Oracle Reports 10g focuses heavily on Web publishing, having moved fully into its role as a universal publishing solution. In earlier releases, prior to Oracle9i Reports, Reports Builder's Web feature simply displayed paper reports (that is, multiple pages) in HTML or PDF. This moves corporate data onto the Web, but also results in large and somewhat inflexible HTML pages.
One of the major features of Oracle Reports 10g is the incorporation of JavaServer pages (JSPs). Through the use of JSP technology, Oracle Reports 10g embeds report data directly into Web pages. The many other new features are summarized below, followed by deprecated, obsolete, and changed functionality and components.
For more information about any of the new features, see the Oracle Reports 10g page on the Oracle Technology Network (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html).
Major new features and enhancements in Oracle Reports 10g Release 2 (10.1.2) are:
Improved support for generating reports to spreadsheet
output, containing the formatted data and all objects, from the paper
layout. Using the new DESFORMAT
=SPREADSHEET
,
you can:
Generate report output to spreadsheet output directly from existing
paper layout reports saved in any format (.rdf
, .xml
,
.jsp
), which can be run using rwrun
and Reports
Server clients (rwcgi
, rwclient
, rwservlet
).
Preserve the paper layout information such as colors, fonts, and conditional formatting in the output.
Formatting enhancements that allow you to use a defined set of inline HTML formatting tags to format text style (bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough) and text attributes (font name, font color, and font size), and generate formatted text objects in all bitmap output formats (including HTML, HTMLCSS, Printer, Screen, PDF, RTF, PostScript).
Support for applying external style sheets and user-defined styles to your report or report objects using the following new properties and command line keyword:
Style Sheets property
CSS Class Name property
CSS ID property
USERSTYLES
command line keyword
Support for specifying table attributes for paper-based reports generated to HTML output. The new Table Attributes (HTML) property for reports enables you to precisely control the HTML output by specifying the width, border, cells spacing, and cell padding of the tables that are generated in HTML output by the frames and repeating frames in your report.
Enhanced implementation of font subsetting and improved font support to generate PDF output that is clearer, smoother, searchable, and accessible.
Improvements to right-alignment of text in PDF output, as required by languages
that read from right to left (such as Hebrew and Arabic), or when necessary
for report formatting independent of the language. For information, refer
to the Oracle Application Server Reports Services Publishing Reports
to the Web manual, available on the Oracle
Technology Network Oracle Reports Documentation page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/reports.html
):
In Chapter 18, "Implementing Globalization and Bidirectional Support", see the section titled "Bidirectional Support".
Graphing enhancements that provide support for:
dateSortOrder
attribute of the rw:graph
JSP tag to allow you to specify the sorting order of dates in graphs.You can implement these enhancements in the graph XML using the graph object's
Graph Settings property
in the Property Inspector for paper-based
reports, or the Web Source view for JSP-based
Web reports.
WebDAV destination enhancement to allow you to send report output to a
specific virtual private portal (VPP). For information, refer to the Oracle
Reports Plugin Exchange on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN): on the Oracle
Reports 10g page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html
),
click Plugin Exchange.
Standards compliance for HTML/HTMLCSS output and XML output:
HTML and HTMLCSS output pass HTML 4.01 syntax checkers.
XML output conforms to XML 1.1 specifications for UTF-8 encoding.
New documentation that provides information and step-by-step instructions
for cross-platform report deployment. See Chapter 7, "Fixing Cross-Platform
Porting Issues" in the Oracle Application Server Reports Services
Publishing Reports to the Web manual, available on the Oracle
Technology Network Oracle Reports Documentation page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/reports.html
).
Improved integration with Oracle Application Server Control, exposing a
new All Metrics page to manage and monitor Reports Servers. See Chapter
10, "Managing and Monitoring OracleAS Reports Services" in the
Oracle Application Server Reports Services Publishing Reports to the
Web manual, available on the Oracle
Technology Network Oracle Reports Documentation page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/reports.html
).
Migration from Borland's VisiBroker to Sun Microsystems' industry-standard
Java Developer's Kit Object Request Broker (JDK ORB), providing support
for Reports Server requests from clients across subnets, and using the broadcast
mechanism for dynamic Reports Server discovery both within a subnet and
across subnets. For information, refer to the Oracle Application Server
Reports Services Publishing Reports to the Web manual, available on
the Oracle Technology
Network Oracle Reports Documentation page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/reports.html
):
In Chapter 1, "Understanding the OracleAS Reports Services Architecture", see the section titled "OracleAS Reports Services Communication Architecture".
In Chapter 3, "Configuring OracleAS Reports Services", see the section titled "Configuring the Reports Server Discovery Mechanism".
Stability and performance improvements to Reports Server and Engine.
The following new environment variables:
The following new command line keywords:
Major new features and enhancements in Oracle Reports 10g (9.0.4) are:
Oracle OLAP (on-line analytical processing). This data source allows you to create reports based on multidimensional OLAP data stored in an Oracle database. The OLAP pluggable data source (PDS) is designed to easily plug into your existing Oracle Reports installation, enabling your reports to convert multidimensional data into Business Intelligence information.
