle.forms.demo.Timer Init ***") ;
    }

    private void startTimer()
    {
      if (runner == null )
      {
        runner = new Thread(this);
        runner.start();
      }
    }

    private static void stopTimer()
    {
      if (runner != null )
      {
        runner = null;
      }
    }

    public void run()
    {
      Thread theThread = Thread.currentThread();
      while (runner == theThread)
      {
        try{
        Thread.sleep(seconds);
        } catch (InterruptedException e) { }
        dispatch_event() ;
      }
    }

    public boolean setProperty(ID _ID, Object _args)
    {
     if(_ID==pInitTimer)
     {
       System.out.println("milliseconds=" + (String)_args) ;
       seconds = new Integer((String)_args).intValue() ;
       return true;
      }

     else if (_ID == pStartTimer)
     {
        System.out.println("Start") ;
        startTimer() ;
        return true;
     }

     else if (_ID == pStopTimer)
      {
        stopTimer() ;
        return true;
      }
     else
        {
          return true;
        }
    }

    public void dispatch_event()
    {
        CustomEvent ce = new CustomEvent(mHandler, TIMEREXPIRED);
        dispatchCustomEvent(ce);
    }
}

Forms configuration

. Copy the bean_timer.jar file in the /forms/java directory
. Edit the /forms/server/formsweb.cfg file to add the jar file to the archive_jini variable

archive_jini=f90all_jinit.jar,……,bean_timer.jar

Implementation Class property

oracle.forms.demo.Timer

Properties that can be set

The frequency of expiration

set_custom_property( 'BLOC3.BEAN_ITEM', 1, 'initTimer', 'number_of_milliseconds');

Start the timer

set_custom_property( 'BLOCK.BEAN', 1, 'Start', '');

Stop the timer

set_custom_property( 'BLOCK.BEAN', 1, 'Stop', '');

The sample dialog

. Download the beantimer.zip file
. Unzip the beantimer.zip file
. Copy the beantimer.jar file in your /forms/java/ directory
. Edit your /forms/server/formsweb.cfg file
. Open the bean_timer.fmb module (Oracle Forms 9.0.2)
. Compile all and run the module

This dialog allows to enter the frequency of the timer, start (showing the time in real-time) and stop the timer.
The code that captures the java event is located in the WHEN-CUSTOM-ITEM-EVENT trigger of the bean item.

When-Custom-Item-Event
:BLOCK2.HEURE := SYSDATE ; Synchronize ;