Oracle's Broken Links

It seems that like me, people like Tim Hall are finding some of the changes regarding the amalgamation of sites within Oracle a little frustrating.

I've noticed many of the comments within OTN contain links to pages that just aren't there any more.

This OTN entry here mentions a vital link to
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_express/howtos/how_to_create_custom_popups.html
which unfortunately redirects to the Oracle Apex overview page
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/apex/overview/index.html

In an effort to find the contents of this page, I used my friend Google. I took a key part of the URL and used a special search facility that Google has:
inurl:how_to_create_custom_popups

This gave me three results

1. The original document, which still redirects to the overview page. However, if you click the cached link next the described URL, you can open Google's cached version of the page - which should usually suffice.
2. Some Xmarks widget, which didn't help me - but I do recommend Xmarks, by the way.
3. A Japanese hosted version of this page. Google offered to translate it for me, which worked very well. This also solved my problem.

So until Oracle gets up to speed with all the older links, perhaps give the inurl: search option a go.

ScottWE

ps - congrats to Tim for his recent induction into the OakTable Network.

Insync 2010 - I wasn't there.

Hello everyone

I'm starting to see a bit of feedback from the Insync Conference 2010 in Melbourne Australia.

It seems Down Under we're still working on creating the conference vibe, but I'm impressed to find a dedicated (yet thin) blog for the Melbourne leg. Here I found interviews with Connor McDonald & Tom Kyte.

http://insync-conference.com.au/blog/?p=211

I'll note that video of Connor confirms that I'm not the only one that seems to associate alcohol consumption with Oracle. I noted in the latest AUSOUG Foresight Magazine, Marc Lancaster gave a warm review of my appearance at a Brisbane branch meeting - apparently I commented how wonderful the beer & pizza concept is, or something along those lines!

Congratulations to Jeff Kemp, who took out Steven's live PL/SQL Challenge.
http://feuerthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/08/plsql-challenge-live-event-in-melbourne.html
I was looking forward to the live challenge this Friday when Steven comes to Perth, but alas - I have a previous date with our wonderful coastal isle - Rottnest.

Next time, Kempy... next time ;-)

I do look forward to catching up with friends this year at the Perth's leg of the conference series in November, perhaps I'll see you there.

All Programmers Should Read Delightfully Creative Information

Now if you think that post title was a little strange, it's because it's a mnemonic.

Now they haven't really worked for me in the past - just like the poem to remember how many days in each month - I found it easier to remember the raw facts than the poem itself. Besides, the knuckle trick was easier.

Anyhow, this is an Oracle related blog, and I wanted to share an idea to remember the Apex URL syntax of:
f?p=App:Page:Session:Request:Debug:ClearCache:itemNames:itemValues:PrinterFriendly

Most of the time I remember the order fairly well off the top of my head, though sometimes I need to double check; and sometimes within the mix of a bunch of colons it's hard to work out what is what. Perhaps if you're reading a sentence in your head as you move the cursor between colons...
f?p=MY_APP:HOME::::::

So maybe what I (and others) need is a mnemonic to help us remember the order:

All	Application
Programmers	Page
Should	Session
Read	Request
Delightfully	Debug
Creative	Cache
Information	Items
	Values
	Printer Friendly

I didn't include the last two, since you don't often need to consider the printer friendly attribute and once you have items, you should know values follow. Besides, I tried not to make it too complicated or difficult to remember!

What do you think? Any other suggestions? This really was the first thing that rattled off my head after a productive day of Apexing.

Yup, I also felt like inventing a new verb.

Oracle Sues Google

No, that is not a pun.

Time has been weighed in the favour of personal life recently, but one can't help notice some big news in the local industry.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/oracle-sues-google-for-java-patent-copyright-infringement/38013

That particular link Scribd the official document, which relates to Google Andoid.

Oracle states "one of the most important technologies Oracle acquired with Sun was the Java platform." Past that slowly dissolved into lawyer speak that I often wonder how our ancient authors of writing could bare to comprehend.

I did notice at the end of page nine a "prayer for relief". Interesting the terminology from all directions that become common-speak. From "googling my employee" to "fall from grace" - sayings and idioms of always been a distant world to me.

Courtesy of Mr Spendolini.

**

On a lighter note, I've been informed I'm doing fairly well this month in Steven (& Finn's) PL/SQL Challenge. I think today's quiz might create some discussion on Steven's associated blog. Hopefully I can keep up my recent form and snare a prize ;-)