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3 Oracle Reports New Features
3 Oracle Reports New Features
4)
New Features
An Oracle White Paper
September 2003
Oracle Reports 10g (9.0.4) New Features
INTRODUCTION
Oracle Reports is a powerful, high quality reporting tool that is used for dynamic,
enterprise level reporting. It enables businesses to develop and deploy information
to all levels within and outside of the organization. It imposes no limits on the
developer and offers many advantages to the user. This includes OracleAS Reports
Server, which offers a scaleable, robust, and highly optimized reporting architecture
to address the deployment needs of large organizations.
One of the major new features for Oracle Reports is the incorporation of
JavaServer Pages (JSP) into our existing technology stack. Through the use of JSP
technology, Oracle Reports embeds report data directly into Web pages.
Packaging for Oracle Reports has changed. Oracle Reports Builder, which is our
Integrated Development Environment is now a component of the Oracle
Developer Suite. In addition to the Oracle Reports Builder, the Oracle Developer
Suite contains all of the other Oracle development tools. Oracle Developer Suite is
the industry's most complete and integrated development suite covers the full
development life cycle of J2EE database applications and Web services. The suite
supports multiple development approaches and languages - all in one product - to
optimize productivity and to take advantage of developers' skills.
Deployment is handled by OracleAS Reports Services which is a component of
Oracle Application Server. This comprehensive and integration application server is
a powerful, highly scalable platform for deploying e-business Web sites and
Internet applications. Oracle Application Server addresses all of the challenges you
face when building and running successful e-business Web sites Oracle Application
Server allows you to integrate applications and data sources into one common e-
business infrastructure.
This white paper is split into two section covering development and deployment. In
each section, we will discuss the many new and exciting features in Oracle Reports.
The following graphic shows an example of a JSP report viewed through the Web
source within the Oracle Reports Builder and the output displayed in a Web
browser. The entire report was generated by the web source wizard with no hand
coding involved.
OracleAS Portal allows you to build quick and simple HTML reports. However,
developers may find they need a PDF version of that report, or want to enhance it
(e.g., add more queries, make the layout more complex). Oracle Reports makes this
task easy. Developers can connect to an instance of the database which contains
OracleAS Portal. Then, choose the File>Import Portal Component menu option.
A dialog box will appear with a list of all the OracleAS Portal reports available.
Simply select the report to be modified and the report is converted on-the-fly to
Oracle Report, allowing for modifications just as if the report had been created in
to Oracle Report Builder. Now, developers have the wealth of features and wizards
in Oracle Reports at their disposal. Modifications can be made to the report,
including adding additional data using a PDS, changing the format and style of the
report. This report can be deployed back within the OracleAS Portal as any other
report.
Graphs provide a visual image to help you disseminate information quickly. The
new Oracle Reports Graph wizard can generate more complex graphs with a larger
variety of graph types (over 50), including true 3D graphs. The multiple properties
for controlling the look, feel, and formatting of your graph are accessed through
the Graph Wizard in the Oracle Reports Builder.
Hyperlinks can be included in Graphs by setting the Graph hyperlink property
from within the Oracle Reports Builder. Graphs are incorporated into the JSP
source using the rw:graph tag. This can be added using the Graph wizard or by
manually inserting the rw:graph tag.
Reports built with previous versions of Oracle Reports containing Oracle Graphics
charts will continue to run if the Oracle Graphics 6i Runtime is installed on the
same machine in a separate Oracle Home.
PL/SQL is the procedural language used within Oracle Reports. The PL/SQL to
Java bridge allows developers to visually select Java classes by choosing Import Java
Classes menu option. This will generate a PL/SQL package to interface with that
class. Since PL/SQL can be called from any report object, Java can now be called
from any report object. This opens up reports development to Java programmers
interested in quickly developing high quality output while encouraging use of open
coding standards.
As an example, you could use a third party JavaBean that generates a barcode-
image to generate barcodes for you. This allows you to incorporate Java
components into your reports allowing for maximum use of modular coding.
This also allows you to share logic between the paper and Web layouts.
Modification to the JavaBean would result in the changes showing up in both the
paper and Web layout thereby minimizing maintenance costs. . We provide an
Server Enhancements
There are many new features and customization options for OracleAS Reports
Services. The caching service is now persistent, so that cached output remains
available even after the OracleAS Reports Services is restarted. Out-of-the-box
destinations, such as cache, e-mail, and printer are coded using the standard API.
You can define additional output destinations, such as FAX and FTP services.
Using the provided Java APIs, you can customize or extend the other built-in
services, such as security, caching, and logging.
Deployment Architecture
Oracle Reports has embraced JSP and servlet technologies to bring to life to a static
HTML Web page by adding dynamic content to it using Oracle Reports. Oracle
Reports has also enhanced its use of servlet technology. Servlets provide a Java
based alternative to CGI programs. Servlets provide a platform-independent
method for building Web-based applications, without the performance limitations
of CGI programs.
JSP based Web reports are deployed using a Web browser following standard URL
syntax:
http://<yourweblistner>/examples/abc.jsp?<args>
where <args> contains parameters such as reports server name and userid
Note: that this is different from executing the CGI and Servlet executables in the
fact that the JSP itself is actually executed.
JSP’s allow developers to embed data into a Web page to create a functional and
good looking JSP Web reports. Web Pages are the primary output for Oracle
Reports, but JSPs can also be incorporated into XML, WML or other mark up
languages. This quickly expands the usage of JSP’s for more than populating
HTML web pages, it opens up the possibilities of publishing to other devices such
as digital assistants or wireless phones.
