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CREATING REPORTS WITH ORACLE

REPORTS 6i
REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.1. OBJECTIVES

After the completion of this lesson, students will be able to do the

following:

• Describe the options on the Oracle Reports Main Menu.

• Identify the editors available in Oracle Reports, including common

elements and terms shared by these editors.

• Invoke the Oracle Reports executables.

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2. ORACLE REPORTS

Oracle Reports is a GUI report development tool that you can use to
create, format, and print presentation quality reports.
Developers can create many types of reports using this tool. In this
class, the student will learn to write the following type of reports:
• Tabular Reports
• Master-Detail Reports
• Matrix Reports
• Drill Down Reports with Buttons and Graphics

1.2.1. Invoking Oracle Reports Executables

Oracle Reports includes the following programs:

Reports Executable Function
Program
Builder RWBLD60 Designs and runs reports. The Builder
stores report definitions in either a set of
tables in the database or in an operating
system file.
Compiler RWCON60 Compiles reports designed with the Builder
and produces an executable file.
Runtime RWRUN60 Runs reports compiled by the Compiler.

There are two options for starting a Reports program:

• Enter a command at the operating system command line
- The command-line syntax is:
executable-name keyword=value keyword=value
- Example: At the DOS Prompt type: RWRUN60 C:\filename.rep
• Select a GUI icon, if available for your operating system

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.2. Report Builder Main Menu

In the Report Builder, there is both a point-and-click and a menu-driven

interface. The Builder Main Menu includes the following options:

Menu Used For

File Create, open, save, and close reports, connect or disconnect
to/from the database, perform report administration.
Edit To Copy, Paste, Cut, Undo, Select All, etc.
View To Switch between ownership view or object view.
Navigator Control the display of the Object Navigator. Create and delete
objects.
Program Run the report, Compile the report, Invoke the PL/SQL editor.
Tools Open the property palette of a selected object. Open/Call the
various wizards. Access Report Parameter Builder. Trace
report execution.
Window Cascade or tile open windows. Switch quickly between open
windows.
Help Display Oracle Reports help. Access Extended help with
Quick Tour and Cue Cards.

1.2.3. Report Builder Work Areas

In addition to the menu-driven interface, the Report Builder provides

visual work areas where developers can create, modify, and delete
report objects. These work areas include the following:
• Object Navigator
• Data Model
• Layout Model
• Parameter Form
• Live Previewer

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.3.1 The Object Navigator

• Lists all of the objects associated with a given report, in a format

similar to the Windows™ File Manager directory listing and the
Oracle Reports Navigator.

• Double-click on an object to either invoke its property palette or to

create a new object based on the node of choice.)

• Click on the “+” or “–” symbol next to each object to expand or

collapse the object.

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.3.2 Data Model

• Establishes which tables and columns supply the data for

the report.

• Associates report data with groups.

• Defines the relationships between report groups.

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.3.3 Layout Model

• Establishes the format for the report.

• Defines report objects not based on database columns, such as

boilerplate text, images, drawings, buttons, and OLE2 objects.

• Applies color and font selections to report objects.

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.3.4 Parameter Form

• Controls the appearance of the Runtime Parameter Form.

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.3.5 Live Previewer

• Displays the report’s output on the screen.

• Has a facility called the Runtime Previewer that allows the

operation of drill down reports.

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 REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.4 Understanding Common Elements

of the Editors

Tool Bar
Tool
Palette

Painting Region

Status Line

Painting Area used to create, change, delete, or move

Region graphical objects.
Tool Bar Contains tool icons. Appears at the top of the editor.
Tool Palette Contains additional tool icons along the side of the
editor.
Status Line Displays information about the zoom/magnification
level, absolute mouse position, mouse drag distance

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.2.5 Leaving Oracle Reports

• To exit the Report Builder or Reports Runtime, select File,

Exit from the menu.

• Or, close the GUI Builder or Runtime windows as

appropriate for the environment.

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.3 SUMMARY

• Oracle Report Builder consists of several executable

programs, including Builder, Runtime, Compiler.

• The Report Builder provides a set of pull-down menus and

editors can be used to create reports.

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REPORTS 6i Lesson 1 – Creating Reports with Oracle Reports

1.4 LESSON 1 – EXERCISE

1. Name the components of Oracle Report Builder.

2. Briefly describe the use of each component of the Oracle Report

Builder.

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