1. Preface IIntroduction Course Objectives I-2 Course Content I-3 1Introduction to Oracle Reports Developer Objectives 1-2 Business Intelligence 1-3 Enterprise Reporting 1-5 Web Publishing 1-9 Paper Publishing 1-10 Oracle Reports Developer 1-11 Benefits 1-12 Oracle 10g Products 1-13 Oracle Database 10g 1-14 Oracle Developer Suite 10g 1-15 Oracle Application Server 10g 1-18 Oracle Reports Developer 1-20 OracleAS Reports Services 1-22 OracleAS Reports Services Architecture for the Web 1-23 Summary 1-25 2Designing and Running Reports Objectives 2-2 Understanding User Requirements 2-3 Designing Reports 2-5 Tabular 2-7 Master-Detail 2-8 Master with Two Details 2-9 Matrix 2-10 Retrieving and Sharing Data 2-11 Running a Report 2-13 Previewing Reports 2-15 Print Preview 2-16 Supported File Types 2-19 Summary 2-21 Practice 2 Overview 2-22 3Working in Oracle Reports Developer Objectives 3-2 Reports Developer Executables 3-3 Invoking Reports Builder 3-5 Reports Builder Modules 3-6 Report Data and Layout 3-7 Reports Builder Components 3-8 Main Menu Structure 3-10 Wizards 3-12 Report Editor 3-13 PL/SQL Development Environment: Syntax Palette 3-15 Contents iii

2. Object Navigator 3-16 Report-Level Objects 3-17 Data Model Objects 3-18 Paper Layout Objects 3-19 Paper Parameter Form Objects 3-20 Object Interrelationship 3-21 Customizing Your Oracle Reports Developer Session 3-22 Saving Preferences 3-23 Oracle Reports Environment Variables 3-24 Using the Online Help System 3-26 Summary 3-28 Practice 3 Overview 3-29 4Creating a Paper Report Objectives 4-2 Report Module Components 4-3 Building a Paper Report 4-4 Invoking the Report Wizard 4-5 Choosing the Layout Type 4-6 Creating a Tabular Report 4-7 Selecting the Data Source Type 4-9 Using Query Builder 4-10 Building a Query 4-11 Query Builder Functions 4-12 Selecting Displayed Fields 4-14 Totals and Labels 4-15 Selecting a Report Template 4-16 Viewing the Paper Report Output 4-17 Saving the Report Definition 4-18 Reentering the Wizard 4-19 Creating a New Report 4-21 Creating Break Reports 4-22 Break Report Labels 4-23 Creating Mailing Labels and Letters 4-24 Creating a Matrix Report 4-26 Previewing a Paper Report in a Browser 4-28 Summary 4-30 Practice 4 Overview 4-31 5Enhancing a Basic Paper Report Objectives 5-2 What Is the Paper Design? 5-3 The Paper Design Window 5-4 Modifying a Report 5-5 Aligning Columns 5-6 Setting a Format Mask 5-7 Manipulating Objects 5-9 iv

3. Modifying Visual Attributes 5-10 Applying Conditional Formatting 5-12 Inserting Page Numbers, Dates, and Times 5-14 Customizing Dates 5-16 Summary 5-17 Practice 5 Overview 5-18 6Managing Report Templates Objectives 6-2 Using Report Templates 6-3 Modifying a Template 6-4 Customizing the Template Margin 6-6 Customizing the Template Body 6-7 Adding Web Links to a Template for Report HTML Output 6-8 Predefining Your Own Templates 6-10 Adding a Template Preview Image 6-12 Summary 6-13 Practice 6 Overview 6-14 7Creating a Web Report Objectives 7-2 What Is JSP Technology? 7-3 JSP Advantages 7-4 Simple JSP Example 7-6 Building a Web Report 7-7 Using the Report Wizard 7-8 Report Editor: Web Source View 7-9 JSP Tags 7-11 Web Source Example 7-13 Generating Output 7-15 Image Format Support 7-17 Summary 7-19 Practice 7 Overview 7-20 8Enhancing Reports Using the Data Model: Queries and Groups Objectives 8-2 The Data Model Objects 8-3 Modifying Properties of a Query 8-5 More Properties 8-8 Applying Changes 8-10 Changing the Group Structure 8-12 Group Hierarchy 8-14 Ordering Data in a Group 8-16 Query Modifications 8-18 Filtering Data in a Group 8-20 v