Reports deployed as a Servlet require a Web browser with the following URL
syntax:
http:// <yourweblistner>/servlet/rwservlet?<args>
where <args> contains parameters such as report name, reports server name,
userid, desformat and destype
The servlet is used to deploy paper reports which provides all of the advanced
features such as distribution and PDF enhancements.
Compression
Oracle Reports takes advantage of PDF’s enhanced data compression. This means
smaller PDF files making viewing and downloading quicker. The amount of space
saved using compression varies based on the contents of the report for items such
as the number of images versus the amount of text.
By default, PDF output from Oracle Reports will be compressed. Compressed files
are about one fifth the size of the original file. Compression is automatically turned
on when running a report, but can be switched off or varied with command line
options.
There are many factors that contribute to the compression rate. Items like images
are typically already compressed, so reports containing a large number of images
will not see as much compression as those without images. Large amounts of data
and multiple fonts, styles and templates can achieve higher compression rates
although actual compression rates will vary.
Oracle Reports can embed fonts into the report itself. It reduces the reliance of
having the font installed on every machine where the report may be run. This
establishes and maintains a standard look and feel for the report no matter where it
is distributed. Note: embedding is only supported for type1 single byte fonts only.
Portal integration
Oracle Reports includes tight integration with OracleAS Portal, a Web-based
application development environment for building and deploying e-business
portals. OracleAS Portal is shipped as a component of Oracle Application Server.
Oracle Reports makes it easy to deploy a report to an OracleAS Portal page. The
report can be displayed as a hyperlink in a content page or as a static HTML page.
When the hyperlink is clicked, the results of the report are displayed. You can set
up the report to display a static report output page or have it actually run the report
each time the hyperlink is clicked. By setting up a schedule, you can run the report
automatically to provide the latest data available for the report. Push functionality
can create a new hyperlink for each time the report is run or it can overwrite the
existing hyperlink. Either way, it ensures that your customers are getting the latest
information available.
Oracle Reports also allows you to deploy a report as a portlet or modular
component of a Web page. This feature enables you to have multiple reports
and/or other information displayed in a single OracleAS Portal page.
With respect to the Single Sign-On functionality for Oracle Reports, a distinction
must be made between the authentication to the Reports Server and the
authentication to subsequently accessed data sources.
This two-level authentication is necessary, because the access to a report does not
necessarily mean, that this user has access to the required data even if it is retrieved
using a pluggable data source.
External data sources typically use different authentication mechanisms. An XML
datastream from one system most likely will have a different access requirement
than access to a JDBC data source.
Event-based Publishing
It is often desirable to run a report that is triggered by some event that has
happened in your database. With Oracle Reports, you can execute a report utilizing
a set of supplied PL/SQL stored procedures that can be called from a database
trigger to run the report when the data is inserted. The trigger invokes the
OracleAS Reports Services and the job is submitted to the server.
For example, when an employee submits an expense report, new data is being
inserted into the database. This insert event can cause a database trigger or an
Advanced Queuing (AQ) message or both to occur, which sends a report to the
employee’s manager on a portal page or in an e-mail message asking for approval
on this expense report.
The API provides you with easy-to-use methods to create a parameter-list and send
a job to the reports-server.
Web Service
In addition to the PL/SQL based approach OracleAS Reports Services also
provides a Web Service Interface that allows you to submit Jobs via a SOAP based
message.
You can use this interface to leverage OracleAS Reports Services from your Java
application.
E-mail
Report e-mail distribution has been enhanced in the new OracleAS Reports
Services. E-mail distribution is now based on the Internet e-mail standard SMTP
protocol.
Further enhancements allow you to enter a descriptive “Subject”, and include the
report in the body of the e-mail or as an attachment. Oracle Reports now supports
all the attributes available in the SMTP e-mail header (such as TO, FROM, CC,
BCC, ReplyTo, etc.) and these can be static or dynamic values from the report
itself.
Oracle Reports Builder now includes an e-mail dialog box. When e-mailing a
report you can use this dialog box to set the From, To, CC, BCC, ReplyTo,
Subject, and the format of the report.
These same options are also available as command line options. For example, set
the destype=mail and the desname=someone@biz.com subject=”your report
attached <report_name> ”. Note that the To equates to the desname, all other
parameters take on the appropriate associated name (e.g., subject, bcc, cc, from,
etc.).
ANY DATA
Pluggable data sources allow access to any defined datasource. Several PDSs are
included out-of-the-box and an open API gives you unlimited access to any
datasource your company needs. Unlimited queries, multiple concurrent
connections and the ability to join data from different sources provides unrivaled
flexibility. Parameters and lexical variables provide support for customization and
refining the data retrieved for the report. Single Sign-On support makes seamless
integrated deployment easy.
ANY FORMAT
Oracle Reports Builder allows for complex, frame-based layouts giving you
complete control over the placement of objects within the report. Easy to use
wizards give you the ability to quickly create and modify your report definitions.
Conditional formatting and drill-down reports via text and graph hyperlinks can
easily be incorporated into your report. Multi-byte support including UNICODE,
format in PDF 1.4, Postscript, PCL, Word (RTF), Excel (CSV), XML, Text,
HTML, and HTMLCSS allow you to disseminate information to the widest
possible audience or use JSP’s to produce output in other formats.
ANYWHERE
With pluggable destinations, you can add additional destinations to those included
out-of-the-box, such as Printer, e-mail, and Portal. Enhanced bursting based on
repeating data gives you more finite control over content management.
Administration of the OracleAS Reports Services is now integrated with OEM and
peer-to-peer clustering improves scalability. Reports triggered by a database event
or scheduled reports can help automate information dissemination or decision
making for your business.
Oracle Corporation
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Redwood Shores, CA 94065
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Worldwide Inquiries:
Phone: +1.650.506.7000
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