9
Creating Advanced Distributions

When you wish to define an advanced distribution for your report, you can design the distribution by developing a distribution XML file. This file can specify which section or sections of a report should go to what destination via what format of output. In one distribution XML file, you can specify many different destinations, including custom (pluggable) destinations you design.

This chapter provides information on creating a distribution XML file and some example use cases. It includes the following main sections:

• Distribution Overview

• Introduction to Distribution XML Files

• Elements of a Distribution XML File

• Distribution XML File Examples

• XSL Transformation for Custom/Pluggable Destinations

9.1 Distribution Overview

Although distribution XML files are not required for specifying the distribution of report output, they are useful for complex distributions. For example, there may be times when you want to publish the output of one report in a variety of ways. You might want to send an executive summary of a report to senior management while mailing detailed breakdowns to individual managers. In this case, you might produce a single report with two report sections: a portrait-sized summary section and a landscape-sized detail section. You would associate the detail section with a data model group that lists the managers, then alter the destination on each instance of the group to send each department's output to its related manager.

The distribution XML file tames distribution complexity by enabling you to define multiple outputs for a given report in one XML file, then call that file from a command line or URL.

9.2 Introduction to Distribution XML Files

9.2.1 The distribution.dtd File

When you create a distribution XML file, you follow the syntax defined in the distribution.dtd file located in the following directory (Windows and UNIX use the same path):

ORACLE_HOME\reports\dtd

As you look through the following sections, it may be useful to you to print the distribution.dtd file and refer to it as various elements and attributes are described.

The distribution.dtd file lists all elements that are valid within a distribution XML file. Each of these elements have attributes. Attributes that come with default values need not be specified, unless you wish to override the default.

You can create a dynamic distribution by introducing variable values into many different attributes. Variable values reference columns that are present in the report that is using the distribution XML file.

9.2.2 A Brief Word About Using Variables within Attributes

Use variables within attributes by entering &column_name or &<column_name> in the place of a static value.

<mail id="a1" to="&<manager>@mycompany.com" ...

<mail id="a1" to="&amp;&lt;manager&gt;@mycompany.com" ...>

The variable syntax you use depends on whether the value is expressed by itself or in combination with other values or strings. For example, a value for a "to" attribute in a mail element might be expressed as either:

<mail id="a2" to="&amp;email" ...>

OR

<mail id="a3" to="&amp;&lt;first_name&gt;.&amp;&lt;last_name&gt;@myco.com ...>

In the first example (id="a2"), the variable's referenced column (email) contains a full e-mail address and does not require additional information. The second example (id="a3") uses a combination of variable values (first_name and last_name) and static text to construct an e-mail address (static text is the period after first_name and @myco.com). In both cases, you will get dynamic e-mail addressing. The example you use will depend on whether the variable contains all the information you need or requires additional information in order to be complete.

For even more complex layouts, you can also reference report columns you created with PL/SQL formulas. For example, in your report you may define the PL/SQL column:

PL/SQL formula CF_MAILID: return(:first_name||'.'||:last_name)

You'd reference this column in the distribution XML file as:

to="&<CF_MAILID>@mycompany.com"

9.3 Elements of a Distribution XML File

The elements of a distribution XML file include:

• destinations

• foreach

• mail

• body

• include

• file

• printer

• destype

• attach

• property

Most of these elements have attributes that define the behavior of the element. The following sections describe the distribution XML file elements and their associated attributes. Section 9.4 provides use cases that demonstrate the distribution XML file elements and attributes in action.

9.3.1 destinations

Example

<destinations>

[One or more distribution specifications]

</destinations>

Required/Optional

Required. You must have no more or less than one destinations element in your distribution XML file.

Description

The destinations element opens and closes the content area of the distribution XML file. In terms of the distribution XML file's tagging hierarchy, all the other elements are subordinate to the destinations element.

The destinations element has the following sub-elements:

• foreach

• mail

• file

• printer

• destype

Each of these is discussed in the following subsections.

9.3.2 foreach

Example

<foreach>
   <mail id="a1" to="my_addressee@mycompany.com" subject="Fourth Quarter
   Results">
      <attach format="pdf" name="dept_&amp;department_ID&gt;.pdf"
      srcType="report" instance="this">
         <include src="mainSection"/>
      </attach>
   </mail>
</foreach>
OR

<mail id="a4" to="recipient@mycompany.com" subject="Regional Results">
   <foreach>
      <attach format="pdf" name="report.pdf" srcType="report" instance="all">
         <include src="mainSection"/>
      </attach>
   </foreach>
</mail>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have as many foreach elements as you require.

