Some problems appear only on the server, only for one user, or only under real load, where the debugger cannot follow. Forms Trace records what a session does, user actions, triggers, program units, built-ins, and SQL, with the time of each in milliseconds since the session started.
This guide shows how to start a Forms Trace in Oracle Forms 14.1.2, choose what to trace with event numbers and groups, translate the binary trace to text with Xlate, and read two real traces.
Sample Form for This Guide
The examples and screenshots use the sample forms CH34_TRIPS and CH34_PERF_A100 from the Oracle Forms code repository on GitHub. Download them, open them in Forms Builder, and connect as CAREWELL to follow along.
| Form | File | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| CH34_TRIPS | forms/ch34/ch34_trips.fmb | Eight items and a clock, traced for user actions |
| CH34_PERF_A100 | forms/ch34/ch34_perf_a100.fmb | The performance form with a Query Array Size of 100, traced for SQL and triggers |
The forms run against the CareWell Clinic sample schema, which you install first.
Forms Trace at a Glance
| Step | How |
|---|---|
| Start a trace | record=forms and tracegroup in the URL or configuration section, or from User Sessions in Fusion Middleware Control. |
| Choose events | Event numbers, ranges, or a group defined in ftrace.cfg. |
| Find the file | forms_<process id>.trc in the domain's system_components/FORMS/forms1/trace directory. |
| Read it | Translate it with the Xlate utility to text, HTML, or XML. |
Start a Trace
A trace is started for a session in one of two ways:
- In the URL or the configuration section: record=forms, and tracegroup with the events to trace.
- In Fusion Middleware Control, from User Sessions, for a session already running.
Both parameters are formsweb.cfg parameters, listed in how to configure formsweb.cfg in Oracle Forms.
Choose the Events to Trace
tracegroup names event numbers or ranges, or a group defined in ftrace.cfg, in the Forms instance's server directory. Oracle's file defines three groups.
The groups in ftrace.cfg:
debug: 0-159,169-196 errors: 0-3 custom1: 32-46,65,66,96,194
The events, by number:
| Events | Recorded |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | Errors and fatal errors. |
| 32 to 47 | Startup, and user actions: menu, key, click, value, scroll, LOV selection, window events, tab page, timer, database event. |
| 64 to 71 | Durations: form, program unit, trigger, LOV, editor, canvas, alert. |
| 96 to 101 | Built-ins, user exits, SQL, menu creation, database program units, Execute Query. |
| 128 to 137 | Network: connect, handshake, heartbeat, HTTP, socket, SSL, database processing, logon, logoff. |
| 192 to 196 | Details of other events: environment, state changes, arguments of built-ins, user exits, program units. |
Translate the Trace with Xlate
Each trace is a file named after the runtime process, such as forms_18329.trc, in the domain's system_components/FORMS/forms1/trace directory. It is binary; the Xlate utility, in frmxlate.jar, translates it to text, HTML, or XML.
Translate a trace to text:
java -cp $ORACLE_HOME/jlib/frmxlate.jar oracle.forms.diagnostics.Xlate
datafile=forms_18329.trc outputfile=trace.txt outputclass=WriteOutTEXTRead a Trace: User Actions
The sample trips form, which has eight text items and a clock, was run with record=forms&tracegroup=custom1. The user typed a name, pressed Tab, and started the clock.
Output:
#1 [Startup] Timestamp=10, PName=USER_START, ProcessID=18329, Tracegroup=custom1
#2 [WINDOW_ACTIVATE] Timestamp=410, FormID=1, Name=MAIN_WIN, Width=420, Height=230
#3 [Key] Timestamp=26330, FormID=1, KeyPressed=Next_item
#4 [CLICK] Timestamp=27510, FormID=1, Block=CTL, Item=START, How=MOUSE
5 [TRIGGER.START,1] Timestamp=27510, EndEvent=10, Block=CTL, Item=START, Name=WHEN-BUTTON-PRESSED
7 [BUILTIN.START,3] Timestamp=27540, EndEvent=8, Name=CREATE_TIMER
[Arguments]
Type=In Position=1 DataType=STRING Value=CLOCK
Type=In Position=2 DataType=NUMBER Value=1000
8 [BUILTIN.END,3] Timestamp=27550, StartEvent=7, Duration=10
10 [TRIGGER.END,1] Timestamp=27550, StartEvent=5, Duration=40
#11 [TIMER] Timestamp=28550, FormID=1, Name=CLOCK
12 [TRIGGER.START,1] Timestamp=28550, EndEvent=15, Block=(Null), Item=(Null), Name=WHEN-TIMER-EXPIREDPoint events are marked #; duration events come in pairs, the end with its Duration. The typing is not there, because it never reached the server, while the Tab is, as the key Next_item. That matches the request counts in how to reduce round trips to the Forms server.
Read a Trace: SQL and Triggers
With tracegroup=66,98,101, the trace of the One Call button in the performance form with a Query Array Size of 100 listed the block's statement and each POST-QUERY: 5,371 events for one button, which took 470 milliseconds.
Output:
2 [TRIGGER.START,1] Timestamp=25030, EndEvent=5371, Block=CTL, Item=CALL, Name=WHEN-BUTTON-PRESSED
3 [EXECQUERY.START] Timestamp=25060, EndEvent=46, FormID=1, Block=APPTS
4 [SQL.START] Timestamp=25070, EndEvent=5, Statement=SELECT ROWID,APPT_ID,APPT_START,
PATIENT_ID,DOCTOR_ID FROM APPOINTMENTS order by appt_id
8 [TRIGGER.START,2] Timestamp=25070, EndEvent=9, Block=APPTS, Item=(Null), Name=POST-QUERY
5371 [TRIGGER.END,1] Timestamp=25500, StartEvent=2, Duration=470The form behind this trace is described in how to reduce database round trips in Oracle Forms.
Trace Only What You Need
The trace file grows with every event, and tracing slows the session. Trace only the event groups the problem needs, for as long as it takes to reproduce it, and turn the trace off afterward. For stepping through code interactively instead, see how to debug Oracle Forms using the Forms Debugger.
Conclusion
Forms Trace records a session's events by number: start it with record=forms and a tracegroup of event numbers, ranges, or ftrace.cfg groups, or from User Sessions in Fusion Middleware Control. The binary forms_<pid>.trc file becomes readable text, HTML, or XML with Xlate, showing point events, paired start and end events with durations, built-in arguments, and SQL. Trace only what the problem needs, because every event costs file space and session time.
