4.1 Access Oracle Reports Documentation

This section provides procedures for the following tasks that you may perform to access the Oracle Reports documentation:

• Using the Oracle Reports online Help

• Locating other documentation

4.1.1 Using the Oracle Reports online Help

For more information on using Oracle Reports Builder, as well as Oracle Reports reference information, refer to the Oracle Reports online Help, which you can access in any of the following ways:

• From Oracle Reports Builder:

  • Choose Help > Help Contents.

  • Click Help or press F1 in any dialog box.

  • In the Property Inspector, click a property, then press F1 to display the property's help topic.

• On the Oracle Technology Network (OTN) Oracle Reports page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html):

  • Under Resources, click Hosted Online Help to display the Web-based version of the most recent Oracle Reports online Help.

  • Under News, click Oracle Reports Online Help Update to replace your Oracle Reports online Help in Oracle Reports Builder with the most recent update. Instructions for replacing your help file are included in the readme.txt in the download file.

The following guidelines will help you to make effective use of the online Help:

• Familiarize yourself with the Contents tab to get an idea of the scope of the topics covered in the online Help.

• Click the Index tab to locate specific topics on a subject.

• The Help Navigator window and Help Topic window can be separated or kept together. Move the windows as desired.

4.1.2 Locating other documentation

To get started and become proficient with building reports, refer to the following resources:

Table 4-1 Oracle Reports documentation roadmap

For...	Refer to...
An overview of Oracle Reports	Overview information available on the Oracle Technology Network Oracle Reports page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html). Online help topics under the Welcome node in the Help Navigator window (choose Help > Help Contents).
An overview of new and changed features in this release	Oracle Reports New Features, available on the Oracle Technology Network Oracle Reports page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html). Chapter "Introduction" in the Oracle Fusion Middleware Publishing Reports to the Web with Oracle Reports Services manual details the new functionality in Oracle Reports 111g Release 1 (11.1.1), along with the equivalent 10g Release 2 (10.1.2) functionality.
Instructions and hands-on lessons about building paper and Web-based reports	This manual and Oracle Reports Tutorial, available in the Oracle Fusion Middleware Documentation Library. Online Help (choose Help > Help Contents in Oracle Reports Builder) for specific tasks and reference information.
Context-sensitive help on dialog boxes, messages, and properties	For dialog boxes and messages, the online Help topics displayed when you click Help, or press F1. For properties, the online Help topics displayed when you click a property in the Property Inspector, then press F1.
Information about Oracle Reports Services and configuring and using the Reports Server	Oracle Fusion Middleware Publishing Reports to the Web with Oracle Reports Services manual, available in the Oracle Fusion Middleware Documentation Library.
Information about using the Oracle Reports application program interface (API)	Oracle Reports JavaAPI Reference, available on the documentation CD and via the Oracle Reports Search page on OTN (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/htdocs/search.html): In the Collateral Type list, choose Documentation and click Search. In the list that displays, find the Oracle Reports Java API Documentation. The Reports Software Development Kit (RSDK), available on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN): on the Oracle Reports page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html), click SDK. The Oracle Reports Plugin Exchange, available on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN): on the Oracle Reports 11g page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html), click Plugin Exchange.
Examples and demos	Via the Oracle Reports Search page on OTN (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/htdocs/search.html): In the Collateral Type list, choose Examples or Demonstrations, and click Search. In the list that displays, click an example or demo that interests you.
Other resources, such as white papers	Via the Oracle Reports Search page on OTN (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/htdocs/search.html): In the Collateral Type list, choose White Papers & How To Documents, and click Search.