Preface

Oracle Application Express API Reference describes the Application Programming Interfaces, referred to as APIs, available when programming in the Oracle Application Express environment.

Topic Overview

Title	Description
APEX_UTIL	Use the `APEX_UTIL` package to get and set session state, get files, check authorizations for users, reset different states for users, and also to get and set preferences for users.
APEX_MAIL	Use the `APEX_MAIL` package to send an email from an Oracle Application Express application.
APEX_ITEM	Use the `APEX_ITEM` package to create form elements dynamically based on a SQL query instead of creating individual items page by page.
APEX_APPLICATION	Use the `APEX_APPLICATION` package to take advantage of a number of global variables.
APEX_CUSTOM_AUTH	Use the `APEX_CUSTOM_AUTH` package to perform various operations related to authentication and session management.
APEX_LDAP	Use `APEX_LDAP` to perform various operations related to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) authentication.
APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN	Use the `APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN` package to get and set email settings, wallet settings, report printing settings and to manage schema to workspace mappings.
APEX_UI_DEFAULT_UPDATE	You can use the `APEX_UI_DEFAULT_UPDATE` package to set the user interface defaults associated with a table within a schema. The package must be called from within the schema that owns the table you are updating.
JavaScript APIs	Use these JavaScript functions and objects to provide client-side functionality, such as showing and hiding page elements, or making XML HTTP Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) requests.
APEX_PLSQL_JOB	Use `APEX_PLSQL_JOB` package to run PL/SQL code in the background of your application. This is an effective approach for managing long running operations that do not need to complete for a user to continue working with your application.
APEX_LANG	Use `APEX_LANG` API to translate messages.

Note:

In release 2.2, Oracle Application Express APIs were renamed using the prefix APEX_. Note that API's using the previous prefix HTMLDB_ are still supported to provide backward compatibility. As a best practice, however, use the new API names for new applications unless you plan to run them in an earlier version of Oracle Application Express.

Audience

Oracle Application Express API Reference is intended for application developers who are building database-centric Web applications using Oracle Application Express. The guide describes the APIs available when programming in the Oracle Application Express environment.

To use this guide, you need to have a general understanding of relational database concepts as well as an understanding of the operating system environment under which you are running Oracle Application Express.

Documentation Accessibility

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Related Documents

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Many books in the documentation set use the sample schemas of the seed database, which is installed by default when you install Oracle. Refer to Oracle Database Sample Schemas for information on how these schemas were created and how you can use them yourself.

For additional documentation available on Oracle's Technology Network, please visit the Oracle Application Express web site located at

For additional application examples, please visit the Oracle by Examples (OBEs) Application Express page, located on Oracle's Technology Network. The OBEs provide step-by-step examples with screenshots on how to perform various tasks within Application Express.

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Convention	Meaning
boldface	Boldface type indicates graphical user interface elements associated with an action, or terms defined in text or the glossary.
italic	Italic type indicates book titles, emphasis, or placeholder variables for which you supply particular values.
`monospace`	Monospace type indicates commands within a paragraph, URLs, code in examples, text that appears on the screen, or text that you enter.

Preface

Topic Overview

Audience

Documentation Accessibility

Related Documents

Conventions