Web Service. This data source enables you to contact a Web service, choose a method, pass parameters, get back the data set and present it in a report, together with data from other data sources.
For information and other documentation about Oracle Reports pluggable
data sources, refer to the Oracle Reports Plugin Exchange on the Oracle
Technology Network (OTN): on the Oracle Reports 10g page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html
),
click Plugin Exchange.
Capability to specify the order in which the three sections of a report
(Header, Main, and Trailer) are formatted using SRW.SET_FORMAT_ORDER
or the Format Order of
Sections property.
Removal of dependency
on the DISPLAY environment variable for Reports Runtime on UNIX, with
the REPORTS_DEFAULT_DISPLAY
environment variable. Prior releases of Oracle Reports required the DISPLAY
environment variable to be set to run and print reports on UNIX.
Removal of dependency on having a valid printer available for Reports Runtime on UNIX, through emulation of screen fonts. Prior releases of Oracle Reports required a printer to resolve fonts to run and print reports on UNIX.
Enhanced imaging support with the REPORTS_OUTPUTIMAGEFORMAT
environment variable and OUTPUTIMAGEFORMAT
command line keyword. This new feature is primarily geared toward JSP-based
Web reports, providing the capability to select optimum image formats based
on need (high resolution of JPEG/PNG images versus smaller size of GIF images).
The enhancements in imaging support provide the capability to generate complex
graphics-intensive reports with high fidelity image output. Additionally
on UNIX, the dependency on a windowing system for displaying images is removed,
providing an out-of-the-box solution.
Document taxonomy (classification) for PDF, HTML, HTMLCSS, and spreadsheet output, provided by the new report properties Title, Author, Subject, and Keywords, which assist in cataloging and searching a report document.
Completion of Oracle9i Reports, Release 2 (9.0.2) event-driven publishing feature, making report objects available inside Oracle Workflow.
A Define Hyperlink panel in the Graph Wizard to easily add hyperlinks for Web reports from areas of a graph to specified destinations.
Implementation of new pluggable destinations (for example, FTP and WebDAV). For information, refer to:
Oracle Reports Plugin Exchange on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN):
on the Oracle Reports 10g page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html
),
click Plugin Exchange.
Chapter "Configuring Destinations for OracleAS Reports Services"
in the Oracle Application Server Reports Services Publishing Reports
to the Web manual, available on the OTN Oracle Reports Documentation
page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/reports.html
).
Note: Currently there is no support for FTP and WebDAV destinations from the Reports Builder environment. However, they are supported from the Reports Runtime and the Reports Server environments.
OracleAS Wireless Notification (available for download on OTN).
For information, refer to the Oracle Reports Plugin Exchange on the Oracle
Technology Network (OTN): on the Oracle Reports 10g page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html
),
click Plugin Exchange.
Dynamic NLS environment switching to permit reports to be generated in
different character sets dynamically, without shutting down and restarting
Reports Server. For more information, refer to the chapter "Dynamic
Environment Switching" in the Oracle Application Server Reports
Services Publishing Reports to the Web manual, available on the Oracle
Technology Network Oracle Reports Documentation page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/reports.html
).
Reports J2EE Thin Client (available for download on OTN)
to call reports from standalone JDeveloper and third party application servers.
For more information, refer to the chapter "Running Report Requests"
in the Oracle Application Server Reports Services Publishing Reports
to the Web manual, available on the Oracle
Technology Network Oracle Reports Documentation page (http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/reports.html
).
Reports SDK (available for download on OTN) for tutorials and samples on writing APIs.
Deprecated functionality is no longer documented and its use is discouraged.
Such functionality will be dropped in a subsequent release. However,
most existing applications using this functionality will continue to run without
modification. For details about the new solutions for deprecated functionality,
see A Guide to Changed Functionality Between Oracle Reports 6i and 10g
white paper, available on the Oracle
Technology Network Oracle Reports 10g page
(http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html
).
With Oracle Reports 10g Release 2 (10.1.2), the following is deprecated:
Reports Server clustering
Express pluggable data source (PDS)
Import Portal component
SRW.TRACE_START
, SRW.TRACE_END
, SRW.TRACE_ADD_OPTION
,
SRW.TRACE_REM_OPTION
, and SRW.TRACEOPTS.MASK
built-in
procedures.
With Oracle Reports 10g (9.0.4), the following is deprecated:
SRW.SET_ATTR
built-in function.
rwcgixx.exe
or rwcgi.exe
, the Common Gateway
Interface (CGI), or Reports Web Cartridge; instead, use JSPs
or servlets.
Built-in procedures for font settings.
The following environment variables related to rwcgi
(preserved
for backward compatibility):
REPORTS_CGIDIAGBODYTAGS
REPORTS_CGIDIAGHEADTAGS
REPORTS_CGIHELP
REPORTS_CGIMAP
REPORTS_CGINODIAG
REPORTS_COOKIE_EXPIRE
REPORTS_DB_AUTH
REPORTS_ENCRYPTION_KEY
REPORTS_SERVER
REPORTS_SSLPORT
REPORTS_SYS_AUTH
Obsolete functionality is no longer supported. These changes are consistent
with moving away from the client/server model and towards Web-based deployment,
providing you with the capabilities you need for successful e-business development
and deployment. For details about the new solutions for obsolete functionality,
refer to A Guide to Functional Changes Between Oracle Reports 6i and 10g
white paper, available on the Oracle
Technology Network Oracle Reports 10g page
(http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/reports/index.html
).
