How to Add Images to Oracle Forms

In modern applications, images play a key role in enhancing user experience and making forms visually appealing. In Oracle Forms, images can be used for various purposes such as displaying product pictures, logos, employee photographs, or icons for better navigation. If you are developing an application and want to integrate images, Oracle Forms provides multiple options to handle them efficiently.

This tutorial explains different ways to add images to Oracle Forms, the properties you can configure, and best practices to ensure images load smoothly.

Why Add Images in Oracle Forms?

Using images in forms is not only about appearance; it can also serve important business purposes:

• Branding – Adding company logos and consistent themes.
• Identification – Showing employee or customer photographs.
• Product Visualization – Displaying product images directly in forms.
• User Experience – Making navigation buttons or menus more intuitive with icons.

Ways to Add Images in Oracle Forms

Oracle Forms provides two main methods for using images:

1. Storing images inside the form module.
2. Referencing images stored externally (on the file system or in the database).

1. Adding a Static Image Using the Layout Editor

This is the simplest method where you place a fixed image inside the form, such as a logo.

Steps:

1. Open your form in Oracle Forms Builder.
2. Go to the Layout Editor.
3. From the Tool Palette, select the Image Item.
4. Click on the canvas where you want the image to appear.
5. In the Property Palette, set the following:
   • Filename: Path to the image file (e.g., c:\images\logo.gif).
   • Format: Supported formats include BMP, GIF, JPG.
   • Resize: Choose whether to scale the image to fit the item size.

This method is ideal for fixed images such as banners or logos.

2. Adding Dynamic Images Using Image Item

Sometimes, you need to display images that change depending on user actions (e.g., showing an employee’s photo). In such cases, you can use the Image Item dynamically.

Steps:

1. Create an Image Item in the Layout Editor.
2. Set Image Format to BMP, GIF, or JPG.
3. Use READ_IMAGE_FILE built-in to load an image at runtime.

Example Code:

DECLARE
   v_path VARCHAR2(200);
BEGIN
   v_path := 'c:\images\' || :EMP.PHOTO_NAME || '.jpg';
   READ_IMAGE_FILE(v_path, 'JPG', 'EMP.PHOTO');
END;

In this example, the application loads the employee’s photo based on the file name stored in a database column.

3. Storing and Retrieving Images from the Database

For secure and centralized image management, you can store images in a BLOB column in the database and display them in Oracle Forms.

Steps:

1. Create a database table with a BLOB column. CREATE TABLE employee_photos ( emp_id NUMBER PRIMARY KEY, photo BLOB );
2. Create a block in Oracle Forms based on this table.
3. Add an Image Item to the block.
4. Map the Image Item to the BLOB column.

Now, whenever you query an employee record, their photo will appear in the form automatically.

4. Using Icons in Buttons

Apart from displaying pictures, you can also use images as button icons to make navigation easier.

Steps:

1. Create a Push Button in the Layout Editor.
2. In the Property Palette, set:
   • Icon Filename: Path of the icon image (e.g., search.ico).
   • Label: Leave blank if you want only the icon.

This is commonly used for toolbar buttons like Save, Search, Delete, etc.

Supported Image Formats in Oracle Forms

Oracle Forms supports a limited set of image formats. The most commonly used are:

• BMP
• GIF
• JPG/JPEG

If you try to use unsupported formats like PNG, you may need conversion before loading them.

Best Practices for Adding Images

To ensure images work properly in Oracle Forms, follow these recommendations:

• Store images in a centralized folder accessible to all users.
• Use relative paths instead of hard-coded paths to avoid deployment issues.
• Optimize image size to reduce form loading time.
• Prefer database storage for critical images that must be secured and shared consistently.
• Test image scaling to ensure it looks clear and professional on different screen resolutions.

Conclusion

Adding images to Oracle Forms can significantly improve both usability and design. Whether you want to insert a static company logo, dynamically load user photos, or enhance navigation with button icons, Oracle Forms provides multiple options through Image Items, BLOB columns, and icons.

By following the right approach and best practices, you can make your application more professional, user-friendly, and visually engaging.