Frequently Asked Questions for Standalone Oracle Workflow

Frequently Asked Questions for Standalone Oracle Workflow

The following sections provides answers to frequently asked questions about installing and configuring the standalone version of Oracle Workflow.

How can I verify my Oracle Workflow installation?

Use the wfver.sql script to display the version of the Oracle Workflow server, the status and version of the Oracle Workflow PL/SQL packages, and the version of the Oracle Workflow views installed. See: Wfver.sql.

How can I compile invalid objects after installation?

Run the utlrp.sql script to compile any invalid objects in the SYS schema after completing the Oracle Workflow installation. This script is located in the ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin directory. Run the script as the SYS user. For example, use the following command:

@$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/utlrp.sql

How can I handle a "WorkflowDS not found" error?

Due to a known issue in bug 3541376, after you install and configure Oracle Workflow using the Workflow Configuration Assistant, the following error message may appear in the Workflow installation log file (workflow.log):

<date> <time> oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponentContainerException: 
oracle.apps.fnd.wf.common.ContextFactoryException: 
Unable to get initial context because the following Exception 
occurred -> 
javax.naming.NameNotFoundException: 
jdbc/WorkflowDS not found

As a workaround, ignore the message and start the containers required for the Oracle Workflow Manager component in Oracle Enterprise Manager to create the data sources. After the data sources are created, this error should no longer appear. For instructions on starting the containers, see the Oracle Database Companion CD Installation Guide.

How can I manually set the Oracle Workflow Web agent?

The Oracle Workflow Web agent must be defined before you can access Oracle Workflow's Web pages. If necessary, you can load this value manually using a script called wftoken.sql. This script is located in the ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql directory. Connect to SQL*Plus with the Oracle Workflow database account and run the script using the following command:

sqlplus <username>/<pwd> @wftoken WF_WEB_AGENT <web_agent_value>

Replace <web_agent_value> with the Oracle Workflow Web agent name in the following format:

http://<host:portID>/pls/wf

where <host:portID> represents the host server and TCP/IP port number on which your Web listener accepts requests, and wf is the default Database Access Descriptor (DAD) created during the Oracle Workflow middle tier installation.

How can I verify the Oracle Workflow virtual directory mappings?

The Oracle Workflow Web interface requires three virtual directory mappings, which are set by default during installation and configuration. If necessary, you can manually verify and add or edit the virtual directory mappings.

Oracle Workflow requires a virtual directory mapping called /OA_JAVA/ in your Web listener that points to the Oracle Workflow JAR files on your file system. The JAR files are in a directory called ORACLE_HOME/jlib. The Oracle Universal Installer automatically installs the Java code in this directory when you install or upgrade the Oracle Workflow middle tier components.
Oracle Workflow requires a virtual directory mapping called /OA_MEDIA/ that points to the Oracle Workflow icon area on your file system. The icon area is ORACLE_HOME/wf/java/oracle/apps/fnd/wf/icons/, within your middle tier Oracle home. All icon and gif files that are required by the Oracle Workflow Web interface must be stored in the /OA_MEDIA/ virtual directory.
Oracle Workflow requires a virtual directory mapping called /OA_DOC/ that points to the Oracle Workflow documentation area on your file system. The documentation area is ORACLE_HOME/wf/doc. This area contains the context-sensitive HTML help files for Oracle Workflow Web pages.

To manually add the required virtual directory mappings in Oracle HTTP Server, add aliases for the jlib directory and the Oracle Workflow icon and documentation areas to the ORACLE_HOME/wf/admin/wf.conf file. The path to this configuration file must be included in the ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf/oracle_apache.conf file which helps define the behavior of Oracle HTTP Server. Add the aliases using the following format:

On UNIX:

Alias /OA_JAVA/ "$ORACLE_HOME/jlib/"
Alias /OA_MEDIA/ "$ORACLE_HOME/wf/java/oracle/apps/fnd/wf/icons/"
Alias /OA_DOC/ "$ORACLE_HOME/wf/doc/"

For example:

...
#
# Aliases: Add here as many aliases as you need (with no limit). 
# The format is
# Alias fakename realname
#
...
Alias /OA_JAVA/ "/oracleas/jlib/"
Alias /OA_MEDIA/ "/oracleas/wf/java/oracle/apps/fnd/wf/icons/"
Alias /OA_DOC/ "/oracleas/wf/doc/"
...