With Oracle Reports 10g Release 2 (10.1.2), the following is obsolete:
Running Reports Server as a Windows service, including the obsolescence
of the command line keywords INSTALL
, UNINSTALL
,
and AUTOSTART
.
With Oracle Reports 10g (9.0.4), the following is obsolete:
rwrunxxc.exe
, the character-mode runtime executable,
and terminal definitions on the UNIX platform. You can still
create a character-mode
report using Reports Builder and run it using rwrun
mode=character
on the command line.
rwrun.exe
; instead, use rwrun
on the command line only (if paramform=yes
is used, it is ignored;
if destype=preview
is used, an error is generated stating that
this format is no longer supported).Oracle Graphics 6i, or Graphics Builder, and the OGD image format. Instead, use the new Graph Wizard, which produces graphs that are automatically translated into JSP tags to enable you to add graphics to Web reports (for additional information, see Displaying Oracle Graphics 6i charts in Oracle Reports 10g).
rwrbexx.exe
, the Reports Background Engine executable.
rwowsxx.dll
and rwowsxx.so
, the
Oracle Application Server (OAS) cartridge.
rwisvxx.exe
, the Reports Engine for OCI; instead, use
the rwclient.exe
command line interface.
rwsxaxx.ocx
, rwsxuxx.ocx
, rwsxcxx.exe
,
and rwsxuxx.exe
, the ActiveX (or OCX) control interface
to the Reports Server; instead, use the rwclient.exe
command
line interface or open a socket and communicate over http.
Query Builder executables (Query Builder functionality is now built in to Reports Builder).
The Web Wizard for Web-based reports; instead, use the new Insert Bookmarks dialog box.
Buttons in the Layout Model view; instead, use URLs, hyperlinks and parameters to drill down to detailed reports and access multimedia objects such as sound and video. If you open an existing report from a prior release that contains buttons, the buttons will be converted into text items.
External SQL queries (Multi SQL queries stored in the file system)
created using FileNew
External Query (you can still
import a query from a file into the data model).
PVCS and Clearcase for source control, or version control; instead, use Oracle Software Configuration Manager (SCM).
Modules (reports, PL/SQL libraries, program units) stored in the database (including the obsolescence of Rename, Grant, and Get Info functionality for reports in the database); instead, save reports to files or into source control using the Check In and Check Out capabilities of Oracle Software Configuration Manager (SCM).
Oracle Call Interface (OCI) to call Reports executables from a 3GL program;
instead, use the rwclient.exe
command line interface or the
JSP tag library.
Report on Reports (srwdoclb.rdf
and srwdocpb.rdf
).
MAPI e-mail protocol; instead, use the Internet standard protocol SMTP.
OLE2 support, a client/server feature that is not applicable in a Web-based environment; instead, use mime types with associated plug-ins and hyperlinks.
Oracle drawing format (files with .odf
extension).
Command line keywords CURRENCY
, DECIMAL
, THOUSANDS
,
and UPGRADE_PLSQL
.
System parameters BACKGROUND
, CURRENCY
, DECIMAL
,
and THOUSANDS
.
The following environment variables:
INTERRUPT
REPORTS_EXPRESS_UI
REPORTS_SHOW_EXPRESS_SQL
REPORTS_TAGLIB_URI_SAV
REPORTS_JNI_LIB
REPORTS_FULL_UI
REPORTS_SPLASH
REPORTS_USE_JDK_12
REPORTS_WTG_PORT
REPORTS_XSL_TEMPLATE
WIN_REMOTE_SESSIONS
XMMITR
Oracle Reports 9i and 10g includes changes to:
Executable names have been changed for this release, as follows:
Component |
Prior Releases |
Oracle Reports 9i and 10g on Windows |
Oracle Reports 9i and 10g on UNIX |
Reports Builder |
|
|
|
Reports Runtime |
|
|
|
Reports Server |
|
|
|
Proxy Server |
N/A |
|
|
Reports Command Line Interface (Reports Client) |
|
|
|
Queue Manager |
|
|
N/A |
Queue Manager unicode |
|
|
N/A |
Queue Viewer |
|
N/A |
|
Servlet |
|
|
|
Reports Converter |
|
|
|
Environment variables no longer contain the version number (for
example, REPORTS90_PATH
is now REPORTS_PATH
).
The Report Editor comprises the following views in Oracle Reports 10g:
Paper Layout view (previously named Layout Model view)
Paper Design view (previously named Live Previewer view)
Paper Parameter Form view (previously named Parameter Form view)
The Runtime Previewer has been renamed Previewer,
and is accessed with FilePrint Preview.
The Property Palette has been renamed Property Inspector.
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