Search Results fnd_descr_flex_contexts_vl




Overview
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Overview

FND_DESCR_FLEX_CONTEXTS_VL is an APPS-owned, VALID database view in the Oracle E-Business Suite Application Object Library (FND) product. It exposes descriptive flexfield context definitions — the structures that determine which additional attribute segments ("flexfield segments") are available on a given form, window, or business entity — together with their translated (language-specific) context names and descriptions. Because a descriptive flexfield can behave differently depending on the context in which it is used (for example, an "Order" versus "Invoice" context on the same entity), this view is the primary reporting and integration source for enumerating which contexts exist for a flexfield, whether each context is enabled, and whether it is a global (seeded) context or a customer-defined one.

Underlying Base Objects

Per the ETRM metadata, the view is defined over two synonyms:

  • FND_DESCR_FLEX_CONTEXTS — the base table storing the language-independent context definitions (application, flexfield name, context code, enabled and global flags, who/when audit columns).
  • FND_DESCR_FLEX_CONTEXTS_TL — the translation (_TL) table storing the language-dependent context name and description, keyed by LANGUAGE.

The view aliases the base table as B and the translation table as T, joining them on the three-part key APPLICATION_ID, DESCRIPTIVE_FLEXFIELD_NAME, and DESCRIPTIVE_FLEX_CONTEXT_CODE. The translation side is filtered by T.LANGUAGE = USERENV('LANG'), so the view automatically returns text in the language of the current session. This is why the view is named with the _VL suffix (view of the base plus translated tables), a standard Oracle convention for views that merge a base table with its _TL translation table.

Key Columns

  • ROW_ID — the ROWID of the base record, exposed for tools that require a unique row identifier.
  • APPLICATION_ID — the application owning the descriptive flexfield (part of the join key).
  • DESCRIPTIVE_FLEXFIELD_NAME — the internal name of the descriptive flexfield to which the context belongs.
  • DESCRIPTIVE_FLEX_CONTEXT_CODE — the internal code identifying the specific context; combined with the two columns above it forms the primary key.
  • DESCRIPTIVE_FLEX_CONTEXT_NAME — the user-visible, translated name of the context (from the _TL table).
  • DESCRIPTION — the translated description of the context (from the _TL table).
  • ENABLED_FLAG — indicates whether the context is active (Y/N).
  • GLOBAL_FLAG — distinguishes seeded/global contexts from customer-defined contexts (Y/N).
  • LAST_UPDATE_DATE, LAST_UPDATED_BY, CREATION_DATE, CREATED_BY, LAST_UPDATE_LOGIN — standard Oracle audit columns you may reference for change tracking.

Common Use Cases and Queries

This view is typically used to inventory descriptive flexfield contexts, build configuration reports, validate context codes during data conversion or interface loads, and populate LOVs. A basic listing of all enabled contexts for a flexfield is:

SELECT descriptive_flexfield_name,
       descriptive_flex_context_code,
       descriptive_flex_context_name,
       enabled_flag,
       global_flag
FROM   fnd_descr_flex_contexts_vl
WHERE  descriptive_flexfield_name = 'RA_CUSTOMER_TRX_LINES'
AND    enabled_flag = 'Y';

To isolate only customer-defined (non-global) contexts, add AND global_flag = 'N'. A practical query for documenting which flexfields carry contexts in a given application joins the view to FND_APPLICATION_VL on APPLICATION_ID. Note that this view supplies the context header definition only — the actual segment values live in the underlying FND_DESCR_FLEX_COLUMN_USAGES and, at runtime, in the individual flexfield value tables. When accessed from SQL*Plus or an ETL tool, the session's language governs the returned name and description; ensure NLS_LANG is set appropriately for consistent output across environments.