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Preferences dialog box

The Preferences dialog box enables you to set global preferences and runtime settings for your reports. These settings are applied to all reports in Reports Builder.

This dialog box contains:

Edit Masks

Displays the Format Masks dialog box to enable you to add custom format masks to the default format masks list.

 

General tab page

Suppress Report Editor on Open

 

Indicates whether the Report Editor should be opened when a report is opened.   Suppressing the Report Editor speeds performance when opening a report.

Note:   When the Report Editor is not open, choose Toolsright arrowReport Editor to open it and the View menu to change views in it.

Suppress Property Inspector on Object Creation

 

Indicates whether a report object's properties should be displayed when it is created. Certain properties of layout objects can only be defined in the Property Inspector for the object (for example, the source of a field). If you prefer to completely define one object before creating another, you should probably not check this preference, so that you can fully define the object as soon as you create it. If you prefer to create a lot of layout objects without initially defining all of their properties, you should check this preference, so that you do not see the Property Inspector each time that you create an object in the editor.

Note:   When using this setting, bear in mind that some objects require certain settings be filled in before the report can be generated or run. For example, queries require SELECT statements, and fields and repeating frames require sources.

Suppress List Retrieval on Dialog Box Entry

Indicates whether lists should be displayed when an action brings up a database dialog box. For example, in the Open from Database dialog box, the list of modules would not appear if this preference was checked. This preference can improve performance when displaying a database dialog box.

Note:   The ability to open or save modules to the database is obsolete in Oracle Reports 10g.  

Auto Save Indicates whether to enable the Auto Save functionality. · When checked, Reports Builder saves any changes you make in a temporary recovery file at specific events. This is a Beta feature in Oracle Reports 10g Release 2 (10.1.2). For details, see the Release Notes.

Unit of Measurement

Specifies the unit to be used for aligning objects when defining a new report. (Existing bit-mapped reports use the Unit of Measurement defined in the Report Property Inspector, which you can access by double-clicking on the icon of the report's node in the Object Navigator.)

Centimeter

The unit of measurement for new reports is a centimeter.

Inch (default)

The unit of measurement for new reports is an inch.

Point

The unit of measurement for new reports is a printer's type size that makes up a pica. Each pica contains twelve points and is equivalent to one-sixth of an inch.

Color Mode

 

Determines how a report's color palette is implemented on your system.   Each time you make a different report active, Reports Builder tries to modify your system's color palette to match or come as close as possible to that report's color palette.   Since your system can handle only a limited number of colors at once, Report Builder may not be able to accurately show multiple reports simultaneously if they are using different color palettes.

Editable

Reports Builder temporarily replaces your system's color palette with the palette of the active report.   Each time a new report is made active, its color palette replaces the system palette.   The active report will then be shown accurately, although the appearance of the inactive reports may suffer.

Read Only - Shared (default)

Reports Builder continues to append each active report's color palette to your system's original palette until there is no room left in the palette for any more colors.   That palette becomes the single palette that all open reports share.   If you create a report that uses entirely different colors, it may not be shown accurately.

Read Only - Private

Each time you make a report active, Reports Builder appends that report's color palette to your system's original palette until there is no room left in the palette for any more colors.   That palette becomes the palette that is used whenever that report is active.   The active report is then shown accurately, although the appearance of the inactive reports may suffer.

Usage notes

  • To change the colors available in the color palette using the Color Palette dialog box (Formatright arrowColor Paletteright arrowEdit), you must set Color Mode to Editable.

  • This preference setting takes effect with the next report you create or open.

 

Access tab page

File

Limits the modules presented to those stored in the files.

Note:   The ability to open or save modules to the database is obsolete in Oracle Reports 10g.  

Reports

 

Indicates whether Reports Builder should include reports in an objects/files list when the operation requires an object/file name. The value specified for this preference will appear on all Display dialog boxes (for example, the Display dialog box for Open).

Templates

 

Indicates whether Reports Builder should include templates in an objects/files list when the operation requires an object/file name. The value specified for this preference will appear on all Display dialog boxes (for example, the Display dialog box for Open).

Queries

 

Indicates whether Reports Builder should include external queries in an objects/files list when the operation requires an object/file name. The value specified for this preference will appear on all Display dialog boxes (for example, the Display dialog box for Open).  

Note:   External queries are obsolete in Oracle Reports 10g.

PL/SQL Libraries

 

Indicates whether Reports Builder should include external PL/SQL libraries in an objects/files list when the operation requires an object/file name. The value specified for this preference will appear on all Display dialog boxes (for example, the Display dialog box for Open).