Description

Use the foreach element to burst your distribution against a repeating group. You can use foreach only when the associated report definition file (either RDF, JSP, or XML) has its "Repeat On" property for the section that will be burst set to an appropriate group. The foreach element specifies that the distribution defined between its open and close parameters should be performed for each repeating group.

The foreach element has the following sub-elements:

• mail

• file

• printer

• destype

• attach

Each of these is discussed in the following subsections.

You can also use the foreach element as a sub-element of the mail element, as depicted in the second example provided at the start of this section. (In this example, assuming that mainSection repeats on G_DEPARTMENT_ID, the example will produce a single attachment with all the instances of the report's mainSection in a single file.)

The foreach element works closely with the instance attribute of the attach and file elements. While foreach specifies that the distribution should be performed according to record groups, instance specifies whether the burst groups should be distributed in one file (instance="all") or distributed as separate files: one file for each group instance (instance="this").

When used with the mail element, foreach can mean different things according to its position relative to the mail element:

• When foreach precedes the mail element and instance="this", each group instance is dispatched as a separate mail. For example:

  <foreach>
     <mail id="a1" to="managers@mycompany.com" subject="results">
        <attach name="department_&amp;&lt;department_id&gt;.pdf"
        instance="this">
        <include src="mainSection" />
        </attach>
     </mail>
  </foreach>
  

  If the report is grouped according to department_id, and there are four departments, then there are four group instances. This means four e-mails per recipient, each e-mail with its own group instance attached: one e-mail has department 10's report attached; another e-mail has department 20's report attached; and so on. Each recipient receives all four e-mails.

• When foreach follows the mail element and instance="this", each group instance is attached to one e-mail going to each recipient. For example:

  <mail id="a1" to="managers@mycompany.com" subject="results">
     <foreach>
        <attach name="department_&amp;&lt;department_id&gt;.pdf"
        instance="this">
        <include src="mainSection" />
        </attach>
     </foreach>
  </mail>
  

9.3.3 mail

Example

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Results">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached are quarterly results.
   </body>
   <attach srcType="report">
      <include src="headerSection"/>
      <include src="mainSection"/>
   </attach>
</mail>

OR

<mail id="a4" to="recipient@mycompany.com" subject="Regional Results">
   <foreach>
      <attach format="pdf" name="report.pdf" srcType="report" instance="this">
         <include src="mainSection"/>
      </attach>
   </foreach>
</mail>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have as many mail elements as you require.

Description

Use the mail element to specify distributions via an outgoing SMTP-based mail server. Use it to specify the recipients, the subject, and the priority of the e-mail.

The mail element has three sub-elements:

• body

• attach

• foreach

Between an open and close mail element, there can be only one body sub-element and anywhere from zero to multiple attach and foreach sub-elements.

The mail element also has a set of related attributes. These are expressed within the mail tag. For example, the id, to, and subject attributes are expressed:

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Recent Hires">

Table 9-1 lists and describes the attributes associated with the mail element.

Table 9-1 Attributes of the mail element

organization="Region 10 Sales"

organization="&department_name"

<pluginParam name=mailServer>smtp01.mycorp.com</pluginParam>

9.3.4 body

Example

On Windows

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Results">
   <body srcType="file">
      <include src="c:\mail\body.html"/>
   </body>
</mail>

On UNIX

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Results">
   <body srcType="file">
      <include src="/mail/body.html"/>
   </body>
</mail>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have a maximum of one body element associated with a given mail element.

Description

The body element acts as a sub-element to the mail element. It specifies the content (or body) of the e-mail. With body, you can type a text string between the open and close body tag or use an include sub-element to specify either an external file, a report, or a section of a report. For example:

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Results">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached are quarterly results.
   </body>
   ...

Or

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Results">
   <body srcType="file">
      <include src="d:\reports\admin\results.html"/>
   </body>
   ...

Or

<mail id="a1" to="&amp;&lt;first_name&gt;.&amp;&lt;last_name&gt;@myco.com"
subject="Quarterly Results">
   <body srcType="report" format="html">
      <include src="headerSection"/>
   </body>
   ...

