Configure and Install Oracle Application express for 11g database

Installing oracle application express

Usually oracle express will come pre installed in the oracle database

To check if it is installed you need to query dba_registry

select * from dba_registry where comp_id='APEX';

If it is installed note the version and all you need to do is configure it.

For configuring follow these steps

Go to the $ORACLE_HOME/apex directory.

sqlplus / as sysdba

@apxconf.sql

Enter values below for the XDB HTTP listener port and the password for the Application Express ADMIN user.
Default values are in brackets [ ].
Press Enter to accept the default value.

Enter a password for the ADMIN user              []admin_password
Enter a port for the XDB HTTP listener [8080]
...changing HTTP Port

ALTER USER ANONYMOUS ACCOUNT UNLOCK;

Check port usage using the following command.

select dbms_xdb.gethttpport from dual;

Usually the above gives 0. If thats the case run the below to change port to 8080

Enable Oracle XML DB HTTP server

EXEC DBMS_XDB.SETHTTPPORT(8080);
COMMIT;

This completes setup. You can login to admin console from following location.

http://host:port/apex
http://host:port/apex/apex_admin — Admin console


To upgrade Apex to latest version download from oracle support. In my case i am upgrading from version 3 to version 5.

apex_5.0.4_en.zip

unzip apex_5.0.4_en.zip

I unzipped the file to /opt/app/oracle


Sqlplus / as sysdba

Make sure anonymos, apex_public_user and APEX_030000 users are unlocked

Check default tablespace and temporary tablespace of the users which are usually sysaux and temporary


Once this is done, Navigate to unzipped folder and run the following

cd /opt/app/oracle/apex

sqlplus / as sysdba

@apexins.sql SYSAUX SYSAUX TEMP /i/


This takes some time to complete

After installation is complete you need to setup admin password. You need to do this again even if you did it earlier because user needs to be configured based on new version

@apxchpwd.sql

================================================================================
This script can be used to change the password of an Application Express
instance administrator. If the user does not yet exist, a user record will be
created.
================================================================================
Enter the administrator's username [ADMIN]
User "ADMIN" exists.
Enter ADMIN's email [ADMIN]
Enter ADMIN's password []
Changed password of instance administrator ADMIN.


After this is done there is one more final step to load images

To load images give the directory without apex as below.

sqlplus / as sysdba

@apex_epg_config.sql /opt/app/oracle

This takes around 2 minutes.

This completes the upgrade. You may login using the web address. Sometimes you might need to restart db for the changes to take effect