On Windows:

Alias /OA_JAVA/ "ORACLE_HOME\jlib/"
Alias /OA_MEDIA/ "ORACLE_HOME\wf\java\oracle\apps\fnd\wf\icons/"
Alias /OA_DOC/ "ORACLE_HOME\wf\doc/"

For example:

...
#
# Aliases: Add here as many aliases as you need (with no limit). 
# The format is
# Alias fakename realname
#
...
Alias /OA_JAVA/ "C:\oracleas\jlib/"
Alias /OA_MEDIA/ "C:\oracleas\wf\java\oracle\apps\fnd\wf\icons/"
Alias /OA_DOC/ "C:\oracleas\wf\doc/"
...

Ensure that you add a trailing slash to each alias name and physical directory path. After adding the aliases, restart Oracle HTTP Server.

How can I ensure that icons appear on Oracle Workflow pages?

If the icons on the Oracle Workflow Web pages appear as broken images, check the virtual directory mapping to the Oracle Workflow /OA_MEDIA/ icon area.

How can I access the online help for Oracle Workflow pages?

Before you can view the Oracle Workflow HTML help, you must extract the doc directory from the ORACLE_HOME\wf\wfdoc.zip file to your file system. Use an unzip utility to extract the doc directory into the wf directory. You need at least 5 Mb of free disk space to extract the zip file. After the extraction, you can optionally remove the zip file. Also, check the virtual directory mapping to the Oracle Workflow /OA_DOC/ documentation area.

You can now view the HTML help using a Web browser. Choose the Help button on any Oracle Workflow Web page to access the HTML help. You can also access any HTML help file directly by appending its virtual path to your Web listener base URL. The path for the contents page of the Oracle Workflow help is:

http://host:portID/OA_DOC/lang/wf/toc.htm

If you want to add custom help, you can replace the ORACLE_HOME/wf/doc/lang/wfcust/wfcust.htm placeholder file with your own help material. The HTM file that is the main entry point for your custom help must be named wfcust.htm and must contain an anchor named contents. Your custom help will be accessible through the Custom Help link on the contents page of the Oracle Workflow help, or you can access your custom help directly through the following path:

http://host:portID/OA_DOC/lang/wfcust/wfcust.htm

You can also view context-sensitive help for the Oracle Workflow Builder in Winhelp format by choosing Contents from the Help menu within the Oracle Workflow Builder.

How can I change Oracle Workflow configuration parameters after installation?

You can update your LDAP configuration parameters in the Global Workflow Preferences Web page. See: To Set Global Preferences for Standalone Oracle Workflow.

You can update the configuration parameters for the Workflow Notification Mailer using the notification mailer configuration wizard in Oracle Workflow Manager. If you installed Oracle Workflow along with Oracle Application Server, access Oracle Workflow Manager from the Oracle Enterprise Manager Application Server Control. If you installed Oracle Workflow along with Oracle Database, access Oracle Workflow Manager as part of the Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control. For more information, see the installation documentation for your release and the Oracle Workflow Manager online help.

How can I access existing user information after integrating with Oracle Internet Directory?

If you upgrade a previous installation of Oracle Workflow, and you choose to integrate with Oracle Internet Directory for the first time, migrate your Oracle Workflow user information to Oracle Internet Directory. You must perform a one-time migration to enable single sign-on and single administration of your existing user information. Ensure that you migrate all the necessary data from the WF_LOCAL_ROLES table as well as any other tables in which you previously stored user information. After performing the migration, you should maintain your user information only through Oracle Internet Directory.

Oracle Internet Directory provides a migration tool called ldifmigrator. To use this tool, you must extract your user information from the database into an intermediate LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF) file, with substitution variables wherever necessary. The ldifmigrator tool converts the intermediate entries in the file to actual LDIF entries by replacing the variables based on arguments provided at runtime or information retrieved from the LDAP directory. The LDIF file produced by the ldifmigrator can then be uploaded into Oracle Internet Directory using Oracle Internet Directory bulk tools.

For more information about the ldifmigrator, the format required for the intermediate LDIF file, and Oracle Internet Directory bulk upload tools, see: ldifmigrator, Oracle Identity Management User Reference.

