Accessing Data for Building Templates

The data model defines the XML format that is merged with the RTF template. The Template Builder requires sample data to build the template. You must load sample data to use most of the template builder functionality.

If you are not connected to BI Publisher, then use the procedure in Loading XML Data from a Local File. If you are connected, then use the procedure in Loading Data from the BI Publisher Catalog.

Loading XML Data from a Local File

One method of loading data to the Template Builder is to save a sample of the report data to a local directory.

For information on saving sample data from a report data model, see the Testing Data Models and Generating Sample Data section in Data Modeling Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher.

If you do not have access to the report data model, but you can access the report, then you can alternatively save sample data from the report viewer.

To save data from the report viewer:

  1. In the BI Publisher catalog, navigate to the report.
  2. Click Open to run the report in the report viewer.
  3. Click the Actions icon, then click Export, then click Data. You are prompted to save the XML file.
  4. Save the file to a local directory.
  5. Use the Load Sample XML feature below to load the saved XML file to the Template Builder.

The Load Data group from the Oracle BI Publisher menu enables you to select and load the saved XML file to the Template Builder.

  • Sample XML - Enables you to load a sample XML file that contains all fields that you want to insert into the template as a data source. If you are not connected to the BI Publisher server, then use this method to load the data.

  • XML Schema - Enables you to load an XML Schema file (.xsd) that contains the fields available in the report XML data. The XML schema has the advantage of being complete (a sample XML file might not contain all the fields from the data source). For the preview, the Template Builder can generate dummy sample data for an XML Schema. However, the preview works better if you also upload real sample data.

Loading Data from the BI Publisher Catalog

You can connect directly to the BI Publisher Server to load the BI Publisher report data to the Template Builder to use as sample data for designing layouts.

You can also download an existing template to modify it.

To connect to BI Publisher and load a data source:

  1. Log on to the BI Publisher Server: From the Oracle BI Publisher menu, select Log On. For more information on logging in to the BI Publisher server, see Working in Connected Mode.
  2. After you area logged on, you can select Open. The Open Template dialog launches.
  3. Navigate to the folder that contains the report or data model for which you want to create a template.

    When you select a report, you can either select from the Layout Templates to open an existing template, select Open Report to load just the XML sample data to create a new layout, or double-click <New> to load the data to the Template Builder to build a new layout.

    When you select a data model, you are prompted to create a report in the catalog.