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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