Body has three attributes: srcType, format, and instance. They are described in Table 9-2.

Table 9-2 Attributes of the body sub-element of mail

9.3.5 attach

Example

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Results">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached are quarterly results.
   </body>
   <foreach>
      <attach format="html" name="contacts.htm" srcType="report"
      instance="all">
         <include src="headerSection"/>
         <include src="mainSection"/>
     </attach>
   </foreach>
</mail>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have as many attach elements as you require with a mail element. Note that attach is also a sub-element of foreach, and foreach requires that at least one of its sub-elements be used (out of mail, file, printer, destype, and attach).

Description

Attach specifies attachments to the e-mail. Additionally, attach must have at least one include sub-element, and can have more than one if srcType="report". Attach attributes are listed and described in Table 9-3.

Table 9-3 Attributes of the attach sub-element of mail

Using these attributes in conjunction with the foreach element, you can design a destination that will repeat on a group instance and generate an e-mail for each group attachment. For example:

<foreach>
   <mail id="a2" to="first.name@myco.com,second.name@myco.com,
   third.name@myco.com, fourth.name@myco.com" subject="Department Summaries">
      <body srcType="text">
         Attached is the breakdown of department summaries for the last
         quarter.
      </body>
      <attach format="htmlcss" name="deptsum.html" srcType="report"
      instance="this">
         <include src="report"/>
      </attach>
   </mail>
</foreach>

By moving the location of the foreach element, you can generate one e-mail with multiple attachments: a separate one for each group instance.

<mail id="a2" to="first.name@myco.com,second.name@myco.com, third.name@myco.com,
fourth.name@myco.com" subject="Department Summaries">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached is the breakdown of department summaries for the last
      quarter.
   </body>
   <foreach>
      <attach format="htmlcss" name="deptsum.html" srcType="report"
      instance="this">
         <include src="report"/>
      </attach>
   </foreach>
</mail>

9.3.6 include

Example

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Q4">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached are quarterly results.
   </body>
   <attach srcType="report" format="pdf">
      <include src="report"/>
   </attach>
</mail>

Or

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Q4">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached are quarterly results.
   </body>
   <attach srcType="report" format="htmlcss">
      <include src="headerSection"/>
   </attach>
</mail>

Or

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Q4">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached are quarterly results.
   </body>
   <attach srcType="file">
      <include src="c:\management\reports\current\Q4.htm"/>
   </attach>
</mail>

Required/Optional

Required when used with body and attach when srcType is report or file, but not when srcType is text. Also required for file, printer, and destype. In the instances where it is required, you must have one and can have more than one includes.

Description

The include element is available for use with the body, attach, file, printer, and destype elements. It specifies the file, report, or report section to be included in the body of an e-mail, as an attachment to an e-mail, in the content of a file, in the printer output, or in the content of a custom destination type.

If you want to specify more than one section, but not the entire report, enter an include for each required section. For example:

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com" subject="Results">
   <body srcType="text">
      Attached are quarterly results.
   </body>
   <attach srcType="report" format="htmlcss">
      <include src="headerSection"/>
      <include src="mainSection"/>
   </attach>
</mail>

If the preceding body or attach element has srcType of file, the subsequent include can specify the file either with a directory path and filename or with just the filename, provided the file is located in a directory listed in the REPORTS_PATH environment variable. For example:

<mail id="a1" to="jsmith@foo.com">
   <body srcType="file">
      <include src="q4sales.pdf"/>
   </body>
</mail>

If you do specify a path, use the appropriate standard for your platform. For example:

On Windows:

<include src="c:\management\reports\current\Q4.htm"/>

On UNIX:

<include src="/management/reports/current/Q4.htm"/>

No other XML elements are placed between an include element's open and close tags; however, include does have one attribute: src, described in Table 9-4.

Table 9-4 Attributes of the include sub-element when used with mail's body or attach

9.3.7 file

Example

On Windows

<file name="c:\management\reports\report.pdf" format="pdf">
   <include src="report"/>
</file>

On UNIX

<file name="/management/reports/report.pdf" format="pdf">
   <include src="report"/>
</file>

Or

<foreach>
   <file name="section&amp;&lt;department_id&gt;.pdf" format="pdf"
   instance="this">
      <include src="mainSection"/>
   </file>
</foreach>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have as many file elements as you require.

