2.5.3 Configuring Instance Settings

Control if a user requesting a workspace can select an existing schema or must request a new schema.

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Scroll down to Storage.
5. From Require New Schema, select one of the following:
   • Yes - Requires users to request a new schema when they request a new workspace.
   • No - Enables users to select an existing schema when they request a new workspace.
6. Click Apply Changes.

Enable Auto Extend Tablespaces.

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Scroll down to Storage.
5. To enable Auto Extend Tablespaces, select Yes.
6. Click Apply Changes.

Enable support for bigfile tablespaces.

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Scroll down to Storage.
5. For Bigfile Tablespaces, select Yes.
6. Click Apply Changes.

Enable support for encrypted tablespaces.

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Scroll down to Storage.
5. For Encrypted Tablespaces, select Yes.
6. Click Apply Changes.

Specify the number of days after which Oracle Application Express automatically deletes uploaded files. 

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Scroll down to Storage.
5. In Delete Uploaded Files After (days), enter the number of days after which Oracle Application Express deletes uploaded files.

   Enter a positive, whole number. If this setting is null, then no files are automatically deleted.

6. Click Apply Changes.

To send outbound mail, use Web services, or use PDF/report printing in Oracle Application Express, an Instance administrator must enable network services.

If you are running Oracle Application Express with Oracle Database 11g or later, you must enable outbound mail. Starting with Oracle Database 11g Release 1 (11.1), the ability to interact with network services is disabled by default.

By default, the ability to interact with network services is disabled in Oracle Database 11g or later. Therefore, if you are running Oracle Application Express with Oracle Database 11g or later, you must use the DBMS_NETWORK_ACL_ADMIN package to grant connect privileges to any host for the APEX_180200 database user. Failing to grant these privileges results in issues with:

Failing to grant these privileges results in issues with:

• Sending outbound mail in Oracle Application Express.

• Using Web services in Oracle Application Express.

• PDF/report printing.

An Instance administrator must configure Oracle Application Express to send mail in a full development environment.

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Scroll down to Storage.
5. Under Email, edit the following:
   1. Application Express Instance URL - Specify the URL to this Application Express instance, including the trailing slash after the Database Access Descriptor or Context Root. This setting is used for system-generated emails. For example:

      https://www.example.com/apex/

   2. Application Express Images URL - Specify the full URL to the images directory of this Application Express instance, including the trailing slash after the images directory. This setting is used for system-generated emails..

      https://www.example.com/i/

   3. SMTP Host Address - Defines the server address of the SMTP server. By default on installation, this is set to localhost. If you are using another server as an SMTP relay, change this parameter to that server's address.
   4. SMTP Host Port - Defines the port the SMTP server listens to for mail requests. The default setting is 25.
   5. SMTP Authentication Username - If you enter a username, Oracle Application Express authenticates against it when sending emails. Prior to Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2.0.2), only the SMTP authentication scheme "LOGIN" is supported. On newer database versions, all authentication schemes of UTL_SMTP are supported.
   6. SMTP Authentication Password - If you enter a password, Oracle Application Express authenticates against it when sending emails. Prior to Oracle Database 11g Release 2, Release 11.2.0.2, only the SMTP authentication scheme "LOGIN" is supported. On newer database versions, all authentication schemes of UTL_SMTP are supported.
   7. Use SSL/TLS - Beginning with Oracle Database 11g Release 2, Release 11.2.0.2, Application Express supports secure SMTP connections.

      Options include:

      • Yes - A secure connection with SSL/TLS is made before SMTP communication.

      • After connection is established - Oracle Application Express sends the SMTP command STARTTLS immediately after the connection is opened.

      • No - A non-secure connection is opened.

   8. Default Email From Address - Defines the from address for tasks that generate email, such as approving a provision request or resetting a password.
   9. Maximum Emails per Workspace - Defines the number of email messages that can be sent with the APEX_MAIL API per workspace per 24 hour period.
6. Click Apply Changes.

An Instance administrator must configure Oracle Application Express to send mail in a runtime environment.

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_180200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN
      APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME, PARAMETER_VALUE);
   END;
   

   Tip:

   For a description of email parameters, see "Configuring Email in a Full Development Environment."

Determine email settings in runtime environment

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_180200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   SELECT 
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME)
   FROM DUAL;
   

   Tip:

   For a description of email parameters, see "Configuring Email in a Full Development Environment."

A wallet is a password-protected container that stores authentication and signing credentials (including private keys, certificates, and trusted certificates) needed by SSL.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is an industry standard protocol that uses RSA public key cryptography with symmetric key cryptography to provide authentication, encryption, and data integrity. When SSL is enabled, https displays in the URL.

You must create a wallet if you:

• Call a SSL-enabled URL (for example, by invoking a Web service).

• Create a region of type URL that is SSL-enabled.

• Configure secure SMTP, by setting the Use SSL/TLS attribute to Yes.