How can I load the DBMS_LDAP package?

The DBMS_LDAP package contains the functions and procedures that can be used to access data from LDAP servers and is required for LDAP synchronization. If you run the Oracle Universal Installer and the Oracle Workflow Configuration Assistant specifying LDAP values for Oracle Internet Directory integration, without having the DBMS_LDAP package installed in your database, you may encounter invalid packages after the Oracle Workflow Configuration Assistant completes. In this case, load the package manually by running the catldap.sql script located in the ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin directory. Run this script as the SYS user. For example, use the following command:

sqlplus "SYS/<SYS password> as sysdba" @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/catldap.sql

After loading DBMS_LDAP, recompile the Oracle Workflow schema. See: Oracle Database Supplied PL/SQL Packages and Types Reference.

How can I give database users access to the Oracle Workflow Web pages?

Grant database users the wf_plsql_ui database role to provide them with privileges to access the Oracle Workflow Web pages. See: Integrating Oracle Workflow Directory Services with Oracle Database Users.

How can I change my directory service implementation after installation?

If you no longer want to use the type of directory service you chose during installation, you can change your directory service implementation after the initial installation and configuration are complete.

To convert from Oracle Database users to Oracle Internet Directory:

Ensure that the DBMS_LDAP PL/SQL package is loaded in your database. This package contains the functions and procedures that can be used to access data from LDAP servers and is required for LDAP synchronization. To check whether the DBMS_LDAP package is already installed, connect to SQL*Plus and use the following command:
```
desc DBMS_LDAP
```
If the DBMS_LDAP package does not already exist, load it manually by running the catldap.sql script located in the ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin directory. Run this script as the SYS user. For example, use the following command:
```
sqlplus "SYS/<SYS password> as sysdba" @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/catldap.sql
```
Run the ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfdircsv.sql script to implement Oracle Workflow directory service views that support Oracle Internet Directory integration. For example, use the following command:
```
sqlplus owf_mgr/<passwd> @$ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfdircsv.sql
```
Load the appropriate version of the WFA_SEC package, which contains Oracle Workflow security functions and procedures. To load this package, log on to SQL*Plus as the Oracle Workflow database user and run the ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfsecssb.sql script. For example, use the following command:
```
sqlplus owf_mgr/<passwd> @$ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfsecssb.sql
```
Update the Database Access Descriptor (DAD) for Oracle Workflow in the Oracle HTTP Server dads.conf file, specifying the following parameters. You can either use Oracle Enterprise Manager to update the DAD or edit the dads.conf file directly. The DAD should be named /pls/your_Workflow_DAD. For example: /pls/wf
- PlsqlDatabaseUsername - If you installed Oracle Workflow shipped with Oracle Application Server and you want to integrate with Oracle Application Server Single Sign-On, then enter the Oracle Workflow schema. If you are not integrating with Oracle Application Server Single Sign-On, then leave this field blank.
- PlsqlDatabasePassword - If you installed Oracle Workflow shipped with Oracle Application Server and you want to integrate with Oracle Application Server Single Sign-On, then enter the Oracle Workflow schema password. If you are not integrating with Oracle Application Server Single Sign-On, then leave this field blank.
- PlsqlDatabaseConnectString - Database connect string
- PlsqlDefaultPage - wfa_html.home
- PlsqlSessionStateManagement - StatelessWithResetPackageState
- PlsqlAuthenticationMode - Basic
After you update the DAD, restart Oracle HTTP Server.
If you installed Oracle Workflow shipped with Oracle Application Server and you want to integrate with Oracle Application Server Single Sign-On, protect the Oracle Workflow DAD by adding the following entry in your mod_osso configuration file. Replace your_Workflow_DAD with the name of your DAD.
```
<Location /pls/your_Workflow_DAD> 
    require valid-user
    authType Basic
</Location> 
```
For more information, see: Developing Applications Using mod_osso, Oracle Identity Management Application Developer's Guide.

