XML Publisher/BI Publisher Document Viewer [ Common Region ] 
Embed BI Publisher output into OA Framework Page in real time
Every XML Publisher/BI Publisher report requires the creation of
- Data XML
- RTF Template
- Date Definition
- Template Definition
Please read the article Integrating XML Publisher and OA Framework to understand the basics of XML Publisher/BI Publisher and the steps involved in creating the above mentioned components.
The XML Publisher common user interface document viewer or common region is an Oracle Applications Framework (OAF) shared region provided by XML Publisher to view the XML Publisher report in HTML,PDF,RTF,EXCEL format inline within OA Framework page.
We can design a page that has two regions. The top region containing the Search criteria and Bottom region containing the Document Viewer. Now you can enter the search criteria and see the report in multiple formats inline within a OA Framework page.
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The predefined page context is used to determine the following
1) XML Publisher Template to be used.
2) XML Publisher Data source to be used.
3) Data XML generation Method
4) Output type
5) Document Viewer Region height
6) Language and Territory.
The following are the page context parameters which should be set.
| Name | Mandatory | Description |
| p_DataSource | Yes | The data xml required for the report can be obtained from one of the following data source. Each data source requires a set of page context parameter to be set.
Concurrent program can be used to generate the XML file as output using multiple techniques. Requires the following context parameter set p_Request Id : Enter the concurrent request ID.
XML File available on any system path. Requires the following context parameter set p_DataSourceCode : Enter the DataSourceCode from the Template Manager repository. p_DataSourceAppsShortName : Enter the Application Short name for the data source definition. p_AbsolutePath : Enter the absolute path for the XML data file.
XML file is stored in a blob column of the database table. It is obtained from the database and store in a java object BlobDomain. Requires the following context parameter set p_DataSourceCode : Enter the DataSourceCode from the Template Manager repository. p_DataSourceAppsShortName : Enter the Application Short name for the data source definition. XML_DATA_FILE : Enter the BLOBDomain that contains the XML data file.
Data present in PDF, RTF, HTML and EXCEL file. Requires the following context parameter set p_AbsolutePath : Enter the absolute path for the document file. p_DocumentType : Enter the document type to determine the correct content type. Valid values are: PDF, RTF, EXCEL, HTML. |
| p_TemplateCode | No | Specify the Template to be used to render the report. If not set, then the XML Publisher provides a LOV to select the templates based on p_DataSourceCode parameter . |
| p_TemplateAppsShortName | Required only when p_TemplateCode is set. | Enter the Application short name of the application to which the template is assigned in the Template Manager. |
| p_LocaleNo | No | The value "Default" can be entered to select the default template locale. If not set, then XML Publisher provides a e a list to select available locales for the selected template. |
| p_OutputTypeNo | No | Valid output types are: RTF, PDF, EXCEL, and HTML, depending on the template type. If not set, then XML Publisher will provide a list to select the output types. |
| p_XDORegionHeight | Yes | Height of the XDO common region window expressed as a percentage |
As specified above, the data xml could be generated in 4 ways.
1) Concurrent Program
2) XML Data File
3) Blob Domain
4) Final Document.
Hence we should know when to we use these XML data generation method. As per my understanding we should use
1) Concurrent Program :
If you want to do reporting on a high volume of data in database tables, then it will require enough time to generate the XML Data. So you can use a concurrent program to generate the xml data.
2) Blob Domain :
If you want to do reporting on a low volume of data in database tables or you have the XML data available in BLOB columns, then you can use Blob Domin to generate the xml data.
3) XML Data File :
There are cases when we know the data on which we are going to frequent reports. If we are hitting such cases, we can generate the XML Data file using some technique and place it in a shared location in the Middle Tier. Then we can use this XML file to generate the report.
3) Final Document :
There are cases when we have multiple documents which we would like to show inline within OAF region. If we are hitting such cases, we can this technique to generate the report.
In our next set of articles we will see a demo on each of the above mentioned methods.
Subscribe to this comment's feedwritten by Rachna Garg , June 11, 2008
So could you please help me how can I provide user a option to choose right template on basis of correct legal entity.
What I have done, I created four different concurrent programs for each legal entity and user can choose any of the concurrent program as required.
Thanks & Regards,
Rachna
written by Nidhi Dadwal , June 27, 2008
My project requirement is to export the data to an excel sheet using XML Publisher, which is very much psbl. The complexity lies in the data format. Actually the data in our report will be in diffrent clours (red , yellow, green) and client wants same data (with colours) when they export the data from application to the Excel.
Thanks
Nidhi
written by Kosstubh , July 29, 2008
Regards
Kosstubh
written by Zuboff , January 09, 2009
I've got problem with exporting decimal numbers from BI publisher to XLS format (Excel, Excel 2000). For example number 2.21 is displayed as II.21 (1.2.2021). Other formats works fine. I suppose the problem is in setting of a delimiter of decimal places in BI publisher. Please advise how to change the delimiter of decimal from '.' to ',' or any other solution.
Thanks a lot.
written by Somasekhar , January 21, 2009
Thanks,
Somasekhar.
written by pawan kumar , March 06, 2009
I need to make a search page like if i search for 'Fax issue' ,it should send this search criteria along with user id to a different application in "XML" format . This different application recieves these search criteria and replies the search result back in xml format . My OA framework region should display this xml as search result.
Is it possible in OA Framework region?
written by shravan pentamsetty , May 18, 2009
I want the output type to be pdf.
The report generates an RTF output file as the default output type is RTF.
I am able to get the PDF output by selecting the output format in options tab present in concurrent program submission form.
I want to change the default output type to PDF.
Can you suggest me on this.
written by Ravin L. Gogri , June 11, 2009
Thanks,
Ravin L. Gogri
written by Sujay , June 15, 2009
written by Krishna_b , June 16, 2009
written by Ambika , February 18, 2010
I have an RDF Report which generates the XML data and XML template registered in BI publisher.
Requirement is to fire the custom existing report instead of standard report.
The standard controller seems to generate XML and generate OA framework report as shown in your example.
But I want to extend the existing controller / overwrite the standard to call my custom report.
Can you tell me how to do this?
written by dinesh khandekar , June 04, 2010
I have one requirement where i have to shown details of item after line. but details may be multiple for single line.
so i wanted this details comes in horizontal not vertical manner plz kindly give solution.
written by Anand1906 , July 28, 2011
thanks for the info, i want to know how we can generate the report based on userid using the OAF
i am the newbie in OAF..
thanks in advance
written by n**e s***s C***p , August 14, 2011
written by Marco Martinez , October 28, 2011
I had tried to do something similar a while back, that is, the application page should show output based on the data extraction logic / report at runtime, dictated by the Controller (based on user input ofcourse). The only thing one could do in that situation was to add a child region at runtime, of type iFrame, and point the source document to the final ouput of a XMLP report using the XDO API. Although, we didn't quite like the aesthetics of the final results. So, I'm wondering if this "OA Document Viewer Region" is improvising on the iFrame method.
I'm asking so that I better understand this feature. Thanks in advance.
Cheers !