Application Item Prefix Usage

I was constructing a fresh app for a presentation idea and I came to think about the prefix people use for Application Items in Oracle APEX.

I've seen a few variations used, and upon asking the question on Twitter (as a poll limited to 4 options), some came back with a few other suggestions.

Preference for application item prefix in #orclapex ?

— Scott (@swesley_perth) July 21, 2016

The final tally based on the replies (we'll see how pasting from Excel goes...)

F_	15		Inspired by APEX team, no doubt. +1 for me
APP_	10		Fair call, but could match built-in
G_	6		Global, clever. One person combines this with A_ for application scope.
{project}	5		To match the prefix on your tables, right?
AI_	3		Can't deny the provenance
{none}	3		This is dangerous, potential clash with built-ins
A_	1		Based on item scope.

I remember some chatter recently about a community sourced standards document for APEX being kicked off on StackOverflow. Perhaps mini surveys like this can help shape projects like that, or maybe it fits into the oraopensource activities.

Either way, this sort of discussion is surely healthy for the community, eking out any important considerations in sometimes seemingly trivial matters, or "bikeshedding" is a term I heard recently.

I can't say I've tried creating application items (or substitution strings for that matter) that are the same as a pre-defined substition string, but surely it would be detrimental.

You never know, even the Oracle APEX development team may decide a thing or two from community responses. I certainly know what my next poll topic will be, now the Fire on Page Load default No campaign is over ;p

ps - more 2015 survey results to come. The next question was on instrumentation, so a few juicy points to make there.

What should I know about SQL?

Chris Saxon from the Developer Advocates group asked the following question on Twitter.

What three things do you think every developer must know about #SQL ?

Reply and share yours!

— Chris Saxon (@chrisrsaxon) July 5, 2016

My immediate thought regarded features I'd be disappointed to live without. Looking at some other responses I realise that the answer matches Tom Kyte's creed: "it depends".

Here is a collection of responses that I think sums(sql) really well, syntax pun = intended.

What feature should I know, to be productive & efficient?
(me)
1. analytics
2. scalar subqueries
2. with clause

What fundamental principles should I understand?
(Stew Ashton)
1. DDL: data design is key to good SQL
2. ACID
3. Bind variables

What frequent mechanics/behaviour should I be consistently aware of?
(me)
1. null behaviour
2. date arithmetic
3. data type comparison issues, for lack of better desc

All the while remembering architecture is so important.
(Dani Schnider)
1. SQL is a set-based language
2. Clean data model is important
3. Constraints are not just for fun

and so is performance
(Draft A Center? Or Kyle Hailey posting from wrong account?)
1, Bitmap Indexes
2. Reading Explain Plans
3. SQL Tracing

Why there are often exceptions to rules:
(That Jeff Smith)
4. getting results back doesn't mean your code is right.
5. learning never stops

For the creative out there.
(David Fitzjarrell)
6. There is usually more than one way to write a query.
7. Sometimes you need to think 'different'

And there's always the "comedian".
(Connor McDonald)
select, from, where :-)

That's quite the collection!

APEX Survey Results: Editing Tools

Another preference question in my 2015 survey.

Q5: What editing tools do you use for PL/SQL and JavaScript

That Jeff Smith fellow should be pretty happy with the top result, but almost half of the "Other" responses said PL/SQL Developer. I used this many years ago while SQL Developer was still being born. Since SQL Developer was free and portable, it was an easy selection, though I only use if for queries, not PL/SQL development.

A number of editors were suggested in Other, including two takers for Notepad. All I can say is wow, and I hope for the sake of others that tab characters are not being saved in your files.

I've been happily using Textpad almost since I started coding. I'm interested in making the jump to a non OS specific editor like Sublime, or perhaps Atom, but I'm not there yet. Though after watching the Kscope16 deep dive / montage (as a livestream), I want to try soon!

Edit: January 2017

I spotted these results in the 2016 StackOverflow survey, a somewhat more diverse survey than mine.

And I've started to use Atom, but I might have to give Sublime a go for a while to compare.

COALESCE vs NVL poll

Saddened but not surprised to see COALESCE lagging behind NVL.

Weekend #SQL poll: when mapping binds/columns that could contain nulls to non-nulls do you use:

— SQL Daily (@sqldaily) July 1, 2016

Why? Because I think coalesce is a good idea and the modern equivalent of NVL.

I follow @SQLDaily for useful tips. Oracle SQL evangelist Chris Saxon runs the feed.