Managing APEX Web Credentials & Remote Servers on Import

Managing APEX Web Credentials & Remote Servers on Import

Matt Mulvaney's photo
Matt Mulvaney
·

3 min read

This is a worked example of how APEX manages re-pointing Web Credentials & Remote Servers when moving from Development to Non-Development environments (build, test, prod, etc).

Screenshots are provided to describe the selections when prompt on install is enabled.

Scenario

I have a REST Source Module on a Weather API

APEX separates out the URL by domain into a Workspace Level Remote Server (This also has a Prompt on Install - Default OFF).

APEX also separates off the credentials to Workspace Level Web Credentials.

Web Credentials have a Prompt on Install. This is a switch

However as soon as you type a username in (i.e any sort of client/secret) then this forces the Prompt on Install to On and it can never be taken back

I also have Keycloak Authentication with APEX with a another Web Credential holding my Keycloak Client & Secret.

Export & Import to a new Workspace

Let’s Exthis app from Development and Import it to a new workspace.

As I go through the installer, I’m prompted to review/change the values of the Web Credentials & Remote Servers.

Notice that the Already Existed is set to No for all values.

I change:

  • The Web Credentials to Prod Username: XYZ

    • It was ABC on Development, however blank prior to me typing XYZ)

    • I could have left them blank and change them later in Workspace Utilities.

  • The Remote Server to the Prod URL

I click next and the application is installed as well as the Web Credentials & Remote Servers, both at Workspace Level with the values supplied.

Following more changes, I export the Application from Development once again & attempt to import it.

This time the Already Existed is set to Yes for all values. I now

  • Cannot edit any Web Credentials. I get to see the username and presence of a password, but I cannot edit it.

  • I can edit the Remote Servers. I change the URL again in here.

Command Line / CI/CD Instructions

Remote Servers can be set using apex_application_install.set_remote_server e.g

BEGIN
    apex_application_install.set_remote_server(
        p_static_id => 'MY_REMOTE_SERVER',
        p_base_url => 'http://production.example.com' );
END;

See these examples how to work it into your scripts.

Web Credentials can be set via combination of apex_credential.create_credential and apex_credential.set_persistent_credentials see this example

BEGIN
   -- first set the workspace
   apex_util.set_workspace(p_workspace => 'MY_WORKSPACE');

   apex_credential.create_credential (
       p_credential_name => 'OAuth Login',
       p_credential_static_id => 'OAUTH_LOGIN',
       p_authentication_type => apex_credential.C_TYPE_OAUTH_CLIENT_CRED,
       p_scope => 'email',
       p_allowed_urls => apex_t_varchar2( 'https://tokenserver.example.com/oauth2/token', 'https://www.oracle.com' ),
       p_prompt_on_install => false,
       p_credential_comment => 'Credential for OAuth Login' );

  -- should be followed by set_persistent_credentials
  apex_credential.set_persistent_credentials (
      p_credential_static_id => 'OAUTH_LOGIN',
      p_client_id => 'dnkjq237o8832ndj98098-..',
      p_client_secret => '1278672tjksaGSDA789312..' );
END;

ENJOY!

What’s the picture? It’s Sammy Fox by Emma Garness Artist, named after local hero Samson Fox. Visit Yorkshire.

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