The Break Order property specifies the order in which to display the column's values. This property applies only to columns that identify distinct values of user-created groups (that is, break groups). The order of column values in a default group is determined by the ORDER BY clause of the query for SQL queries and by the sort column for Express queries. For column values in user-created groups, however, you must use Break Order to specify how to order the break column's values.
Applies to |
Columns |
Values |
None, Ascending, Descending |
Default |
Ascending for database and sort columns. None for database columns representing dimensions in Oracle Express queries with break groups. |
Required/Optional |
Required |
Break Order has no effect on columns that belong to the lowest group of a particular query. Break Order only affects columns in groups that are above the lowest child group of a query.
Every group above the lowest child group of a query must have at least one column with Break Order set.
Break Order cannot be specified for columns of Datatype Long or Long Raw.
Break Order only affects the ordering of the column on which you are breaking. It does not affect the ordering of the columns within the break group. For example, suppose that you break on DEPTNO and for each department you list ENAME. If the Break Order is Ascending, then department numbers are printed in ascending order, but the names within each department print in the order specified by the query. (You would need to use an ORDER BY clause in your SELECT statement to change their order in SQL queries and the Sort tool in the Selector to change their order in Express queries.)
A summary column cannot be a break column and cannot have Break Order set.
A formula column that depends upon a summary column cannot be a break column and cannot have Break Order set.
Suppose that you create a report with the following query:
SELECT DEPTNO, JOB, ENAME, SAL FROM EMP
ORDER BY SAL
You then create two groups, G_DEPT and G_JOB. G_DEPT contains the DEPTNO column and G_JOB contains the JOB column. If you specify a Break Order of Descending for the DEPTNO column and Ascending for the JOB column, your output would appear similar to that below (assuming you use a Tabular style):
Deptno Job Ename Sal
------ ---------- ---------- ---------
30 CLERK JAMES 950.00
MANAGER BLAKE 2850.00
SALESMAN WARD 1250.00
MARTIN 1250.00
TURNER 1500.00
ALLEN 1600.00
20 ANALYST SCOTT 3000.00
FORD 3000.00
CLERK SMITH 800.00
ADAMS 1100.00
MANAGER JONES 2975.00
10 CLERK MILLER 1300.00
MANAGER CLARK 2450.00
PRESIDENT KING 5000.00
Suppose that you created a Group Left report with DEPTNO and ENAME. In the query, you have ORDER BY DEPTNO. You have also specified a Break Order of Descending for the DEPTNO column. The output would appear similar to that below:
Deptno Ename
------ ----------
30 JAMES
WARD
MARTIN
TURNER
ALLEN
BLAKE
20 SMITH
ADAMS
JONES
SCOTT
FORD
10 MILLER
CLARK
KING
Notice that the Break Order property takes precedence over the ORDER BY clause (that is, the department numbers are in descending order).
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