4. Using a Packaged Filter 8-21 Summary 8-22 Practice 8: Overview 8-23 9Enhancing Reports Using the Data Model: Data Sources Objectives 9-2 Data Source Types 9-3 Pluggable Data Sources 9-5 Out-of-the-Box Options 9-6 Using XML as a Data Source 9-7 Example: XML Data Stream 9-9 Document Type Definition File 9-10 XML Report 9-11 OLAP Data Source 9-12 Defining an OLAP Query 9-13 Example: OLAP Report 9-14 Using Text as a Data Source 9-15 Setting Up the textpds.conf File 9-16 Defining a Text Query 9-18 Sample Text PDS Report 9-19 Using JDBC as a Data Source 9-20 Configuring the jdbcpds.conf File 9-21 Defining a JDBC Query 9-23 Adding New Data 9-25 Using REF Cursor Queries 9-28 Viewing Output from Multiple Query Reports 9-30 Using Data Links 9-32 Creating a Column-to-Column Link 9-34 Other Data Link Methods 9-36 Efficiency Issues: Multiple- or Single-Query Hierarchy 9-38 Summary 9-40 Practice 9 Overview 9-41 10Enhancing Reports Using the Data Model: Creating Columns Objectives 10-2 Data Model Columns 10-3 Maintaining Data Source Columns 10-5 Producing File Content Output 10-7 Creating a Column 10-9 Creating Summary Columns 10-11 Displaying Subtotals 10-13 Displaying Percentages 10-15 vi

5. Resetting Summary Values 10-17 Creating a Formula Column 10-18 Creating a Placeholder Column 10-20 Populating a Placeholder Column 10-22 Summary 10-24 Practice 10 Overview 10-25 11Enhancing Reports Using the Paper Layout Objectives 11-2 Viewing the Paper Layout 11-3 Viewing the Section Areas 11-5 Designing Multipanel Reports 11-6 Printing Multipanel Reports 11-8 Different Objects in the Paper Layout 11-9 The Paper Layout Layers 11-11 Avoiding Layout Errors 11-13 Report Processing 11-15 Creating Layout Objects 11-17 Paper Layout Tools 11-19 Report Bursting 11-20 Bursting on a Repeating Group 11-22 Creating an Additional Layout 11-24 Distributing a Report 11-26 Tracing the Report Distribution 11-28 Creating Variable Length Lines 11-30 Summary 11-32 Practice 11 Overview 11-33 12Controlling the Paper Layout: Common Properties Objectives 12-2 Modifying Paper Layout Object Properties 12-3 Comparing Properties 12-5 Common Layout Properties 12-6 Sizing Objects 12-7 Anchors 12-9 Layout Object Relationships 12-11 Pagination Icons in the Paper Layout 12-14 Using Page Break Before 12-16 Using Page Break After 12-18 Using Page Protect 12-20 Controlling Print Frequency 12-22 Using Format Triggers 12-24 Layout Object Properties for Web Support 12-25 Summary 12-27 Practice 12 Overview 12-28 vii

6. 13Controlling the Paper Layout: Specific Properties Objectives 13-2 Properties of a Repeating Frame 13-3 Specifying Print Direction 13-4 Controlling the Number of Records per Page 13-6 Controlling Spacing Between Records 13-7 Minimum Widow Records 13-8 Column Mode 13-9 Properties of a Field 13-10 System Variables 13-12 Page Numbering 13-13 Valid Source Columns 13-15 Displaying File Contents 13-17 When Are the Contents Updated? 13-19 Linking and Importing Files 13-20 Comparing a File Link and a File Column 13-21 Specifying the Format Order 13-22 PDF Document Taxonomy Properties 13-24 Summary 13-25 Practice 13 Overview 13-26 14Web Reporting Objectives 14-2 High Quality Web Publishing 14-3 Comparing Static and Dynamic Reporting 14-5 Adding Dynamic Content 14-7 Creating a Report Block 14-9 Invoking the Report Block Wizard 14-11 Examining the Web Source Code 14-12 rw:foreach Tag 14-14 rw:field Tag 14-15 Customizing Reports JSPs 14-16 Customizing Reports JSPs Using Style Sheets 14-17 Customizing Reports JSPs Using HTML Tags and Attributes 14-19 Customizing Reports JSPs Using Reports Custom Tags 14-20 Summary 14-24 Practice 14 Overview 14-25 15Extending Functionality Using XML Objectives 15-2 Why Use XML Report Definitions? 15-3 Creating XML Report Definitions 15-5 Partial Report Definitions: Format Modification Example 15-7 Partial Report Definitions: Format Exception Example 15-9 viii

