About the Runtime Parameter Form About the Previewer

Basic Concepts 1-33 Properties that are common to two or more objects in a multiple selection are listed only once, and the property setting is displayed as follows: ■ If the property has the same setting for all of the selected objects that have it in common, the common setting is displayed. ■ If the property is set differently for the objects that have it in common, the string is displayed. See also Section 4.2.2, Setting report properties Section 4.2.5, Setting properties for an ASCII character-mode report Section 4.2.7, Setting properties of multiple objects Section 4.2.8, Comparing the properties of one object to another

1.11 Runtime Views

The topic in this section discuss the views of a report shown at runtime. ■ About the Runtime Parameter Form ■ About the Previewer

1.11.1 About the Runtime Parameter Form

The Runtime Parameter Form is a dialog box that optionally displays at runtime in which you can override default parameter values for example, values that modify SELECT statements, route the report output to a specified device, and so on. You define the format of the Runtime Parameter Form in the Paper Parameter Form view. If you do not define a Runtime Parameter Form in the Paper Parameter Form view, Oracle Reports Builder displays a default Runtime Parameter Form for you at runtime. Change the parameters as desired and then click the Run Paper Layout button in the toolbar to run the report. Alternatively, you can click the Cancel Run button in the toolbar to cancel. See also Section 1.6.5, About the Paper Parameter Form view Section 1.9.4, About Parameter Forms for Web reports Section 4.11.7, Displaying the Parameter Form at runtime

1.11.2 About the Previewer

The Previewer displays on your screen how the printed version of your report will look. In the Previewer, you can scroll though a single page of report output, page Table 1–2 Property Inspector IntersectionUnion Button Description Intersection The default. Only properties common to all selected objects are displayed. Union All properties of every object selected are displayed. 1-34 Oracle Reports Users Guide to Building Reports through the entire report, and split the screen to view different sections of the same report concurrently. You can also perform the following actions: A physical page or panel is the size of a page that will be output by your printer. A logical page is the size of one page of your actual report it can be any number of physical pages wide or long. The Previewer displays the logical pages of your report output, one at a time. Access To display the Previewer: ■ choose File Print Preview. Usage notes To speed the execution of your report, avoid fetching ahead when sending report output to the Previewer or Paper Design view. The following items can result in fetching ahead when referenced before the data on which they rely: ■ total number of pagespanels ■ grand totals ■ break columns that are formulas ■ break columns that have Value if Null specified Matrix cross-product groups also cause fetching ahead. To cross-tabulate the data, Oracle Reports must first fetch all of the data. It should be noted that while these items slow down the Previewer or Paper Design view, they do not affect performance when writing to a file or some other destination. See also Section 4.7.16.3, Displaying report output in the Previewer Section 4.7.17.2, Printing a report from the Previewer Table 1–3 Print previewer actions To... Click in the toolbar... Print the report the Print button Specify page setup settings the Page Setup button Open a new Previewer the New Previewer button Close the Previewer the Close Previewer button Zoom in the Zoom In button Zoom out the Zoom Out button Note: A column can cause fetching ahead even if it is not displayed. For example, a grand total may not appear in the report output, but since it is in the report, fetching ahead may still occur when Oracle Reports calculates it. Basic Concepts 1-35

1.12 Oracle Reports Components