All

 

Indicates whether Reports Builder should include everything in an objects/files list when the operation requires an object/file name. The value specified for this preference will appear on all Display dialog boxes (for example, the Display dialog box for Open).

 

Wizards tab page

Welcome Dialog

Indicates whether the Welcome dialog box should appear when you start Reports Builder.

Report Wizard Welcome Page

Indicates whether the Report Wizard’s welcome page should be displayed when you start the Report Wizard.

Data Wizard Welcome Page

Indicates whether the Data Wizard’s welcome page should be displayed when you start the Data Wizard.

Web Wizard Welcome Page

Note:   The Web Wizard is obsolete in Oracle Reports 10g.   Instead, choose Insertright arrowBookmarks.

Graph Wizard Welcome Page

Indicates whether the Graph Wizard’s welcome page should be displayed when you start the Graph Wizard.

Report Wizard Object Spacing

 

Horizontal Gap

Is the amount of horizontal space Reports Builder will leave between objects and the objects that they enclose when creating a default layout. Increasing this gap makes your layout easier to read in the Paper Layout Model and adds white space in your output.

Values: Any number greater than or equal to zero (with up to four decimal places).   The amount of space is expressed as a multiple of the character size used to create the default layout. For example, if you specify a Horizontal Gap of 0.1, you are specifying a gap of one tenth of one character in the current font.

Default:   0.1000

Vertical Gap

Is the amount of vertical space Reports Builder will leave between objects and the objects that they enclose when creating a default layout. Increasing this gap makes your layout easier to read in the Paper Layout view and adds white space in your output.

Values: Any number greater than or equal to zero (with up to four decimal places). The amount of space is expressed as a multiple of the character size used to create the default layout. For example, if you specify a Vertical Gap of 0.1, you are specifying a gap of one tenth of one character in the current font.

Default:   0.1000

Horizontal Interfield

Is the amount of horizontal space Reports Builder will leave between fields when creating a default layout.   Increasing this gap makes your layout easier to read in the Paper Layout view and adds white space between fields in your output.

Values:   Any number greater than or equal to zero (with up to four decimal places). The amount of space is expressed as a multiple of the character size used to create the default layout.   For example, if you specify a Horizontal Interfield of 0.1, you are specifying a gap of one tenth of one character in the current font.

Default:   2.0000

Vertical Interfield

Is the amount of vertical space Reports Builder will leave between fields when creating a default layout. Increasing this gap makes your layout easier to read in the Paper Layout view and adds white space between fields in your output.

Values: Any number greater than or equal to zero (with up to four decimal places). The amount of space is expressed as a multiple of the character size used to create the default layout. For example, if you specify a Vertical Interfield of 0.1, you are specifying a gap of one tenth of one character in the current font.

Default:   0.0000

 

Runtime Values tab page

Destination

 

Type

Specifies a value for the DESTYPE system parameter.

Default:   <specified in the report definition>

Name

Specifies a value for the DESNAME system parameter.

Format

Specifies a value for the DESFORMAT system parameter.

Copies

Specifies a value for the COPIES system parameter.

Currency Symbol

Specifies a value for the CURRENCY system parameter.

Thousands Separator

Specifies a value for the THOUSANDS system parameter.

Decimal Indicator

Specifies a value for the DECIMAL system parameter.

Orientation

Specifies a value for the ORIENTATION system parameter.

Default: <specified in the report definition>

Mode

Specifies a value for the MODE system parameter.

Default: <specified in the report definition>

Print Job

Specifies a value for the PRINTJOB system parameter.

Default: <specified in the report definition>

Usage notes

Runtime Settings tab page

Array Size

Specifies a value for the ARRAYSIZE keyword.

Buffers

Specifies a value for the BUFFERS keyword.

Long Chunk

Specifies a value for the LONGCHUNK keyword.

Page Width x Height

Specifies a value for the PAGESIZE keyword.

On Success

Specifies a value for the ONSUCCESS keyword.

On Failure

Specifies a value for the ONFAILURE keyword.

Role

Specifies a value for the ROLE keyword.

Parameter Form

Specifies a value of Yes (checked) or No (unchecked) for the PARAMFORM keyword.

Read Only

Specifies a value of Yes (checked) or No (unchecked) for the READONLY keyword.

Run Debug

Specifies a value of Yes (checked) or No (unchecked) for the RUNDEBUG keyword.

Auto Commit

Specifies a value of Yes (checked) or No (unchecked) for the AUTOCOMMIT keyword.

Non-blocking SQL

Specifies a value of Yes (checked) or No (unchecked) for the NONBLOCKSQL keyword.

Blank Pages

Specifies a value of Yes (checked) or No (unchecked) for the BLANKPAGES keyword.

Usage notes