Description

Use the file element to specify distributions to a file. File elements have one sub-element: include. There must be at least one include sub-element and there may be more between an open and close file element.

When used with the foreach element and the instance="this" attribute, the file element can distribute each group instance of a grouped report to separate files. For example, if you group a report on department_id, and there are four departments, you can use the foreach/file/instance="this" combination to generate four files, each with a separate department's report. In this case, the file entry in the distribution XML file might look like this:

<foreach>
   <file id="a3" name="dept_&amp;&lt;department_id&gt;.pdf" format="pdf"
   instance="this">
      <include="report"/>
   </file>
</foreach>

In this example, all report sections (header, main, and trailer) must repeat on the same group instance (e.g., department_id).

File elements also have a set of related attributes. These are expressed within the file tag. For example, the "id" and "name" file attributes are expressed:

Windows:

<file id="a7" name="d:\reports\2001\q4sales.pdf">

UNIX:

<file id="a7" name="/reports/2001/q4sales.pdf">

Table 9-5 lists and describes the attributes associated with a file element.

Table 9-5 Attributes of the file element

format="htmlcss"

9.3.8 printer

Example

On Windows

<printer id="a1" name="\\server_name\printer_name" copies="5">
   <include src="report"/>
</printer>

On UNIX

<printer id="a1" name="alias_to_registered_printer" copies="5" instance="all">
   <include src="report"/>
</printer>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have as many printer elements as you require.

Description

Use the printer element to specify distributions to a printer. Printer elements have one sub-element: include. There must be at least one include sub-element and there may be more between an open and close printer element.

When used with the foreach element and the instance="this" attribute, the printer element can distribute each group instance of a grouped report to a separate print job. For example, if you group a report on department_id, and there are four departments, you can use the foreach/printer/instance="this" combination to generate four printed reports, each containing a separate department's report. In this case, the printer entry in the distribution XML file might look like this:

<foreach>
   <printer id="a7" name="\\server_name\printer_name" instance="this">
      <include="report"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

In this example, all report sections (header, main, and trailer) must repeat on the same group instance (e.g., department_id).

Table 9-6 lists and describes the attributes associated with a printer element.

Table 9-6 Attributes of the printer element

name="\\server_name\printer_name"

name="sales_printer"

9.3.9 destype

Example

<destype id="acustom1" name="fax">
   <include src="headerSection"/>
   <property name="number" value="914925551212"/>
</destype>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have as many destype elements as you require.

Description

Use the destype element to specify distribution to a custom destination, such as to a fax machine or an FTP site. You also use destype to specify distribution to a portal created with Oracle9iAS Portal. The destype element allows for the use of two sub-elements: property and include. At least one include is required.

The inclusion of a custom destination type requires that you have a defined distribution handler in place to usher report content to the custom output destination.

When used with the foreach element and the instance="this" attribute, the destype element can distribute each group instance of a grouped report to a separate destype instance (e.g., a separate fax). For example, if you group a report on department_id, and there are four departments, you can use the foreach/printer/instance="this" combination to generate four destype instances, each containing a separate department's report. In this case, the destype entry in the distribution XML file might look like this:

<foreach>
   <destype id="a9" name="fax" instance="this">
      <include="report"/>
      <property name="number" value="&amp;&lt;fax_number&gt;"/>
   </destype>
</foreach>

In this example, all report sections (header, main, and trailer) must repeat on the same group instance (e.g., department_id).

Custom destination types also have a set of related attributes. These are expressed within the destype tag. For example, the "id", "name", and "instance" destype attributes are expressed:

<foreach>
   <destype id="a1" name="name_of_destination_type" instance="all">
</foreach>

Table 9-7 lists and describes the attributes associated with a destype element.

Table 9-7 Attributes of the destype element

name="fax"

name="oraclePortal"

Oracle9iAS Reports Services supports the creation and use of custom destination types (pluggable destinations) in the Reports Services environment. One way it does this is by allowing you to include calls to custom destinations in your distribution XML file. The distribution XML file provides a way to define custom destinations through property name/value pairs used in conjunction with the destype element.

9.3.10 property

Example

<foreach>
   <destype id="custom1" name="fax" instance="all">
      <include src="headerSection"/>
      <property name="number" value="914925551212"/>
   </destype>
</foreach>

Required/Optional

Optional. You can have as many properties as you require under a destype element.

