Database Reference
In-Depth Information
User Interface Defaults
Before you start to write your application, one last thing you can do that will make
your life easier along the way is to create some User Interface (UI) Defaults. This, in
our opinion, is one of the most underutilized features of APEX.
Understanding User Interface Defaults
UI Defaults allow you to customize the default display attributes for tables, views, and
their columns. They can be used to control many properties including alignment,
searchability, display sequence, what type of item is created for a column, default val-
ues, and many more.
For instance, when you're creating a new form or report via a wizard (which is most
of the time), APEX asks if you wish to use UI Defaults. If you select Yes and defaults
are available, APEX applies them to the appropriate regions or items based on the
tables or columns for which the attributes are defined. UI Defaults are divided into two
categories: Attribute Dictionary and Table Dictionary.
The Attribute Dictionary allows you to create more generic UI Defaults based on at-
tribute names. Consider this a more macro-level definition.
Let's say you create an attribute-level default for any attribute named
PHONE_NUMBER . If a column named PHONE_NUMBER appeared in a table and didn't
have a Table Dictionary default assigned, the Attribute Dictionary default would take
effect.
Dictionary Attribute definitions can also be assigned synonyms, allowing more than
one attribute name to share the same actual definition. So, for instance, you could cre-
ate the synonyms PHONE , TELEPHONE , PHONENUMBER , and so on for the original
PHONE_NUMBER definition. If the wizard ran into a column with any of those names,
it would apply the PHONE_NUMBER defaults to the APEX item that is created.
The Table Dictionary allows you to define defaults for a specific table or column,
and those defaults are only applied to APEX regions or items created for those specific
items.
Here are some things to note about UI Defaults:
Table Dictionary defaults always override Attribute Dictionary defaults.
When an item is created using UI Defaults, no relationship is established
with the UI Default. Therefore, if you later change the definition of the UI
Default, the changes aren't propagated to previously created items.
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