After you update the mod_osso configuration file, restart Oracle HTTP Server.
Set the following LDAP preferences in the Global Workflow Preferences page. See: To Set Global Preferences for Standalone Oracle Workflow.
- LDAP Host
- LDAP Port
- LDAP User Name
- LDAP Password
- LDAP Changelog Base Directory
- LDAP User Base Directory
Migrate your existing Workflow user information to Oracle Internet Directory. See: How can I access existing user information after integrating with Oracle Internet Directory?
Perform an initial synchronization of your Oracle Workflow directory service with Oracle Internet Directory by running the WF_LDAP.Synch_all( ) API. Because Synch_all( ) retrieves information for all users stored in Oracle Internet Directory, you should use this function only once during setup. If necessary, however, you can also run Synch_all( ) as required for recovery or cleanup.

Use the following commands to run Synch_all( ):
```
declare
  res boolean := FALSE;
begin

  res := wf_ldap.synch_all();
  if (res) then
    dbms_output.put_line('succeeded');
  else
    dbms_output.put_line('failed ');
  end if;
end;
/
```
Use the WF_LDAP.Schedule_Changes() API to periodically synchronize your Oracle Workflow directory service with Oracle Internet Directory. See: Synchronizing Workflow Directory Services with Oracle Internet Directory.

To convert from Oracle Internet Directory to Oracle Database users:

Stop any database jobs you have scheduled to execute the WF_LDAP APIs to synchronize your Oracle Workflow directory service with Oracle Internet Directory. See: Synchronizing Workflow Directory Services with Oracle Internet Directory.
Update the Database Access Descriptor (DAD) for Oracle Workflow in the Oracle HTTP Server dads.conf file, specifying the following parameters. You can either use Oracle Enterprise Manager to update the DAD or edit the dads.conf file directly. The DAD should be named /pls/your_Workflow_DAD. For example: /pls/wf
- PlsqlDatabaseConnectString - Database connect string
- PlsqlDefaultPage - wfa_html.home
- PlsqlSessionStateManagement - StatelessWithResetPackageState
- PlsqlAuthenticationMode - Basic
  
  Ensure that you do not specify a database user name or password, in order to enable mod_plsql database authentication.
After you update the DAD, restart Oracle HTTP Server.
If you installed Oracle Workflow shipped with Oracle Application Server and your installation automatically integrated with Oracle Application Server Single Sign-On, delete the entry for your Workflow DAD from the mod_osso configuration file.

After you update the mod_osso configuration file, restart Oracle HTTP Server.
Run the ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfdirouv.sql script to map the Oracle Workflow directory service views to your Oracle Database users and roles. For example, use the following command:
```
sqlplus owf_mgr/<passwd> @$ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfdirouv.sql
```
The wfdirouv.sql script sets each native Oracle Database user's e-mail address to the user's respective username. As a minimal setup step, you should edit the script to either link your native Oracle Database users to an existing mail directory store through the WF_ROLES view definition or, if the usernames and e-mail account names match, then simply add the domain for your organization, such as @oracle.com, to the usernames in the WF_USERS view definition. Typically, the columns that you change are EMAIL_ADDRESS in WF_USERS and EMAIL_ADDRESS in WF_ROLES. See: Integrating Oracle Workflow Directory Services with Oracle Database Users,
Load the appropriate version of the WFA_SEC package, which contains Oracle Workflow security functions and procedures. To load this package, log on to SQL*Plus as the Oracle Workflow database user and run the ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfsecwsb.sql script. For example, use the following command:
```
sqlplus owf_mgr/<passwd> @$ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql/wfsecwsb.sql
```
Clear the following LDAP preferences in the Global Workflow Preferences page. See: To Set Global Preferences for Standalone Oracle Workflow.
- LDAP Host
- LDAP Port
- LDAP User Name
- LDAP Password
- LDAP Changelog Base Directory
- LDAP User Base Directory

How can I access the Oracle Workflow demonstration users?

When you install Oracle Workflow and its demonstration workflow processes, you also install a demonstration data model that seeds a set of demonstration users in the directory service. The users are sysadmin, wfadmin, blewis, cdouglas, kwalker, and spierson. Their passwords are the same as their usernames.

For security reasons, the installation process automatically locks the demonstration user accounts after they are created. Before you can begin using the accounts, you must unlock them using a script called wfdemoul.sql. This script is located in the ORACLE_HOME/wf/demo directory. Connect to the SYSTEM database account using SQL*Plus and run the script using the following command:

sqlplus SYSTEM/<SYSTEM pwd> @wfdemoul

See your Oracle DBA if you need more information about the SYSTEM account and password.

