UI Defaults

 Introduction

User Interface (UI) Defaults in Oracle APEX are powerful settings that help developers streamline application development by automatically applying preferred configurations to new components. These defaults include settings such as field types, item label alignments, column formatting, and naming conventions, all of which can be tied to table and column metadata. By setting UI Defaults at the workspace level, developers can ensure consistent design and behavior across pages and applications, significantly reducing the time spent on manual adjustments and improving overall user experience.

User Interface (UI) Defaults in Oracle APEX

User Interface (UI) Defaults in Oracle APEX help standardize the look and behavior of forms, reports, and other UI components across an application. By defining UI Defaults, developers can ensure consistent styling, layout, and attributes when generating forms and reports for database tables. These defaults save development time and reduce manual configuration, making application development more efficient.

UI Defaults in Oracle APEX are predefined design and behavior settings assigned to database tables and columns that help streamline and standardize the development process. These settings control how items appear and function when developers generate forms, reports, or interactive components. UI Defaults can define label text, display format, item type (like Text Field, Email, or Number Field), and even built-in validations.

When a developer generates a new Form or Report region in APEX using the Create Page wizard, APEX looks for UI Defaults associated with the referenced table and its columns. If defaults exist, APEX automatically applies them. For example, if the EMAIL column in a table has a UI Default set to use an Email item type, any form built on that table will use the Email field by default instead of a regular text field. Similarly, columns like SALARY can have currency formatting, numeric input fields, and validation rules automatically assigned based on their UI Defaults.

UI Defaults are defined and stored in the APEX Builder interface under Shared Components > UI Defaults. You can set defaults at two levels:

• Table-Level UI Defaults define defaults for entire tables, such as setting all columns to be displayed in a report or setting alignment for all fields.

• Column-Level UI Defaults are more granular and allow you to define a display format, item type, label, help text, and validation rule for specific columns.

By using UI Defaults, developers can ensure:

• Consistency across multiple forms and reports without manually reconfiguring each item.

• Efficiency, since common properties like alignment, masks, and validation are applied automatically.

• Best practices are followed through enforced input types and validations.

• Maintainability, since changing the default at the column level updates the behavior for future components that reference it.

Benefits of UI Defaults in APEX

• Saves Development Time: No need to manually configure field types, labels, and validations repeatedly

• Ensures Consistency: Forms and reports follow the same design patterns

• Improves Maintainability: Easier to update application-wide formatting and validation rules

• Supports Best Practices: Encourages the use of proper item types and alignments

UI Defaults in Oracle APEX are predefined attributes that control:

• Labels, formatting, and display settings for form items

• Default form controls for different data types

• Report column alignment, formatting, and visibility

• Validation rules and constraints

These settings apply automatically when you create Forms, Interactive Reports, Classic Reports, and Faceted Search Reports.

For example, if a column named email has a UI Default set to an Email item type, then every time a form is created, that column will automatically use an Email field instead of a standard text field.

Where UI Defaults Are Stored

UI Defaults are stored at the Database Table and Column level. These defaults are automatically used when generating Forms and Reports in APEX.

They can be defined at:

• Table-Level UI Defaults: Define settings for an entire table

• Column-Level UI Defaults: Define specific settings for each column

For example, a SALARY column can be set to:

• Item Type: Number Field

• Format Mask: $999,999.99

• Validation: Minimum value must be greater than zero

Whenever a new Form or Report is generated on the SALARY column, APEX will automatically apply these settings.

You can update or override UI Defaults manually when needed, but having strong defaults in place helps enforce a consistent and professional user interface across the entire application.

Conclusion
Using UI Defaults in Oracle APEX not only enhances consistency across your applications but also speeds up the development process by reducing repetitive configuration tasks. Whether you're building forms, reports, or interactive grids, defining these defaults ensures that your UI elements align with your design standards automatically. As your data model evolves, UI Defaults continue to provide a reliable foundation for creating high-quality interfaces with minimal effort.