Adding a Bursting Definition to Your Data Model

In the Bursting definition table, create a new bursting definition by specifying its name, type, data source, and other properties.

Prerequisites:

  • You have defined the data set for this data model

  • The data set is sorted or grouped by the element by which you want to split the data in your bursting definition

  • The delivery and formatting information is available to Oracle BI Publisher. You can provide the information at runtime to BI Publisher in one of the following ways:

    • The information is stored in a database table available to BI Publisher for a dynamic delivery definition.

    • The information is hard coded in the delivery SQL for a static delivery definition.

  • The report definition for this data model has been created and includes the layouts to be applied to the report data.

  1. On the component pane of the data model editor, click Bursting to create a SQL data set to create a bursting query.
  2. On the Bursting definition table, click the Create new Bursting button.
  3. Enter the following for this bursting definition:

    Name - Enter a name for the query, for example, Burst to File.

    Type - SQL Query is currently the only supported type

    Data Source - Select the data source that contains the delivery information

  4. In the lower region, enter the following for this bursting definition:

    Split By - Select the element from the data set by which to split the data.

    Deliver By - Select the element from the data set by which to format and deliver the data.

    Note:

    If the Split By and Deliver By elements reside in an XML document stored as a CLOB in your database, you must enter the full XPATH in the Split By and Delivery By fields. For more information, see Defining the Split By and Deliver By Elements for a CLOB/XML Data Set.

    Enable Consolidated Output - Select the Enable Consolidated Output check box to define the bursting query.

    SQL Query — Enter the query to construct the delivery XML. For information on how to construct the bursting query, see Defining the Query for the Delivery XML.

    Attachment — You can attach external PDF files to your bursted PDF output. For more information, see Attaching PDF to Reports using Bursting Engine.

  5. In the Report Properties dialog, select , Enable Bursting to enable bursting for a report.

Attaching PDF to Reports using Bursting Engine

You may have a requirement to attach PDFs along with invoices for customers. You can now attach these documents as an attachment along with the invoice while bursting.

Once bursting query is defined, you can enter the attachment query in the Attachment tab. The attachment expects the repository source to be a WebCenter content, which can be defined as a data source by the Administrator.
  1. Click the Attachment tab.
  2. Select the content server name from the Attachment Repository LOV.
  3. Define the SQL query for the attachment in the Content Server.

    Note:

    The column alias names KEY and ATTACHMENT_ID are mandatory.

    The SQL query uses the KEY and the ATTACHMENT_ID (which map to the document id of the PDF in the content server) to create an association between the PDF report and the PDF attachment.

  4. Click Save icon after you make changes to the data model.
    The PDF attachments are delivered to recipients along with the main report as a single PDF file.
  5. Click the View Data button.
  6. Click View to view the data.
  7. Save the data by clicking Save As Sample Data.
  8. To create a report based on the data model that you created, click Create Report.
If you have a requirement to save the entire PDF report along with the attachments as a single consolidated file, then the report author can check the option Enable Consolidated Output under bursting query. A user (with consumer role) who schedules the bursting report job and the Administrator will be able to view the consolidated output in the Job History Details page.