Oracle HTML DB Handbook Book Review

Develop Database-Centric Web Applications Quickly and Easily

Oracle Press have published a book covering everything to do with HTML DB, this edition of the book covers Oracle HTML DB version 2. Oracle HTML DB Handbook starts with an introduction to HTML DB and how to install the program. There are then 2 chapters on using the application builder and how to create and run applications. Oracle HTML DB Handbook also covers how to use themes and templates including how to set up standard reusable headers, footers and navigation bars.

The building web pages and components section covers creating and editing HTML DB pages, reports and creating and processing forms. How to navigate between pages is given it’s own chapter which covers the syntax of the f?p url, setting up navigation bars, breadcrumb trails and list creation.

The Oracle HTML DB Handbook also covers how to create lists of values as used in Oracle Forms and discusses working with graphs and calendars. Adding validation to your HTML DB is covered in one of the chapters together with processes and validations.

The Oracle HTML DB Handbook includes two example applications to demonstrate how to get the most out of HTML DB. The first application is an event scheduling application which tracks members and their attendance to certain calendared events. The second application is a test application which allows people to take tests and be asked questions while the answers are stored in the Oracle database, HTML DB can then produce graphs and reports of the users responses.

No Oracle application book would be complete without a Security chapter, and this one covers authentication and authorisation, including HTML DB builtin authentication, database authentication, custom authentication and Oracle Internet Directory Authentication.

The Oracle HTML DB Handbook is a very useful book for anyone starting to use HTML DB who needs to set up and create their first HTML DB applications. Having example applications in the Oracle HTML DB Handbook are also a good idea, the code to create these applications can be downloaded.

This is not really a book for the advanced HTML DB user, but it does include some useful chapters for all, including a Best Practices and a Tips and Techniques chapter, overall this is a good solid Oracle HTML DB instructional book.