Episode eight of the Insum Insider is somewhat of a high-wire act, performed by none other than Oracle ACE Anton Nielsen, who creates an APEX application in 45min as defined on the spot by an attendee. This riveting session concludes with a fully functioning app including REST services and installation scripts, not to mention a delighted participant.
Episode Show Notes:
This session is designed to demonstrate the consultative power of APEX to business users and subject matter experts.
One attendee is selected as a subject matter expert (SME) to define an application and guide its development. The aim is to end up with a functioning application, including installation scripts, within approximately 45 minutes.
Host Monty Latiolais opens the session and quickly hands it over to Hayden Hudson and Anton Nielsen.
1:20 – Hayden describes what he and Anton will do as a “sample menu of what APEX has to offer”.
2:00 – Anton introduces the agenda of the demonstration before starting his timer (which appears at the top right of his screen).
He invites participants to volunteer, exposing a business need or problem they may have. He also notes that the chosen participant does not need APEX experience at all, but rather needs to be a subject matter expert. The participant will be on mic and camera.
An Application in 45min, for a Fitness Challenge
4: 56 – Anton selects the volunteer, a university student (Nicolas) with no APEX experience, and who is running a fitness challenge and wishing to track challenge participant activities over a period of 3 weeks.
5:59 – Anton asks Nicolas what he needs to track. Nicolas describes needs in detail. Anton begins to define a data model based on the needs. He also adds some quick SQL settings.
14:48 – Anton adds sample data and creates the tables.
17: 45 – Anton runs the scripts. A participant points out a spelling error in the code, Anton corrects it and runs the scripts again.
19: 28 – Hayden suggests that participants who want to learn more check out the QuickSQL page and consult the Help menu.
20:30 – Anton creates the application.
Refining the Application
22:33 – Anton begins refining the application, adding challenge participant location visualization by Implementing a REST service on the data, connecting to a Google API. Anton creates the map page (“challenge map”) by using an APEX community Plug-in.
31: 24 – Anton displays the “challenge map”.
Authentication and REST services
32: 10 – Anton and Nicolas establish that challenge participants need to log into the application and chose authentication through Google (social sign-in).
34:06 – Anton implements a REST data service on the data from the application, making the information easily shareable with other people, anywhere in the world.
37:01 – Anton explains how using the application, someone can consume information from other locations and other websites as well.
37:20 – Anton integrates a weather REST service to collect and display weather information from challenge participant locations.
Application Packaged and Posted
42: 55 – Anton packages up the application for distribution, creating installation scripts.
49:16 – Anton posts the application on a public Git Repo for anyone to consult or download and use.
49:45 – Anton makes himself available for questions, and answers them.
54:35 – Monty closes the session, thanking Anton and Hayden, as well as Nicolas, the volunteer participant. Monty also thanks the audience for their attendance and questions. He encourages all participants to move over to the Forum for some extra Q&A with Anton and Hayden.
