About parameters Parameter Form Objects

Basic Concepts 1-29 You can also link a boilerplate image object to a URL where the image is located. See Section 4.9.8.1.3, Linking an image object to a URL . See also Section 1.9.3, About Parameter Form boilerplate Section 4.9.2.1, Creating a boilerplate object for text Section 4.9.2.2, Creating a boilerplate object for text that displays every other page Section 4.9.2.5, Referencing a field in boilerplate text Section 4.9.11.8, Rotating a boilerplate object

1.9 Parameter Form Objects

The topics in this section discuss basic concepts of Parameter Form objects; for more advanced concepts, see Section 2.5, Parameter Form Objects . ■ About parameters ■ About Parameter Form fields ■ About Parameter Form boilerplate ■ About Parameter Forms for Web reports

1.9.1 About parameters

A parameter is a variable whose value can be set at runtime for example, from the Runtime Parameter Form or the command line. Parameters are especially useful for modifying SELECT statements and setting PLSQL variables at runtime. Oracle Reports Builder automatically creates a set of system parameters at runtime, but you can create your own as well. You can create parameters to replace either single literal values or entire expressions in any part of a query. You can reference parameters elsewhere in the report, such as in PLSQL constructs providing conditional logic for the report. Parameter values can be specified in these ways: ■ Accepting the default parameter values default values are set in the Parameter properties, and you can control whether the values are displayed at runtime on the Runtime Parameter Form. ■ Typing the parameter values as arguments on the command line where applicable. Parameters specified on the command line override the equivalent system parameter values set in the report definition. For detailed information about command line arguments, see the Command Line Keywords appendix in the Oracle Fusion Middleware Publishing Reports to the Web with Oracle Reports Services manual, or the Oracle Reports online Help. Note: These procedures are for paper-based reports only. File Link objects are not implemented in JSP-based Web reports. Note: While you can delete or rename a user parameter, you cannot delete or rename a system parameter. 1-30 Oracle Reports Users Guide to Building Reports ■ Choosing from a list or entering the parameter values in the Runtime Parameter Form. System parameters Oracle Reports is shipped with the following system parameters. You can change their default values as described above. User parameters You can create a user parameter in the following ways: ■ Create a parameter in the Object Navigator. ■ Use a bind parameter reference in a query, which causes Oracle Reports Builder to automatically create the parameter the first time it is referenced see Section 2.3.4.1, About bind references . See also Section 2.3.4, About referencing columns and parameters Section 4.11.1, Using a pre-defined system parameter Section 4.11.2, Creating a user parameter Section 4.11.3, Creating a list of values LOV for a parameter Section 4.11.4, Validating a parameter value at runtime Section 4.11.6, Selecting parameters to include in the Runtime Parameter Form Section 4.11.9, Passing parameters to reports running in batch mode Table 1–1 System parameter descriptions System Parameter Description COPIES Is the number of report copies that should be made when the report is printed. DESFORMAT Is either: ■ the output format for the report for example, PDF, HTML, HTMLCSS, RTF, XML, SPREADSHEET, DELIMITED, or DELIMITEDDATA for bitmapped reports. ■ the printer definition to use when formatting the report when DESTYPE=FILE and DESNAME=filename. If MODE=BITMAP, this is the name of the printer. If MODE=CHARACTER, this is the character mode printer definition file .prt file. DESNAME Is the name of the output device for example, the file name, printers name, mail user ID. DESTYPE Is the type of device that will receive the report output for example, SCREEN to format the report using screen fonts, FILE, PRINTER, MAIL, SYSOUT, CACHE, or LOCALFILE. MODE Is whether the report should run in CHARACTER mode or BITMAP. ORIENTATION Is the print direction for the report LANDSCAPE, PORTRAIT, DEFAULT. PRINTJOB Is whether the Print Job dialog box should appear before the report is run. Basic Concepts 1-31

1.9.2 About Parameter Form fields