Oracle XML Publisher and Template Builder for Microsoft Word

Presenter : Sai Narayan Date : 25-June-08

Presenter Name Date DD/MM/YYYY

XML Publisher Paradigm

Separates data/layout/output format

Data Logic
XSL

XML

Layout
XML Publisher

Translation

Report Output

XML Publisher Benefits

Templates can be designed by functional user using familiar desktop tools Reduced maintenance costs Enhancements like font changes/logo changes etc can be done by functional user Flexibility of output PDF, Excel, HTML

Getting Started
Download and Install Oracle XML Publisher Desktop Patch 5.6.3 Patch # 5887917 http://updates.oracle.com/download/5887917.html Patch contains Template Builder and Template Viewer Template Builder Is an extension to Microsoft Word Allows development of RTF templates Template Viewer Provides report preview capability

Template Builder
The template builder is an extension to your Microsoft Word It is available in the menu and toolbar

Process Overview
Set the E-Business Report to generate XML output Run the concurrent program using SRS to obtain sample XML output Design your template using Microsoft Word Template Builder Use Template Viewer with sample XML output to finetune template Register E-Business Report as Data Definition using Template Manager Register and upload template using Template Manager Assign the template to the data definition code Lets rock !

Set E-Business Report Output Format

Navigate as System Administrator->Concurrent->Program->Define Set Output Format to XML and save

Run E-Business Report for Sample XML Output

Run the E-Business report. For example, say Invoice Print (Receivables) Click on output and save the XML output to a file

Sample XML Output File

Note the structure of the XML file

Designing the layout Get the requirements

Decide how the report layout should look like on paper For example, say the Receivables invoice needs to look like this (at least part of it)

Template Builder XMLP Directives

for-each loop data fields page header/footer page numbering sorting page breaks calculated fields extended functions conditional logic images/logos Dynamic data columns Rows per page Last Page Only content Re-grouping xml data Cell highlighting Page totals

for-each loop
Define groups to notify XML Publisher to loop through repeating information Insert the following tag before the first element <?for-each:XML group element tag name?> Insert the following tag after the last element <?end for-each?> E.g. The XML group element tag name G_INVOICE for recurring invoice information <?for-each:G_INVOICE?> invoice lines <?end for-each?>

Data fields
Placeholders map the template field to the XML data field Syntax - <?XML element tag name?> Placeholder must match XML element tag name exactly Case sensitive E.g. The placeholder <?TRX_NUMBER?> identifies the Invoice Number

Page Header/Footer
Enclose the body area of the report within the following tags <?start:body?> <?end body?> Elements occurring before the <?start:body?> tag compose the header Elements occurring after the <?end body?> tag compose the footer

Page Numbering
Use Microsoft Word page numbering From Insert menu, select Page Numbers Select the position, alignment and format as desired

Sorting
Insert sort tag within the group <?sort:element name?>, for example to sort by transaction number Enter the following after the <?for-each:G_INVOICE?> <?sort:trx_number?> No end tag Sort on multiple elements possible, use multiple sort tags Example: <?sort:trx_number?><?sort:trx_date?> Sort on calculated fields supported

Additional Sorting
Sort order descending Data type sorting Number Date Separated by semi-colon (;) <?sort:trx_number; data-type=number; order=descending?>

Page Breaks
Just before the <?end for-each?> tag either Insert a Microsoft Page Break Insert->Break->Page Break -or <Ctrl> + <Enter> Use XML Publisher directive <?split-by-page-break:?> This avoids extra blank page at the end of report

Calculated Fields
Use field names and operand(s) + - Addition - - Minus * - Multiplication / - Division Example <?field1 + field2?> Not required to be in form field

Extended functions
Some SQL functions can be used in template RPAD, LPAD, REPLACE INSTR, SUBSTR, LENGTH DECODE SYSDATE TO_NUMBER, TO_CHAR UPPER, LOWER GREATEST, LEAST ROUND, CEIL, FLOOR Usage is <?xdofx:function_name(params)?> It is NOT case sensitive Not required to be in a form field

Conditional logic
Support for IF and CASE statements IF <?if:boolean_test?> <?end if?> Example : to display only invoice lines with a line type of LINE Enclose the invoice line output within the tags below <?if:LINE_TYPE='LINE' ?> <?end if?> CASE <?choose?> <?when:boolean_test?> <?end when?> <?otherwise?> <?end otherwise?> <?end choose?>

