OAF Region Styles: Different Types of Regions in an OAF Page
Introduction
An Oracle Application Framework (OAF) page is built from multiple regions, and each region serves a specific purpose with its own layout and behavior. Choosing the right region style is essential for designing a well-structured, user-friendly page that meets your business requirements.
This guide explores the most commonly used OAF region styles, explains their purpose, and provides practical examples of how and when to use each one. Understanding these region styles is fundamental to designing effective OAF pages.
Overview of OAF Region Styles
The following are some of the most widely used region styles in OAF development:
| # | Region Style | Primary Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Default Single Column | Simple vertical stacking of items |
| 2 | Table | Multi-column layouts with flexible row structures |
| 3 | Page Button Bar | Standard placement of action buttons |
| 4 | Query | Search and filter interface |
| 5 | Stack Layout | Layered or tabbed content |
| 6 | Advanced Table | Complex, feature-rich data grids |
| 7 | Default Double Column | Two-column form layouts |
1. Default Single Column Region
Purpose
The Default Single Column Region is the simplest region style. Anything created under this region is arranged in a single column structure, stacked vertically on the page.
When to Use
Simple forms with one field per row
Pages where vertical stacking is the natural layout
Basic data entry screens
Visual Representation
┌─────────────────────────────┐ │ Item 1 │ ├─────────────────────────────┤ │ Item 2 │ ├─────────────────────────────┤ │ Item 3 │ ├─────────────────────────────┤ │ Item 4 │ └─────────────────────────────┘
Key Characteristics
Items appear one below the other
No horizontal arrangement of items
Simplest region style to configure
2. Table Region
Purpose
The Table Layout Region provides the flexibility to create any number of columns in each row of the OAF page layout structure. Unlike the single column region, each row can have a different number of columns, giving you complete design freedom.
How It Works
The Table Layout works through a hierarchy of three regions:
| Region | Purpose |
|---|---|
| TableLayout | The top-level container holding multiple rows |
| rowLayout | Represents a single row within the table |
| cellFormat | Represents a single column/cell within a row |
The Hierarchy
TableLayout
├── rowLayout (Row 1)
│ ├── cellFormat (Column 1)
│ ├── cellFormat (Column 2)
│ └── cellFormat (Column 3)
├── rowLayout (Row 2)
│ ├── cellFormat (Column 1)
│ └── cellFormat (Column 2)
└── rowLayout (Row 3)
├── cellFormat (Column 1)
├── cellFormat (Column 2)
├── cellFormat (Column 3)
└── cellFormat (Column 4)Key Characteristics
TableLayout can contain multiple rowLayout regions, each corresponding to a row
rowLayout contains multiple cellFormat regions, each corresponding to a column
Inside each cellFormat region, you can add different items
Each row can have a different number of columns, independent of other rows
Visual Representation
┌─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┐ │ Row 1 │ (3 cols) │ │ ├─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┤ │ Row 2 │ (2 cols) │ │ ├─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┤ │ Row 3 │ (4 cols) │ │ └─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┘
When to Use
Complex form layouts with varying column arrangements
Pages requiring precise control over item positioning
Forms where different rows need different numbers of fields
3. Page Button Bar Region
Purpose
The Page Button Bar Region is a specialized region style designed specifically for OAF buttons. Buttons created under this region style appear in a specific, standard position on the page.
Key Characteristics
Buttons appear at the top and bottom of the page
Buttons are positioned on the right-hand side of the page
Provides a consistent, Oracle-standard button placement
Automatically handles button rendering and positioning
Visual Representation
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ [Save] │ ← Top right ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ Page Content │ │ │ │ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ [Save] │ ← Bottom right └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How to Create a Button in the Page Button Bar Region
Step 1: Create the Page Button Bar Region
Right-click on PageLayoutRN
Select New → Region
A new region (region1) is created
In the Property Inspector, set:
ID:
PageButtonsRegion Style:
pageButtonBar
Step 2: Create the Button Item
Right-click on the PageButtons region
Select New → Item
An item (item1) is created under the PageButtons region
In the Property Inspector, set:
ID:
SaveItem Style:
submitButton
When to Use
Standard action buttons (Save, Apply, Cancel, Submit)
Pages requiring Oracle-standard button placement
Forms where buttons should appear consistently
4. Query Region
Purpose
The Query Region provides a search and filter interface, allowing users to enter search criteria and retrieve matching records.
Key Characteristics
Displays search fields for user input
Includes a Go button to execute the search
Results are displayed in an associated results region
Commonly used with Advanced Table regions
Typical Structure
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Search Criteria │ │ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ [Go] │ │ │ Field 1 │ │ Field 2 │ │ │ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ Results │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Result Row 1 │ │ │ │ Result Row 2 │ │ │ │ Result Row 3 │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
When to Use
Search pages
List pages with filtering capability
Any page where users need to query data
5. Stack Layout Region
Purpose
The Stack Layout Region allows multiple regions to be stacked on top of each other, with only one visible at a time. This is commonly used for tabbed or wizard-style interfaces.
