As browser vendors move away from supporting plug-ins, technologies like Oracle Forms will need alternative ways in which to run the applications developed with them. Beginning in version 12.2.1.0.0, Oracle Forms introduced one such alternative. The Forms Standalone Launcher (FSAL) offers an alternative way for end-users to run Forms 12c applications.
FSAL provides a browser-less, client/server-like interface. As a result of not using a browser, FSAL does not rely.

The Forms Standalone Launcher (FSAL) offers an alternative way for end-users to run Oracle Forms 12c applications. FSAL provides a browser-less, modern client/server-like interface. As a result of not using a browser, FSAL does not rely on the Java Deployment technologies (e.g. Plug-in, Web Start, etc) and therefore is not dependent on a browser. However, it does require Java on the end-user machine. The FSAL feature is only available in Forms 12.2.1.0 and newer. The configuration requires that a small JAR file (frmsal.jar) be stored on the end-user machine.

The file can be transferred to the end-user machine using any desirable method (e.g. web download, email, ftp, etc). The file can be stored anywhere on the user’s machine as long the user has access to that directory and file. Storing it in the user’s home directory is recommended, but not required.

FSAL, like a browser, needs to know the location of the application you want to run. In a browser, hyperlinks are sometimes used to launch other web pages or even Forms applications. Because FSAL is fully removed from a browser, you cannot easily use a web page to launch an application hosted by FSAL. So, knowing the complete Forms application URL is necessary. Currently, the use of URL redirects or rewrites is not supported, but may be technically possible depending on the server configuration. FSAL expects to receive a fully qualified URL that points to the Forms environment. A desktop shortcut or script/batch file can be used in place of a hyperlink in order to make starting the application simple and less error prone.

Requirements

1. Verify the desired Java version is found

Open windows command prompt and execute below command

java –version

If java is not available install required java version and make sure able to execute the java version command, Sometimes need to add the java path to windows PATH Environment variable “C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin”

2. Download the frmsal.jar from the server
   Here we have 12c application hosted on windows server. We have created a folder oracle on C drive and copied the frmsal.jar from server location e:\Oracle\Middleware\Oracle_Home\forms\java

3. Configure Standalone application on 12c application server

Edit formsweb.cfg file configuration file with [standalone] on E:\Oracle\Middleware\Oracle_Home\user_projects\domains\star_domain\config\fmwconfig\servers\WLS_FORMS\applications\formsapp_12.2.1\config add the below

[standaloneapp]
fsalcheck=true
#userid=dbuser/dbpassword@dbconn

userid=webutil/webutil@orcl
envFile=default.env
width=100%
height=100%
imageBase=codeBase
separateFrame=True
lookandfeel=Oracle
heartBeat= 55
WebUtilArchive=frmwebutil.jar,jacob.jar,AWTFileDialog.jar,filesplitter.jar
WebUtilLogging=off
WebUtilLoggingDetail=normal
WebUtilErrorMode=Alert
WebUtilDispatchMonitorInterval=5
WebUtilTrustInternal=true
WebUtilMaxTransferSize=16384
baseHTML=webutilbase.htm
baseHTMLjpi=webutiljpi.htm
archive=frmall.jar,frmwebutil.jar,jacob.jar,icons.jar,myIcons_gif.jar
lookAndFeel=oracle
networkRetries=10
install.syslib.0.user.1=ffisamp.dll|40960|1.0|true

4. Access Application from windows User PC

OPen command prompt and execute below commands

cd c:\oracle
java -jar frmsal.jar -url “http://172.30.*.*:9001/forms/frmservlet?config=standaloneapp&form=D:\app\LOGIN.fmx”

so we were able to test the form and is working with standalone launcher

5. Secure URL with Exe file

Instead of creating a bat file or shortcut on windows application user PC, we will restrict the windows users seeing the application url calling fmx and all by calling and exe file, we used free bat to exe convertor v3.0.10 to convert bat file to exe file with password protect.

Little advance option

Trouble Shooting

If getting below error while running application

Solution – JAVA SELF SIGN CERTIFICATE– All jar files used in application need to be self-signed otherwise application will not work and result in below error Refer Point 2 JAVA SELF SIGN CERTIFICATE– on below link