BIP Options

Prudence K

Content

Hi experts - I need some assistance with some options within BI Publisher reporting, hoping you can help!

1) Is it possible to allow users to type into a parameter field their choices, rather than having to choose from a drop down menu?  It appears that with the menu option selected, users can select multiple options, but is it possible for them to paste into that field vs having to sort through the full menu list to find their options.  EX: Business Unit = Human Resources;Information Technology.  Can I just copy/paste those two choices in?

EDIT: See chosen best answer

2) Is it possible to set the default report output options?  Right now, I see that the default is always Interactive; HTML; RTF; PDF; Excel (*.xlsx); PowerPoint (*.pptx).  I would like to change those defaults but cannot find where to do that.  I know I can do it at the report level, but I have to change it every single time I create a report, and I'd like to change that.

EDIT: Appears there is no global setting for this

Thank you all!

EDIT 17MAY2018: As I asked two questions, updated with answers for others to view

rajArun

I have attached a word document that shows how to set a default output format for a report.

Thanks,

Arun

Prudence K

Thank you Arun - I am comfortable with how to set the report default format, but I need to know how to change it once and not every time I create a report though, see screenshot.  Sorry I wasn't more clear earlier.

rajArun

I doubt if there is a global option to set the default format. As far as I know you will have to set the default format while creating the report (like i have showed in the word document). May be someone else has a better answer.

Thanks,

Arun

Shawn McDonald

For number 1)

Are you talking about how to make the parameter a text field instead of a menu list?

or do you want both options?

Prudence K

Shawn,

I know how to adjust text to menu, what I am experiencing is that when it's a menu, the user cannot type in their own options ... they have to select from the menu options.  When it's a text box, it sees Human Resources;Information Technology as "Human Resources;Information Technology" and not as Human Resources OR Information Technology. I am wondering how they can copy/paste their choices into the list with multiple choices.

I am thinking I might have to use OTBI parameters as I know I can use those with BIP reports, and they allow users to type in their own options for menu selections.  But is there something else I am missing?

Shawn McDonald

Hi Prudence,
I figured you had something more complex in mind; I've seen your posts and you definitely know your BIP!

We are using Job Profiles and I created a BIP report to export them in a PDF format
In the data model I used a Text parameter to capture the selection from the dashboard

However, I am able to cut and paste several Job Codes into the parameter and the results are multiple PDFs

The data type is String and Parameter type is Text
I also checked the 'Text field contains comma-separated values' check box under the Options

So when I paste JobCode1,JobCode2 - I get both profiles or just the one profile that exists

Hope this helps

Shawn

Prudence K

Hi Shawn - thank you so much for this!  I did not know that this option existed.  OK, so I tried it (on my Person Number field) and am getting an error:

oracle.xdo.servlet.data.DataException: oracle.xdo.XDOException: java.sql.SQLSyntaxErrorException: ORA-00920: invalid relational operator

The data type for my field is String, and the Parameter type is Text, and I checked the box.  Thoughts on this?

Shawn McDonald

what does the where criteria look like in the data model? maybe the multiple entries are conflicting with the relational operator

I used an IN statement - and job.jobcode IN (:JobCodeParameter)

Sricharan Monigari

Hi Prudence,

I think you have used = operator in he data model SQL.. change it to IN operator and it should work.

On the second query, there is no option to set the default o/p type globally and moreover the o/p options depend on the template that has been uploaded, there are different o/p options for diff templates rtf, etext, Excel, xsl, etc.

Thanks,
Sricharan

Prudence K

Yes - this is exactly the problem ... sigh, such little things tripping me up!!