Install APEX receipe

How to install APEX - shorthand.

Prepare the database

There are some options and tools to be installed. If you use the DBCA to generate scripts, make sure you at least run these:

@$AH/scripts/CreateDB.sql
@$AH/scripts/CreateDBFiles.sql
@$AH/scripts/CreateDBCatalog.sql
@$AH/scripts/JServer.sql
@$AH/scripts/context.sql
@$AH/scripts/xdb_protocol.sql
@$AH/scripts/postDBCreation.sql

$AH stands for my Administrative Home directory; usually something like $ORACLE_BASE/admin/{SID}

Check

Not sure? You should at least get the following three, when running this:

select comp_id from dba_registry;

COMP_ID
------------------------------
  XDB
  CONTEXT
  JAVAVM

owa_util

select owa_util.get_version from dual;

should result in 10.1.2.0.6 or higher. It will need to get patched/upgraded if not. You can safely execute owainst.sql in the owa sub directory of the installation, as the OWA installation checks the version, and only patches if there's something to patch

shared_pool

Only when not using SGA_TARGET (10g and 11g) or MEMORY_TARGET (11g), define shared_pool_size 100MB or higher.

Install

Now, you are ready to install:

@apexins sysaux sysaux temp /i/

Don't forget the last "/"... Change the password of the public account, and unlock the account:

alter user apex_public_user identified by ABC123DEF account unlock;

The OHS

Assuming a MS Windows workstation, zip the images directory of the apex install. Transfer that to your OHS (Oracle Http Server). Now, create a directory and unzip:

$ mkdir $ORACLE_BASE/htdocs/apex
$ cd $ORACLE_BASE/htdocs/apex
$ unzip /.../apeximg.zip

plsql.conf

Add this entry to plsql.conf ($ORACLE_BASE points to /oracle/apex):

PlsqlMaxParameters 15000

dads.conf

Add this dads.conf:

Alias /i/ "/oracle/apex/htdocs/apex/images/"
AddType text/xml xbl
AddType text/x-component htc
<Location /demo>
   SetHandler pls_handler
   Order deny,allow
   Allow from All
   AllowOverride None
   PlsqlDatabaseUsername apex_public_user
   PlsqlDatabasePassword   ABC123DEF
   PlsqlDatabaseConnectString cs-frank03.home.local:1521:orcl.home.local ServiceNameFormat
   PlsqlNLSLanguage American_America.UTF8
   PlsqlAuthenticationMode Basic
   PlsqlSessionStateManagement StatelessWithFastResetPackageState
   PlsqlDocumentPath docs
   PlsqlDocumentProcedure wwv_flow_file_mgr.process_downloadd
   PlsqlDocumentTablename wwv_flow_file_objects$
   PlsqlDefaultPage apex
   PlsqlAlwaysDescribeProcedure Off
   PlsqlRequestValidationFunction wwv_flow_epg_include_modules.authorize
</Location>

Obfuscate password

It is not a good practice to leave cleartext passwords; obfuscate it:

cd $ORACLE_HOME/ohs/modplsql/conf
export PERL5LIB=$ORACLE_HOME/perl/lib/5.8.3
export SHLIB_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib:/usr/lib
export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/ohs/modplsql/conf:$ORACLE_HOME/perl/bin:$PATH

perl dadTool.pl -o

$ Error: Could not obfuscate password 'ABC123DEF' for dad '/demo'
Number of failed obfuscations : 1

Nevermind - it is. Just check it. You're almost done, just make OHS aware of all changes:

$ opmnctl restartproc type=ohs

You are now ready to add workspaces and users, like I've done here.