Description

The property element allows for the inclusion of name/value pairs expressed in terms recognized by a custom destination type (destype). Properties are merely passed along to the destination handler. They serve no function within Reports Services. How you specify properties is entirely dependent on the requirements of your custom destination.

9.4 Distribution XML File Examples

This section provides examples, from simple to complex, of distribution XML elements. They are organized according to the main distribution.dtd elements:

• foreach examples

• mail examples

• file examples

• printer examples

9.4.1 foreach examples

The examples in this section include:

• Single E-Mail with Report Groups as Separate Attachments

• Separate E-Mail for Each Group Instance

• Separate E-Mails with Separate Sections as Attachments

• Separate File for Each Section

• Separate Print Run for Each Report

9.4.1.1 Single E-Mail with Report Groups as Separate Attachments

In this example, each attachment contains the corresponding instance from the header, main, and trailer sections. That is, if the report is grouped on department_id, and the first department is department 10, the first attachment will be a report with header, main, and trailer sections all containing department 10 information. This example is valid only if the header, main, and trailer sections repeat on the same group instance, in this case department_id.

<mail id="a1" to="managers@mycompany.com" subject="New Hires">
   <foreach>
      <attach format="html" srcType="report" instance="this">
         <include src="report"/>
      </attach>
   </foreach>
</mail>

First of all, assume in this example that "managers@mycompany.com" goes to a mailing list that distributes to each department manager. If there are four departments: 10, 20, 30, and 40, the first attachment will contain header, main, and trailer sections corresponding to department 10; the second to 20; and so on. This example will yield one e-mail per recipient, each with four attachments.

9.4.1.2 Separate E-Mail for Each Group Instance

In this example, each recipient will receive a separate e-mail for each grouped report. For example, if the report is grouped on department_id, and there are four departments, one recipient will receive four e-mails, each with a separate department's report attached.

<foreach>
   <mail id="weeklies" to="managers@mycompany.com">
      <attach format="htmlcss" srcType="report" instance="this">
         <include src="mainSection"/>
      </attach>
   </mail>
</foreach>

9.4.1.3 Separate E-Mails with Separate Sections as Attachments

In this example, different sections repeat on different groups. The distribution is set up so that each recipient will receive a separate e-mail with attachment for each grouped main section and for each grouped trailer section.

<foreach>
   <mail id="a6" to="managers@mycompany.com" subject="Personnel Reports">
      <attach format="pdf" name="attach.pdf" srcType="report" instance="this">
         <include src="mainSection"/>
      </attach>
      <attach format="rtf" name="attach.rtf" srcType="report" instance="this">
         <include src="trailerSection"/>
      </attach>
   </mail>
</foreach>

9.4.1.4 Separate File for Each Section

In this example, a separate file is generated for each group instance. Groups repeat on department_id. Each file is named with the relevant department ID.

<foreach>
   <file id="a10" name="department_&amp;&lt;department_id&gt;.pdf"
   instance="this">
      <include src="mainSection"/>
   </file>
</foreach>

Assuming that there are four departments, 10 through 40, this example will result in the creation of four files, named in turn department_10.pdf, department_20.pdf, and so on.

The format attribute is not included in the file element because it is not required when the srcType is file or text. It is required when the srcType is report.

9.4.1.5 Separate Print Run for Each Report

The way you specify a printer name differs between Windows and UNIX. The first example is for Windows. The second is for UNIX.

9.4.1.5.1 Windows

In this example, assuming that the report is grouped on department_id, a report will be printed for each department.

<foreach>
   <printer id="a7" name="\\server_name\printer_name" instance="this">
      <include src="report"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

9.4.1.5.2 UNIX

In this example, assuming that the report is grouped on department_id, a report will be printed for each department.

<foreach>
   <printer id="a7" name="printer_alias" instance="this">
      <include src="report"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

9.4.2 mail examples

The examples in this section include:

• E-Mail with a Whole Report as the Body

• E-Mail with a Section of a Report as the Body

• E-Mail with Two Report Sections as the Body

• E-Mail with External File as Body and Report as Attachment

• E-Mail with Whole Report and Grouped Sections Attached

• E-Mail to Relevant Manager and Department

9.4.2.1 E-Mail with a Whole Report as the Body

The report will comprise the content of this e-mail. That is, when recipients open this e-mail, they will see the report.