7. Full Report Definition: Data Model Modification Example 15-11 Running XML Report Definitions 15-15 Debugging XML Report Definitions 15-19 Summary 15-21 Practice 15 Overview 15-22 16Creating and Using Report Parameters Objectives 16-2 Creating User Parameters 16-3 Referencing Parameters in a Report Query 16-6 Using Bind References 16-8 Using Lexical References 16-10 Hints and Tips When Referencing Parameters 16-12 Creating a List of Values 16-14 Referencing System Parameters 16-18 Building a Paper Parameter Form 16-20 Customizing a Paper Parameter Form 16-22 Using Parameter Form HTML Extensions 16-24 Parameter Form Header and Footer 16-26 Summary 16-27 Practice 16 Overview 16-28 17Embedding a Graph in a Report Objectives 17-2 Adding a Graph to a Paper Report 17-3 Adding a Graph to a Web Report 17-5 Selecting the Graph Type 17-6 Selecting the Graph Data 17-7 Adding Options to the Graph 17-8 Customizing Web Graphs 17-10 The rw:graph Tag 17-11 Customizing Graphs Using the Graph.XML File 17-13 Using Graph Hyperlinks 17-15 Summary 17-18 Practice 17 Overview 17-19 18Enhancing Matrix Reports Objectives 18-2 The Matrix Data Model 18-3 The Matrix Paper Layout 18-5 Creating Matrix Summaries 18-7 Creating the Matrix Manually 18-9 The Matrix with Group Data Model 18-11 The Matrix with Group Layout 18-12 Building a Nested Matrix 18-13 Nested Matrix Paper Layout 18-15 ix

8. Creating Nested Matrix Summaries 18-17 Displaying Zeros 18-19 Summary 18-21 Practice 18 Overview 18-22 19Coding PL/SQL Triggers Objectives 19-2 Types of Triggers in Reports 19-3 Trigger Code 19-5 Using Report Triggers 19-6 Using Data Model Triggers: PL/SQL Group Filter 19-10 Using Data Model Triggers: Parameter Validation 19-12 Using Layout Triggers 19-14 Using a Format Trigger on a Frame 19-16 Using a Format Trigger on a Repeating Frame 19-18 Using a Format Trigger on a Field 19-20 Using a Format Trigger in a Web Layout 19-21 Using a Format Trigger on a Boilerplate Object 19-22 Writing Common Code 19-24 Event-Based Reporting 19-26 Event-Driven Publishing API 19-27 Invoking a Report from a Database Event 19-29 Summary 19-31 Practice 19 Overview 19-33 20Extending Functionality Using the SRW Package Objectives 20-2 Contents of the SRW Package 20-3 Outputting Messages 20-5 Executing a Nested Report 20-7 Restricting Data 20-11 Initializing Fields 20-13 Creating a Table of Contents 20-15 Performing DDL Statements 20-17 Setting Format Attributes 20-19 Using Format Attributes in a Web Layout 20-22 Summary 20-24 Practice 20 Overview 20-25 21Maximizing Performance Using OracleAS Reports Services Objectives 21-2 Running Reports Using OracleAS Reports Services 21-3 Report Request Methods 21-5 Oracle Application Server Components 21-7 Enabling Single Sign-On Access 21-9 x

9. Running the Web Layout: JSP Run-time Architecture 21-11 Running the Paper Layout: Servlet Run-time Architecture 21-12 Running a Paper Report on the Web 21-13 Running a Report from the Command Line 21-15 The OUTPUTIMAGEFORMAT Parameter 21-16 The Schedule Parameter 21-17 Reports Caching 21-19 Using Oracle Enterprise Manager 21-20 Managing and Monitoring OracleAS Reports Services 21-21 What Is the Queue Manager? 21-22 Queue Manager 21-23 Using the Queue Manager 21-25 Summary 21-26 Practice 21 Overview 21-27 22Building Reports: Efficiency Guidelines Objectives 22-2 Tuning Reports 22-3 Performance Measurement 22-5 Non SQL Data Sources 22-6 Investigating the Data Model 22-8 Investigating the Paper Layout 22-12 Running the Report 22-14 Different Development and Run-Time Environments 22-16 Developing Reports to Run in Different GUIs 22-18 Setting NLS Language Environment Variables 22-20 Translating an Oracle Reports Application 22-22 Summary 22-24 Practice 22 Overview 22-25 Appendix A - Practice Solutions Appendix B - Table Descriptions Appendix C - Creating Web Layout Templates Glossary xi