• Have applications with LDAP authentication schemes that are configured to use SSL with Authentication.

Configure wallet settings a full development environment on the Instance Settings page.

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Click Wallet.
5. Under Wallet:
   1. Wallet Path - Enter the path on the file system where the wallet is located using the following format:
      file:directory-path

      See field-level Help for examples.

   2. Password - Enter the password needed to open the wallet. Select Check to confirm that you wish to change the wallet password to indicate that you have changed the password.
6. Click Apply Changes.

Configure wallet settings a runtime environment by starting SQL*Plus and running the following SQL statements.

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_180200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN 
       APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME, PARAMETER_VALUE);
   END;
   

   For a description of wallet parameters, seeTable 2-5.

   Table 2-5 Wallet Parameters

   Parameter Name	Description
   WALLET_PATH	The path to the wallet on the file system, for example: file:/home/username/wallets
   WALLET_PWD	The password associated with the wallet.

Configure wallet settings in a runtime environment by starting SQL*Plus and running the following SQL statements.

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_180200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   SELECT 
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME) 
   FROM DUAL;
   

   For a description of wallet parameters, see Table 2-5.

You enable report printing by configuring printing settings as the site-level, instance-level, and page and region-level.

To set up report printing functionality, you must configure the following printing settings:

1. Site Level: Instance administrators must specify the level of functionality (Standard or Advanced) for an entire Oracle Application Express instance, as described in this section.

2. Application Level: Workspace administrators and developers can define Report Queries and Report Layouts. Report Queries and Report Layouts are stored under Shared Components and are not tied to a specific page.

3. Page/Region Level: Developers can edit the Report regions on specific pages to enable printing. This enables end users to print regions as reports in various formats.

Configure report printing at the instance-level on the Instance Settings page.

1. Sign in to Oracle Application Express Administration Services.
2. Click Manage Instance.
3. Under Instance Settings, click Instance Settings.
4. Click Report Printing.
5. For Printer Server, select an option:

   • Oracle REST Data Services - Select this option if you are using the Oracle REST Data Services release 2.0 or later. This option enables you to use the basic printing functionality, which includes creating report queries and printing report regions using the default templates provided in Application Express and using your own customized XSL-FO templates.

     Note:

     The Oracle REST Data Services option does not require an external print server, instead the report data and style sheet are downloaded to the listener, rendered into PDF format by the listener and then sent to the client. The PDF documents in this setup are not returned back into the database, thus the print APIs are not supported when using the Oracle REST Data Services-based configuration.

   • External (Apache FOP) - Select this option if you are using Apache FOP on an external J2EE server. This option enables you to use the basic printing functionality, which includes creating report queries and printing report regions using the default templates provided in Application Express and using your own customized XSL-FO templates.

   • Oracle BI Publisher - This option requires a valid license of Oracle BI Publisher (also known as Oracle XML Publisher). This option enables you to take report query results and convert them from XML to RTF format using Oracle BI Publisher. Select this option to upload your own customized RTF or XSL-FO templates for printing reports within Application Express.

6. If you selected External (Apache FOP) or Oracle BI Publisher in the previous step, specify the following:

   • Print Server Protocol - Select the protocol (HTTP or HTTPS) that the print server uses.

   • Print Server Host Address - Specify the host address of the print server engine. By default, this is set to localhost. Enter the appropriate host address if the print server is installed at another location.

   • Print Server Port - Define the port of the print server engine. The default setting is 8888.

   • Print Server Script - Defines the script that is the print server engine. The default setting is:

     /xmlpserver/convert
     

7. In Print Timeout, enter the number of seconds. This option defines the transfer timeout for communicating with the print server in seconds.
8. Click Apply Changes.

Configure report printing settings in a runtime environment by starting SQL*Plus and running the following SQL statements.

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_180200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   BEGIN
       APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME, PARAMETER_VALUE);
   END;
   

   For a description of available parameters, see Table 2-6.

   Table 2-6 Report Printing Parameters in Runtime Environment

   Parameter Name	Description
   PRINT_BIB_LICENSED	Specify either standard support or advanced support. Advanced support requires an Oracle BI Publisher license. Valid values include: STANDARD ADVANCED APEX_LISTENER
   PRINT_SVR_HOST	Specifies the host address of the print server converting engine, for example, localhost. Enter the appropriate host address if the print server is installed at another location.
   PRINT_SVR_PORT	Defines the port of the print server engine, for example 8888. Value must be a positive integer.
   PRINT_SVR_PROTOCOL	Valid values include: http https
   PRINT_SVR_SCRIPT	Defines the script that is the print server engine, for example: /xmlpserver/convert

Determine report printing settings in a runtime environment.

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed as SYS. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Run the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_180200
   

3. Run the following statement:

   SELECT 
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.GET_PARAMETER(PARAMETER_NAME)
   FROM DUAL;