Introduction

This document describes the key features in Oracle Application Server TopLink 10g (10.1.2).

Oracle Hints and the OracleAS TopLink Query Framework

The OracleAS TopLink query framework now allows Oracle hints to specify items such as the join order of a join statement or the optimization approach of a SQL call. This allows developers to tune queries while still benefiting from OracleAS TopLink's performance and flexible query framework.

Hierarchical queries

Enhanced the OracleAS TopLink query framework to allow developers to define hierarchical queries, namely support for CONNECT BY, START WITH and ORDER SIBLINGS BY clauses. Hierarchical Queries is a mechanism that enables a developer to select database rows based on a hierarchical order. For example, a developer can design a query that reads the row of a given employee followed by the rows of people the employee manages, followed by their managed employees, and so on.

Advanced Query Builder

The new Expression Builder provides a dynamic graphical interface when creating OracleAS TopLink expressions for named queries. By defining these expression-based queries, you can reduce the amount of Java coding required to build an application. Refer to "Building Expressions" in the Oracle Application Server TopLink Mapping Workbench User's Guide for complete information.

Support for Oracle Database Types

For Oracle9 databases, OracleAS TopLink now supports NCHAR, NAVRCHAR2, and NCLOB database types for direct-to-field and type conversion mappings.

Security - Password Encryption

The OracleAS TopLink encryption mechanism now uses JCE (Java Cryptography Extension), conforming to Oracle's security guidelines. OracleAS TopLink uses this mechanism to encrypt and decrypt passwords stored in the sessions XML as well as deployment XML and Java files generated by Oracle Application Server TopLink Mapping Workbench.

In addition, users can now specify their own, custom encryption mechanism. The Oracle Application Server TopLink Sessions Editor writes out the appropriate tags and values and is responsible for picking up new encryption mechanism built by OracleAS TopLink users.

OracleAS TopLink maintains older decryption algorithms for backwards compatibility.

LOB Support

Improved support for Large Objects (LOB) types, specifically for Oracle thin drivers.

Logging Chained Exceptions

OracleAS TopLink's compatibility with JDK 1.4 includes the ability to track related exceptions. This allows you to log causality when one exception causes another as part of the standard stack back-trace. If you build your applications using JDK 1.4, causal chains appear automatically in your logs.

Remote Command Manager

The Remote Command Manager (RCM) allows non-OracleAS TopLink applications to receive OracleAS TopLink commands across the network. This enables you to synchronize caches between OracleAS TopLink and non-OracleAS TopLink applications. The RCM replaces the standard OracleAS TopLink cache synchronization in mixed OracleAS TopLink and non-OracleAS TopLink architectures.

XML File Reduction

The OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench now generates a minimum number of files, thereby improving overall performance. In addition, the reduced number of files eases the checkin/out process when using the OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench with a source control management (SCM) system.

Source Control Management (SCM) Read-Only Files

The OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench will identify files in read-only status (i.e., "locked"). When using the OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench with a source control management (SCM) system, this helps to identify which files must be merged into the repository.

Source Code Generation

In the OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench, use the new project Options tab to specify the default file names, class names, and directories, when exporting or generating Java source code and deployment XML.

This new tab also allows you to specify the primary key name and primary key search pattern (database schema) to use when generating tables (information previously available on the Table Generation tab).

Internationalization

The OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench now complies with Oracle IDS internationalization standards.

Accessibility and Oracle User Interface Look and Feel

The OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench user interface (UI) and coding standards now comply with section 508 of the US Federal Rehabilitations Act. In addition, the OracleAS TopLink Mapping Workbench also offers the standard Oracle look and feel.

OracleAS TopLink Sessions Editor

Use the new OracleAS TopLink Sessions Editor to create and maintain the Sessions XML file. You can use the Sessions XML file to configure one or more sessions for the OracleAS TopLink project, and associate the sessions with the project. Refer to "Understanding the OracleAS TopLink Sessions Editor" in the Oracle Application Server TopLink Mapping Workbench User's Guide for complete information.

Updated OracleAS TopLink - Web Client and Session Console

The OracleAS TopLink - Web Client and Session Console have been combined into a single application. The Web Client provides a browser-based interface to create and maintain persistent objects associated with OracleAS TopLink server sessions deployed to Oracle Application Server Containers for J2EE, IBM WebSphere 5.0, and BEA WebLogic 6.1, 7.0, or 8.1 application servers.

Enhancements to the Web Client include performance profiling, direct SQL querying, and automated packaging scripts.

Updated OracleAS TopLink Examples

The complete OracleAS TopLink installation includes the OracleAS TopLink Examples. These examples help users explore and learn about how to use the OracleAS TopLink features with different architectures and different technologies. They are designed to be as simple as possible while still effectively demonstrating the target architecture, technology, or feature.

There are two types of examples: application server and OracleAS TopLink Foundation Library (non-server) examples.

• Application server examples vary from server to server, depending on the server-specific features. Although OracleAS TopLink provide instructions for certain servers, developers can run many of the examples (for example, the Session Bean and Servlet JSP examples) on other application servers with some configuration changes.

• OracleAS TopLink Foundation Library (non-server) examples are configured to run in a simple Java VM, but the features and technologies they demonstrate can also be used in an application server environment.

When developers run the examples, useful information is written to standard out, including details about what the example is doing and what SQL is generated. You may find it useful to redirect standard out to a file when you run an example

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