BEGIN
  IF MOD( to_number(:system.cursor_record)
        , 2
        ) = 1 
  THEN
    SET_ITEM_INSTANCE_PROPERTY( :system.cursor_record
                              , 'theblock.theitem'
                              ,  visual_attribute
                              , 'Your_first_visual_attribute');
  ELSE
    SET_ITEM_INSTANCE_PROPERTY( :system.cursor_record
                              , 'theblock.theitem'
                              ,  visual_attribute
                              , 'Your_other_visual_attribute');
  END IF;
END;

   fld_help (:system.current_form, :system.cursor_item, a_date);

Declare
	v_curr_rec PLS_INTEGER := get_block_property('EMP',CURRENT_RECORD);
Begin
	if mod(v_curr_rec, 2) = 1
	then -- odd_records: white
	  set_block_color('EMP', v_curr_rec, 'WHITE');
	else -- even records: gray
		set_block_color('EMP', v_curr_rec, 'GRAY');
	end if;
End;

PROCEDURE set_block_color (piv_block_name IN VARCHAR2, pin_rec_number IN NUMBER, piv_color IN VARCHAR2)
IS
/* PROCEDURE SET_BLOCK_COLOR
|| Purpose: Sets all text items in a block to a certain color through visual attributes.
||
|| Parameters: block name, record_number, color
||
|| DEMO: Verify before use in a production environment!
*/
  v_item      VARCHAR2 (120);
  v_va_name   VARCHAR2 (120);
  v_va_id     visualattribute;
BEGIN
  -- construct the visual attribute's name ( convention: VA_<<COLOR>> )
  v_va_name := 'VA_' || piv_color;
  -- verify the existance of the visual attribute
  v_va_id := FIND_VA (v_va_name);

  IF ID_NULL (v_va_id)
  THEN
    -- visual attribute not found, default to 'WHITE'
    v_va_name := 'WHITE';
  END IF;

  -- go to the first item in the block
  v_item := GET_BLOCK_PROPERTY (piv_block_name, first_item);
  
  <<va_loop>>
  LOOP
    -- check whether the item is a text item and whether the visual attribute was found
    IF     (GET_ITEM_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, item_type) = 'TEXT ITEM')
       AND NOT ID_NULL (v_va_id)
    THEN
      -- set the item's visual attribute
      SET_ITEM_INSTANCE_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, pin_rec_number, visual_attribute, v_va_name);
    END IF;

    -- if we've reached the last item in the block, exit the loop.
    EXIT va_loop WHEN v_item = GET_BLOCK_PROPERTY (piv_block_name, last_item);
    v_item := GET_ITEM_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, nextitem);
  END LOOP va_loop;
END;

PROCEDURE set_block_color (piv_block_name IN VARCHAR2, pin_rec_number IN NUMBER, piv_color IN VARCHAR2)
IS
/* PROCEDURE SET_BLOCK_COLOR
|| Purpose: Sets all text items in a block to a certain color through visual attributes.
||
|| Parameters: block name, record_number, color
||
|| DEMO: Verify before use in a production environment!
*/
  v_item      VARCHAR2 (120);
  v_va_name   VARCHAR2 (120);
  v_va_id     visualattribute;
  v_canvas    varchar2 (120);
BEGIN
  -- construct the visual attribute's name ( convention: VA_<<COLOR>> )
  v_va_name := 'VA_' || piv_color;
  -- verify the existance of the visual attribute
  v_va_id := FIND_VA (v_va_name);

  IF ID_NULL (v_va_id)
  THEN
    -- visual attribute not found, default to 'WHITE'
    v_va_name := 'WHITE';
  END IF;

  -- go to the first item in the block
  v_item := GET_BLOCK_PROPERTY (piv_block_name, first_item);
 
  <<va_loop>>
  LOOP
  	--check the item_canvas
  	if GET_ITEM_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, item_CANVAS) is not  null then
  	 v_canvas:=GET_ITEM_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, item_CANVAS);
  	 end if;
    -- check whether the item is a text item and whether the visual attribute was found
    IF     (GET_ITEM_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, item_type) = 'TEXT ITEM')
       AND NOT ID_NULL (v_va_id) 
       AND (GET_ITEM_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, item_CANVAS) = v_canvas)
    THEN
      -- set the item's visual attribute
      SET_ITEM_INSTANCE_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, pin_rec_number, visual_attribute, v_va_name);
    END IF;

    -- if we've reached the last item in the block, exit the loop.
    EXIT va_loop WHEN v_item = GET_BLOCK_PROPERTY (piv_block_name, last_item);
    v_item := GET_ITEM_PROPERTY (piv_block_name || '.' || v_item, nextitem);
  END LOOP va_loop;
END;