Descriptive Flex Fields in Custom Forms

Hi All,
Here i would like to discuss the basic steps for implementing descriptive flex in our custom forms..These steps you will find in the application develeoper as well as in may sites on the net..
i am putting the content from one of the documents i have for ready reference and single source place..
If you are creating a DFF on the custom form for already defined DFF jump to step 4..
Step1: Registering your table(Required in case of the DFF on a custom table)
Use the add_dd package to register the table and the corresponding columns

For sample....

EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'CHN_REP_CODE', 1, 'VARCHAR2', 10, 'N', 'N');
EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'NAME', 2, 'VARCHAR2', 30, 'N', 'N');
EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'LOCATION', 3, 'VARCHAR2', 10, 'Y', 'N');
EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'REGION', 4, 'VARCHAR2', 5, 'Y', 'N');
EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'PRIORITY', 5, 'VARCHAR2', 1, 'Y', 'N');
EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'STATUS', 6, 'VARCHAR2', 1, 'Y', 'N');
EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'EFFECTIVE_DATE', 7, 'DATE', 10, 'Y', 'N');
EXEC ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP', 'PARENT_CODE', 8, 'VARCHAR2', 10, 'Y', 'N');EXECUTE ad_dd.register_column('CUSTOM', 'C01_CHN_REP','last_update_date', 9, 'DATE', 10, 'N'



Step2:Check whether all the columns are registered or not...

use the sysadmin responsibility and see the table details..



Step3:Register the Descriptive Flex field..






Step4:Create a new item and attach the TEXT_ITEM_DESC_FLEX subclass information and set the following properties
Subclass ='Text_Item_Desc_Flex'
Database Items = 'No'
Query Allowed 'Yes'
Insert Allowed 'YES'
Update Allowed 'YES'
List of Values = 'Enable_List_Lamp'
Validate from list 'No'


Form Builder Flexfield a control 1 character size is created on the canvas. Block is correct C01_CHN_REP_BLK

Step5:use a event hanlder to make the code as per oracle standards..
2. Create a Procedure as event handler for the field. This will be used in WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE
to initialize the flexfield.

PROCEDURE c01_desc_flex( EVENT varchar2) IS
BEGIN
if ( event = 'WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE') then
FND_DESCR_FLEX.DEFINE( BLOCK=>'C01_CHN_REP_BLK',
FIELD=>'DESC_FLEX',
APPL_SHORT_NAME=>'CUSTOM',
DESC_FLEX_NAME=>'C01_CHN_Descr_flex') ;
else
null ;
end if ;
END;

3. Call the procedure c01_desc_flex , in WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE
C01_DESC_FLEX(‘WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE’);

4. Oracle apps provide api FND_FLEX for Descr flex field events. You call it from all events that can edit the DESC_FLEX field.
It is better to write all these block level triggers to have consistent normal behaviour of the descriptive flex field.
FND_FLEX.event('WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE') ;
from the WHEN-VALIDATE-ITEM trigger of the DESC_FLEX item as
FND_FLEX.EVENT('WHEN-VALIDATE-ITEM ');
FND_FLEX.EVENT(’PRE-QUERY’);
FND_FLEX.EVENT(’POST-QUERY’);
FND_FLEX.EVENT('WHEN-VALIDATE-RECORD');
FND_FLEX.EVENT('WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE');
FND_FLEX.EVENT('PRE-INSERT');
FND_FLEX.EVENT('WHEN-VALIDATE-ITEM');
FND_FLEX.EVENT('PRE-UPDATE);