Ø Data Model
The Report Builder's Data Model view is a work area in which we create, define, and modify data model objects to be used in our report.
Reports Builder uses the data model to determine what data to retrieve for the report. The following are the Data Model objects:
o Queries
o Groups
o Formula Columns
o Summary Columns
o Place Holder Columns
o Data Links
o User Parameters
o System Parameters
Ø Paper Layout
The Report Builder's Paper Layout view is a work area in which we can modify the format of your paper report. The default format for our report is defined by the information you specify in the Report Wizard. We can modify the format by working with layout. In this view, objects and their property settings are represented symbolically to highlight their types and relationships. The below are the Layout objects:
o Boilerplate
o Graphic Objects
o Frames
o Repeating frames
o Graphs
o Fields
o Anchors
o File links
o Report Blocks
Ø Paper Parameter Form
The Report Builder's Paper Parameter Form view is a work area in which we define the format of the report's Runtime Parameter. We can select pre-defined system parameters for your report using the Parameter Form Builder, or you can create our own user parameters in the Object Navigator or by using bind references in our queries. When you run a report, Reports Builder uses the Paper Parameter Form view as a template for the Runtime Parameter Form. Fields and boilerplate appear in the Runtime Parameter Form exactly as they appear in the Paper Parameter Form view. If you do not define a Runtime Parameter Form in the Paper Parameter Form view, Reports Builder displays a default Runtime Parameter Form at runtime.
Ø Report Triggers
Report triggers execute PL/SQL functions at specific times during the execution and formatting of your report. Report triggers must explicitly return TRUE or FALSE. Oracle Reports has five global report triggers. You cannot create new global report triggers. The trigger names indicate at what point the trigger fires:
Before ParameterForm trigger
ü Fires before the Runtime Parameter Form is displayed.
ü From this trigger, we can access and change the values of parameters, PL/SQL global variables, and report-level columns.
ü If the Runtime Parameter Form is suppressed, this trigger still fires. Consequently, we can use this trigger for validation of command line parameters.
ü Before Parameter Form trigger fires twice: once when the Parameter Form is displayed, and a second time when the parameters are submitted.
After Parameter Form trigger
ü Fires after the Runtime Parameter Form is displayed.
ü From this trigger, you can access parameters and check their values.
ü This trigger can also be used to change parameter values or, if an error occurs, return to the Runtime Parameter Form.
ü Columns from the data model are not accessible from this trigger.
ü If the Runtime Parameter Form is suppressed, the After Parameter Form trigger still fires. Consequently, you can use this trigger for validation of command line parameters or other data.
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ü After Parameter Form trigger is fired (unless the user cancels from the Runtime Parameter Form). Report is "compiled". Queries are parsed.
Before Report trigger
ü Fires before the report runs but after queries are parsed.
ü This trigger can be used to clean up any initial processing that was done, such as deleting tables.
ü Before Report trigger is fired. SET TRANSACTION READONLY is executed (if specified with the READONLY command line keyword or setting).
(Note: however, that this trigger always fires, whether or not your report completed successfully.)
Between Pages trigger
ü Fires before each page of the report is formatted, except the very first page. This trigger can be used for customized page formatting. In the Paper Design view, this trigger only fires the first time that you go to a page. If you subsequently return to the page, the trigger does not fire again.
ü The report is run and the Between Pages trigger fires for each page except the first one. (Note that data can be fetched at any time while the report is being formatted.) COMMITs can occur during this time due to: SRW.DO_SQL with DDL, or if ONFAILURE=COMMIT, and the report fails. COMMIT is executed (if READONLY is specified) to end the transaction.
After Report Trigger
ü Fires after the Runtime Parameter Form is displayed. From this trigger, you can access parameters and check their values. This trigger can also be used to change parameter values or, if an error occurs, return to the Runtime Parameter Form.
ü Columns from the data model are not accessible from this trigger.
ü If the Runtime Parameter Form is suppressed, the After Parameter Form trigger still fires. Consequently, you can use this trigger for validation of command line parameters or other data.