Key Characteristics
Multiple regions occupy the same space
Only one region is visible at a time
Users switch between regions using tabs or navigation
Useful for organizing related but distinct content
Visual Representation
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ [Tab 1] [Tab 2] [Tab 3] │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ Content of Active Tab │ │ │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
When to Use
Tabbed interfaces
Wizard-style multi-step forms
Organizing large amounts of related content
Reducing page clutter
6. Advanced Table Region
Purpose
The Advanced Table Region is a powerful, feature-rich region for displaying data in a grid format with extensive functionality.
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Sorting | Click column headers to sort data |
| Filtering | Built-in search and filter capabilities |
| Pagination | Navigate through large datasets |
| Selection | Single or multiple row selection |
| Inline Editing | Edit data directly in the grid |
| Column Customization | Show/hide columns, reorder |
| Export | Export data to Excel or other formats |
When to Use
Displaying large datasets
Pages requiring sorting, filtering, and pagination
Data grids with complex interactions
Any page where users need to work with tabular data
7. Default Double Column Region
Purpose
The Default Double Column Region arranges items in a two-column layout, with labels in the first column and input fields in the second column.
Visual Representation
┌─────────────────┬─────────────────────────┐ │ Label 1 │ [Input Field 1] │ ├─────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤ │ Label 2 │ [Input Field 2] │ ├─────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤ │ Label 3 │ [Input Field 3] │ ├─────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤ │ Label 4 │ [Input Field 4] │ └─────────────────┴─────────────────────────┘
When to Use
Standard form layouts
Data entry pages
Any page where labels and fields should be aligned
Key Characteristics
Labels appear in the left column
Input fields appear in the right column
Consistent alignment across all rows
Most common layout for data entry forms
Comparison of Region Styles
| Region Style | Layout | Best For | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default Single Column | 1 column | Simple forms | Low |
| Table | Variable columns per row | Complex layouts | High |
| Page Button Bar | Right-aligned buttons | Action buttons | Low |
| Query | Search + Results | Search pages | Medium |
| Stack Layout | Layered/Tabbed | Tabbed interfaces | Medium |
| Advanced Table | Data grid | Large datasets | High |
| Default Double Column | 2 columns | Standard forms | Low |
Choosing the Right Region Style
When designing an OAF page, consider the following:
Purpose of the Page: Is it a form, a search page, or a data grid?
User Interaction: How will users interact with the data?
Data Volume: How much data will be displayed?
Layout Requirements: Do you need single, double, or multi-column layouts?
Oracle Standards: Follow Oracle's UI standards for consistency
Decision Guide
| If you need... | Use... |
|---|---|
| Simple vertical form | Default Single Column |
| Complex multi-column layout | Table |
| Standard action buttons | Page Button Bar |
| Search interface | Query |
| Tabbed content | Stack Layout |
| Data grid with sorting/filtering | Advanced Table |
| Standard data entry form | Default Double Column |
Best Practices
| Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| Use Standard Region Styles | Stick to Oracle-standard styles for consistency |
| Nest Regions Appropriately | Use the right hierarchy (e.g., TableLayout → rowLayout → cellFormat) |
| Name Regions Descriptively | Use meaningful IDs (e.g., SearchRN, ResultsRN) |
| Keep Layouts Simple | Avoid over-nesting regions, which can impact performance |
| Test Across Browsers | Verify layout renders correctly in different browsers |
| Follow UI Guidelines | Adhere to Oracle's UI standards for EBS applications |
Summary
OAF region styles are the building blocks of page layout in Oracle Application Framework. Each region style serves a specific purpose:
Default Single Column: Simple vertical stacking
Table: Flexible multi-column layouts with varying columns per row
Page Button Bar: Standard button placement (top/bottom right)
Query: Search and filter interface
Stack Layout: Layered or tabbed content
Advanced Table: Feature-rich data grids
Default Double Column: Standard two-column form layouts
Understanding these region styles—and knowing when to use each—is essential for designing effective, user-friendly OAF pages. By choosing the right region style for each part of your page, you can create applications that are both functional and visually appealing, while adhering to Oracle's UI standards.
The Page Button Bar region, in particular, demonstrates how OAF provides specialized regions for common UI patterns, ensuring consistency across all Oracle E-Business Suite applications.
References
Oracle E-Business Suite Documentation: OA Framework Developer's Guide
Oracle JDeveloper Documentation: Available in the
jdevdocfolderOracle Application Framework: Official Oracle documentation
Related Guides: Creating a Hello World Page in OAF, Creating a Pop List in OAF, Creating an LOV in OAF
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