Installing / Configuring APEX

(Application Express / HTMLDB) in 10gR2

on Windows XP
Apex 3.1 works with all versions above 9203, (including Oracle 11g). In this
article the steps are defined for Installing apex_3.1 on 10gR2 (10.2.0.1)

Step 1: Download 10gR2 software

(http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/database/index.html)
Step 2: Download 10gR2 Companion CD (for HTTP Server)
(http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/database/index.html)
Step 3: Download apex_3.1 from http://apex.oracle.com or
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_express/do
wnload.html
Step 4: Install 10gR2 software and create a general database as part of
installation
Step 5: Install 10gR2 companion CD – you will have two options (HTMLDB +
HTTP Server or only HTTP Server) (I selected HTMLDB + HTTP Server, not a
must though, since we will be installing apex_3.1)
Step 6: Stop both oracle DB and Apache server just installed.
Step 7: Start the DB and let apache be down.
Step 8: Unzip apex_3.1.zip (hereinafter referred as APEX_LOC)
Step 9: Pre-install requirements for APEX.
1. DB Requirement – Should be greater than 9203.
2. JVM Requirement – Need to be installed separetly if DB is less than
10gR1
3. Shared Pool Size of the database – ignore if sga_target is used, else it
has to be atleast 100M;
4. HTTP Server (with mod_plsql) Requirements – Oracle9iR2 (9.2) or later /
Oracle9iAS release 1 (1.0.2.2) or later / Oracle Database 10g Companion CD
release 1 or 2 / Oracle Database 11g release 1
5. Space Requirement -
For APEX Software Files – 450MB
For APEX objects (tablespace) – 125MB
SYSTEM Tablesapce – 85MB
6. Oracle XML DB Requirement – XML DB should be installed in the
database
7. Oracle Text Requirement – for Searchable online help in APEX
8. PL/SQL Web toolkit – required Version 10.1.2.0.6 (10gR2 brings in
10.1.2.0)

In our approach, (10gR2 DB + 10gR2 Companion CD 1) we had satisfied

1,2,3,4 & 6 requirements. Perform below steps to satisfy 5, 7 & 8.
For 5: We can create a separate tablespace for APEX objects or we can use
SYSAUX tables. Add appropriate datafiles to the tablespaces to meet the
required free space.
For 7: Connect to db as ctxsys user and execute
@ORACLE_HOME\ctx\admin\defaults\drdefus.sql (substitute ORACLE_HOME
with actual path)
For 8: Go to the location where you had extracted apex_3.1 zip (APEX_LOC).
Connect to db as sys user and execute owainst.sql (under apex\owa
directory)
Execute “select owa_util.get_version from dual;” to verify the pl/sql web
toolkit version.

Step 10: Install APEX 3.1

- Goto the location where you had extracted apex_3.1 zip. change location to
apex directory under APEX_LOC.
- Connect to database as sys user and execute below command
- @apexins TS1 TS2 TEMP_TS /i/

TS1 => SYSAUX or (tablespace created for APEX)

TS2 => SYSAUX or (tablespace created for APEX)
TEMP_TS => Temporary tablesapce
/i/ => Location to store APEX Images (no need to mention any path, just
leave it as /i/)
eg:(@apexins APEX_DATA APEX_DATA TEMP /i/)

Installation logfile will be located under APEX_LOC as installYYYY-MM-

DD_HH24-MI-SS.log.

Step 11: Change Password for ADMIN Account

- Change directory to apex
- Connect to DB as sys user and execute
- @apxchpwd

(ADMIN user is the super user account simillar to SYS for DB)

Step 12: Configure HTTP Server

Step 12.1: Unlock APEX_PUBLIC_USER Account & change password

- Connect to db as sys user

- alter user apex_public_user account unlock;
- alter user apex_public_user identified by NEW_PASSWORD;

Step 12.2: Copy APEX Images

- Open APACHE_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/modplsql/conf/marvel.con to identify
default location set for images (/i/) (Hereinafter referred as IMAGE_LOC)
- Goto the location identified above
(eg.C:/oracle/product/as/1020/htmldb/images/)
- Rename the images directory to images_old
- Copy APEX_LOC/apex/images to C:/oracle/product/as/1020/htmldb/

Step 12.3: Adding DAD entry to connect to APEX

- Open APACHE_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/modplsql/dad.conf
- Past below entry

Alias /i/ “[ Put the IMAGE_LOC Value] “

AddType text/xml xbl
AddType text/x-component htc

<Location /pls/apex>
Order deny,allow
PlsqlDocumentPath docs
AllowOverride None
PlsqlDocumentProcedure wwv_flow_file_mgr.process_download
PlsqlDatabaseConnectString hostname:port:SID
PlsqlNLSLanguage AMERICAN_AMERICA.AL32UTF8
PlsqlAuthenticationMode Basic
SetHandler pls_handler
PlsqlDocumentTablename wwv_flow_file_objects$
PlsqlDatabaseUsername APEX_PUBLIC_USER
PlsqlDefaultPage apex
PlsqlDatabasePassword APEX_PASSWORD
PlsqlRequestValidationFunction wwv_flow_epg_include_modules.authorize
Allow from all
</Location>

Make sure these values are properly set before saving this file (marvel.conf)

1. IMAGE_LOC Value
2. hostname:port:SID => eg: localhost:1521:ORCL
3. APEX_PASSWORD => eg: password_you_had_selected_on_step_12.1

IF all the above values are set, save the file as marvel.conf

Step 13: Start HTTP Server (Start -> Programs -> Oracle)

Step 14: Access the admin page of APEX

http://hostname:port/pls/apex/apex_admin

Username: ADMIN
Password: PASSWORD_SELECTED_WHILE_RUNNING_apxchpwd
 Sample Screen:
http://oraclepitstop.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/apex_admin_screen1.jpeg

cheers,
OraclePitStop