Question { Oracle, 9222 }
What are the types of key Flexfield forms?
Answer
Key flexfields appear on three different types of
application form:
1. Combinations form
2. Foreign key form
3. Range form
These form types correspond to the types of tables that
contain key flexfield data.
"Combinations form"
A combinations form is a form whose only purpose is to
maintain key flexfield combinations. The base table of the
form is the actual combinations table. This table is the
entity table for the object (a part, or an item, an
accounting code, and so on). The table contains a unique ID
column (also called the code combination ID column) as the
primary key, as well as individual segment columns, a
structure ID column, and other flexfields-related columns.
The combinations form contains hidden fields for each
segment column in the table, as well as displayed fields for
the concatenated segment values (the combination) and any
other fields (and columns) that the entity
requires, such as a concatenated description field. A
combinations form is sometimes also called a maintenance form.
"Foreign key form"
A foreign key form is a form whose underlying base table
contains only one or two columns that contain key flexfield
information, and those columns are foreign key columns to
the combinations table (usually a foreign key to the CCID
column of the combinations table and sometimes a structure
ID column as well). The purpose of a foreign key form often
has very little to do with the key flexfield itself, and
that the key flexfield appears on the form is essentially
incidental. For example, if you have a key flexfield that
represents a part number, you would use the combinations
form to define new parts and maintain existing part numbers.
You would then have many foreign key forms that you use to
manipulate your parts. You might have a form where you take
orders for parts, another form where you receive parts, and
yet another form where you ship parts. The fact that your
part number happens to be a key flexfield is not important
to your taking orders for your parts, for example.
"Range form"
A range form displays a range flexfield, which is a special
pop-up window that contains two complete sets of key
flexfield segments. A range flexfield supports low and high
values for each key segment rather than just single values.
Ordinarily, a key flexfield range appears on your form as
two adjacent flexfields, where the leftmost flexfield
contains the low values for a range, and the rightmost
flexfield contains the high values. A user would specify a
range of low and high values in this pop-up window. For
example, you might choose a range of part numbers for which
you want to run a report.
The range form uses a special table as its base table. This
table contains one or more (usually two) columns for each
segment column that appears in the combinations table.
However, these columns do not necessarily contain actual
segment values, and a row in the table does not necessarily
contain actual valid combinations. Usually this table
contains two columns for each segment, called SEGMENTn_LOW
and SEGMENTn_HIGH (where n is the segment column number),
that store the range of values for each segment.
Note:- For more information refere to "Flexfields Guide
Pages 2 - 5"