If you are using Oracle Database users and roles as your directory repository, then the Workflow installation creates the demonstration users as database accounts. In this case you can authenticate yourself with a demonstration database username and password to access Oracle Workflow Web pages.
If you chose to integrate with Oracle Internet Directory as your directory repository by entering LDAP values in the Oracle Workflow Configuration Assistant, then the demonstration users are created as ad hoc users in the Workflow local directory service tables. In this case you must migrate the user information for the demonstration users to Oracle Internet Directory before you can access Oracle Workflow Web pages with these user names and passwords. See: How can I access existing user information after integrating with Oracle Internet Directory?

How can I enable custom packages in the Oracle Workflow DAD?

If you create custom PL/SQL packages for Web pages that you want to display through the Oracle Workflow Database Access Descriptor (DAD), you must add your custom packages to the list of valid Web packages maintained in the WF_WEB_CONFIG package. Edit the wfwbcfgb.pls file in the $ORACLE_HOME/wf/sql directory to add your packages to the g_packages list. Enter the package names at the end of the list, in upper case, between single quotation marks.

How can I ensure that propagation is executed for Business Event System queues?

Oracle Workflow leverages Oracle Advanced Queuing, which requires job queue processes to handle message propagation. The minimum recommended number of processes for Oracle Workflow is ten. If you schedule propagation for your Business Event System queues but no processes are being allocated to execute the propagation, you may need to increase the JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES database initialization parameter to ensure the processes are available for propagation. Use Oracle Workflow Manager to check the setting of the JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES parameter for your instance.

Can I export and import the Oracle Workflow schema?

Yes. Beginning in Release 2.6.4, you can export and import the standalone Oracle Workflow schema to transfer its data objects between Oracle databases. The default schema name is owf_mgr. Use either the Oracle Data Pump export and import utilities or the original export and import utilities. See: Oracle Database Utilities.

Can I install more than one Oracle Workflow schema in the same database?

No. You can only install one Oracle Workflow schema per Oracle home. Otherwise, you may encounter errors in the Oracle Workflow middle tier services.

If you need to recreate the Oracle Workflow schema, you must first drop the existing schema and deinstall Oracle Workflow. Then follow the instructions in your installation documentation to reinstall Oracle Workflow and create a new Oracle Workflow schema using the Oracle Workflow Configuration Assistant.

While you have an Oracle Workflow schema configured in your database, you must not rerun the Oracle Workflow Configuration Assistant with any install option other than Add Language.

Can I use Oracle Workflow in an Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) database?

Installing the Oracle Workflow schema in a RAC database is supported. You may choose to do so for performance and scalability reasons. However, be aware that Oracle Workflow components outside the database run on only one of the nodes in a RAC environment. These components include Oracle Workflow Manager and service components such as notification mailers and agent listeners.

How can I remove an Oracle Workflow installation?

To remove Oracle Workflow:

Use Oracle Universal Installer to deinstall Oracle Workflow server or the Oracle Workflow middle tier components.
Drop the Oracle Workflow schema from the database. Log in to the database as the SYS user and enter the following command:
```
drop user Workflow_schema_name cascade 
```
For example:
```
drop user owf_mgr cascade
```

How can I manually register files for an Oracle Workflow client installation?

In some cases you may see the following error message while installing Oracle Workflow client components: "Error encountered when registering filename, please run regsvr32.exe manually to register this file after the installation completes". For example, you may see this error for the wfnvg.ocx file.

If you encounter this error, close the error message and proceed with the installation. After the installation is complete, register the specified file manually by running the following command from a DOS prompt:

regsvr32 path\filename

Replace path with the path to the file and filename with the name of the file to register. The wfnvg.ocx file is normally located in the ORACLE_HOME\bin directory.

How can I modify the font in Oracle Workflow Builder?

If you install the Oracle Workflow Builder in another language such as Japanese, you can modify the font used by the windows in the Oracle Workflow Builder to a font that is appropriate for your language. For example, when using the Oracle Workflow Builder in Japanese, you might choose the font MS PGothic. Any change you make applies to all windows within the program. See: Modifying Fonts in Oracle Workflow Builder, Oracle Workflow Developer's Guide.