Parameter specific to a tab in the report

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Hello All,

We are converting Oracle discoverer reports to Oracle BI Publisher reports. Some of the discoverer reports in our environment have multiple tabs and these tabs have parameters that are specific to that tab. For ex:

Discoverer Report : ABC

Tab1                      : Employee by Dept

Tab2                      : Employee by Manager

Tab1 has parameter Dept Id

Tab2 has parameter Manager Id

The dept id parameter of Tab 1 has nothing to do with the data in Tab 2.

BI Publisher allows the creation of separate layout within the same report and each layout can house a different data set, the layouts do show as separate tabs, however the parameters that we define in data model is shown on the top of the report (above all the tabs). BI Publisher assumes that the parameter/s defined in the data model is applicable to all the data sets.

If anyone has worked on a similar requirement or has any ideas/workaround other than breaking the reports into separate reports please advise. It will be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Brajesh Shukla-95078 · Answer

In Discoverer though its different sheet under same workbook, but it consider that as two different report. So in BI publisher also those kind of requirement is as same as two different report.

Now if your data set is same to pick data based on parameter manager or department then you can handle this in parameter as below

1. Create single data set to pick data

2. First parameter in the report will be Run Mode that is based on Department or Manager

3. In the second parameter you will select appropriate value i.e DepartmentID/ManagerId.

In the above scenario parameter1 will be identifier to select which report should run its same as user selecting worksheet in discoverer whether department/manager sheet.

Sketz · Answer

As Venkat-BIP already mentioned parameters defined in the data model work as report parameters which means that they are constant through the report once it got executed.

This shouldn't be a problem as far as your requirements go.

Besides the report parameters there is another possible solution:

You could define sub templates for your two tables and call these templates in your report where you're able to pass parameters into the tables.

Have a look at:

https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E28280_01/bi.1111/e22254/design_rtf_sub.htm#BIPRD3058

This is written in German but I think that the given examples are better to understand than these in the Doc.

http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/de/community/bip/tipps/subtemplates/index.html

Venkat Thota - BIP · Answer

parameters for all tabs within a report is same and all parameters values will apply when you run report unless you dont define in query not data set. example : if you have layout in tab1 with parameters dept_id and manager_id on tab, if you dont define manager_id in tab1 layout then parameter will not apply in tab1 report.same for tab2 report. let me know if you have questions.