How to enter and query Arabic characters into / from the database via an Oracle

Forms application?

Solution
1. Client Machine O/S Setup for Arabic
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The client MS Windows machine must have Arabic Language Support installed and the o/s Regional Setting set
to Arabic.

2. Client and Database NLS settings

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NLS_LANG on the client machine / middle tier, and the NLS characterset for the target database must be set to a
value which is appropriate for Arabic characters like AR8MSWIN1256 or AR8ISO8859P6 e.g.

NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.AR8MSWIN1256
or
NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.AR8ISO8859P6

For Forms running in client-server mode or over the web (Forms Server) on MS Windows NLS_LANG is
set in the registry of the MS Windows machine hosting Forms Runtime e.g under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/ORACLE

For Forms running in client-server mode or over the web on Unix NLS_LANG is set as an environment variable
in the same shell/ session in which Forms Runtime or Forms Server is being started.

If Forms deployed over the web using the Forms Listener Servlet architecture (Forms 6i and higher only)
NLS_LANG is set in the .env file.
Reference:
Note 266725.1 Where to Set Environment Variables ( e.g FORMS90_PATH ) for Forms 9i / 10g ?

There are some known bugs/ issues relating to arabic characters and Forms 6i (see useful references below) If
using Forms 6i, it is recommended that the latest Forms/ Reports 6i generic patchset is applied.
Reference:
Note 1060203.6 How to Obtain Oracle Forms / Reports Patchsets?

Note: changing a database characterset after the database has been created is not a trivial task and would typically
be undertaken by an experienced Database Administrator. The following article provides detail, advice and
references describing how to do this:

Note 257736.1 Changing the Database Character Set - an extended overview

Note 187739.1 NLS Setup in a Multilingual Database Environment

3. 'Direction' Forms Window Property:

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Review the Window 'Direction' property. For more information, open the Window Property sheet, highlight the
'Direction' property and press F1 for on-line help.
References
Note 1060203.6 - How to Obtain Oracle Forms / Reports Patchsets?
Note 187739.1 - NLS Setup in a Multilingual Database Environment
Note 199932.1 - Menu Toolbar icons in Arabic Forms not changing direction to RTL
Note 207948.1 - How to use Arabic Windows Character Set AR8MSIWN1256 with UNIX and Motif
Note 223125.1 - Typing Arabic Characters in WebForms without ALT+SHIFT Fails. English Characters are
Displayed Instead
Note 237378.1 - FARSI is not supported.
Note 252972.1 - Strings With Arabic And Numbers Mixed Are Not Displayed Correctly
Note 257736.1 - Changing the Database Character Set - an extended overview
Note 260022.1 - Changing AR8ISO8859P6 to AR8MSWIN1256

Note 266725.1 - Where To Set Environment Variables For Forms On The WEB?

Solution
Forms 9i / 10g reads environment variables from a text file pointed to by the Forms applet
( formsweb.cfg ) parameter envFile e.g

envFile = default.env

A default.env file is supplied as part of the 'out of the box' install/ configuration. This file is located in
$ORACLE_HOME/forms90/server or $ORACLE_HOME/forms/server . Edit default.env, for example, to
add new environment variables or amend existing variables like FORMSXX_PATH.