Images/Logos
Use a table for complete control of image behavior Static Images Paste the image directly into layout template URL Dummy image on template Specify URL in alternative text section Double click on image, go to web tab, alternative text field url:{www.myspace.com/xml_example/myimage.gif} Server-side Images (in EBS) Dummy image on template Specify URL in alternative text section url:{${OA_MEDIA} /myimage.gif} Also supported URLs and Paths in XML elements or combination of elements BLOBS from database

Dynamic data columns

Dynamic Column Header <?split-column-header:group element name?> Dynamic Column Data <?split-column-data:group element name?> Example: Print departments in column header and demand qty as column data Column header <?split-column-header:G_DEPT_CLASS?><?DEPT_CLASS?> Column data <?split-column-data:G_DEPT_CLASS?><?SUM_QTY?>

Rows per page

Define row counter variable in a form field <?xdoxslt:set_variable($_XDOCTX, Counter, 0)?> Increment counter for each line (again in a form field) <?xdoxslt:set_variable($_XDOCTX, Counter, xdoxslt: get_variable($_XDOCTX, Counter) + 1)?> Break if the number of rows is reached (say 6 rows in this example) <?if: xdoxslt:get_variable($_XDOCTX, Counter) mod 6=0?> <?split-by-page-break:?> <?end if?

Last Page Only Content

Create a section break in MSWord (Insert->Break->Section break Next page) Insert the following syntax on the final page: <?start@last-page:body?> <?end body?> Content on the page above and below these tags will appear only on last page Headers or footers previously defined for the report must be reinserted on the last page

Re-grouping XML Data

Not limited by the structure of the data source Use the tags <?for-each-group: BASE-GROUP;GROUPING-ELEMENT?> <?end for-each-group?> Can establish nested groupings <?for-each:current-group(); GROUPING-ELEMENT?> <?end for-each-group?> Example: CD Catalog XML data is grouped by CD. To change to group by country, use the syntax below: <?for-each-group:CD:COUNTRY?>

Cell highlighting
Native XSL embedded within XMLP using xdofo:ctx component Example: Change cell color to red if debit amount > 1000 <?if:debit>1000?> <xsl:attribute xdofo:ctx="block name="background-color">red </xsl:attribute> <?end if?>

Page totals
Declare variable to hold page totals, following data element declaration <?add-page-total:TotalFieldName;'element'?> Display total field <?show-page-total:TotalFieldName;'Oracle-number-format'?> Example: Suppose we want to total the field debit Create a page total variable called dt (it follows the placeholder) <?debit?><?add-page-total:dt;'debit'?> Insert the show page total syntax in the page footer <?show-page-total:dt;'C9G990D00';'(C9G990D00)'?> Page totalling available only for PDF output type

Template Builder Load XML Data

First step - Load the sample XML output file using Data->Load XML Data

Template Builder Inserting Placeholders

Insert placeholders using Insert->Field menu option. Text form fields Tag name is visible by clicking the Add Help Text button within the Text form field

Use Microsoft Word tables for better alignment

Template Builder Sample template explained

Template/XML/Form Field How they relate

XML Transaction Number

Template

Text form field

Template Builder Preview

Preview template as PDF, HTML, Excel or RTF output Finetune till desired output is achieved Save template as .rtf file

Template Manager E-Business Data Definition

Navigate to XML Publisher Administrator responsibility Home->Data Definitions->Then Click on Create Data Definition button Enter details * Note: the Code is same as the concurrent program short name RAXINV_SEL

Template Manager E-Business Template

Navigate to XML Publisher Administrator responsibility Home->Templates>Then Click on Create Template button Assign the template to the Data Definition created earlier Upload the RTF file

Run concurrent using SRS

Run the concurrent program using SRS Click Options button Select Output Layout Format Default PDF

Exceptions
Navigate System Administrator->Concurrent->Manager->Administer Select Output Post Processor Click on Processes button Select the active process Click on Manager Log button Review the log for exceptions More details and options for debugging Refer Metalink Note 364547.1

References and more info.

XML Publisher Blog http://blogs.oracle.com/xmlpublisher/ XML Publisher Oracle Product Site http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/xml-publisher/index.html XML Publisher Forum http://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=245 User Guides Oracle XML Publisher Users Guide Oracle XML Publisher Report Designers Guide Metalink Notes Metalink Note 422508.1 About XML Publisher Release 5.6.3 Metalink Note 364547.1 - Troubleshooting Oracle XML Publisher for Oracle Applications 11i Oracle Tutorial for XML Publisher for EBS http://www.oracle.com/technology/obe/obe_bi/xmlp_ebiz/index.html