<mail id="a5" to="managers@mycompany.com" subject="Quarterly Report">
   <body srcType="report" format="html">
      <include src="report"/>
   </body>
</mail>

9.4.2.2 E-Mail with a Section of a Report as the Body

A section of a report will comprise the content of this e-mail. That is, when recipients open this e-mail, they will see a section of the report.

<mail id="a6" to="employees@mycompany.com">
   <body srcType="report" format="html">
      <include src="mainSection"/>
   </body>
</mail>

The subject attribute is not included in this mail element, so the default subject will be used: Mail Sent From &Report. At runtime, the variable &Report will be replaced with the name of the report.

9.4.2.3 E-Mail with Two Report Sections as the Body

Two sections of a report will comprise the body of this e-mail. That is, when recipients open this e-mail, they'll see two sections, headerSection and mainSection, joined together in one report.

<mail id="emp_addresses" to="employees@mycompany.com" subject="Employee Address
List">
   <body srcType="report" format="html">
      <include src="headerSection"/>
      <include src="mainSection"/>
   </body>
</mail>

9.4.2.4 E-Mail with External File as Body and Report as Attachment

The contents of the body for this email will be an external file, and the report will go along as an attachment. The path to the file is expressed differently for Windows and UNIX.

9.4.2.4.1 Windows

<mail id="XQRSN" to="accounting@mycompany.com" subject="Salaries"
   <body srcType="file">
      <include src="c:\mail\body.html"/>
   </body>
   <attach format="pdf" name="salaries.pdf" srcType="report">
      <include src="report"/>
   </attach>
</mail>

9.4.2.4.2 UNIX

<mail id="XQRSN" to="accounting@mycompany.com" subject="Salaries"
   <body srcType="file">
      <include src="/mail/body.html"/>
   </body>
   <attach format="pdf" name="salaries.pdf" srcType="report">
      <include src="report"/>
   </attach>
</mail>

9.4.2.5 E-Mail with Whole Report and Grouped Sections Attached

In this example, recipients receive one e-mail with multiple attachments: one attachment for each group instance and an additional attachment that contains the entire report. If the report is grouped on department_id and there are four departments, recipients will receive five attachments: one for each department and one whole report.

<mail id="grx90" to="sales@mycompany.com">
   <body srcType="text">
   Attached you will find the summary report and breakdown by department of
   weekly totals.
   </body>
   <attach format="rtf" name="myAttach.rtf" srcType="report">
      <include src="report"/>
   </attach>
   <foreach>
      <attach format="pdf" name="myattach.pdf" srcType="report"
      instance="this">
         <include src="mainSection"/>
      </attach>
   </foreach>
</mail>

9.4.2.6 E-Mail to Relevant Manager and Department

In this example, the manager for department 10 gets department 10's report; the manager for department 20 gets department 20's report; and so on. For this tag set to be valid, the variable must refer to a column that is included in the "repeat on" group used with the attached section. That is, if the section repeats on G_department_id, manager must be a column in that group.

<foreach>
   <mail id="mgr1090" to="&amp;&lt;manager&gt;@mycompany.com">
      <attach format="pdf" name="attach.pdf" srcType="report" instance="this">
         <include src="mainSection"/>
      </attach>
   </mail>
</foreach>

9.4.3 file examples

Whenever you burst and distribute grouped reports to files, be sure to specify filenames with variable values based on the repeating group or some other variable information. Otherwise, you run the risk of having each successive file that is created overwrite the previously created file. For example, if you specify an output filename of department.pdf, and you output separate instances of each department's report, the second department.pdf file will overwrite the first department.pdf file; the third will overwrite the second; an so on. You will end up with only one report, that of the final department to be output. Instead, with grouped reports that you want to output separately according to each group instance, use variable values to specify filenames, for example: name="department_&<department_id>.pdf".

The examples in this section include:

• File for Whole Report

• File for Combined Report Sections

• File for Each Group of Combined Sections

• File for Each Report Group Instance

9.4.3.1 File for Whole Report

This example will yield one file named report.pdf that contains the entire report.

9.4.3.1.1 Windows

<file id="a1" name="c:\reports\report.pdf" format="pdf">
   <include src="report"/>
</file>

9.4.3.1.2 UNIX

<file id="a1" name="/reports/report.pdf" format="pdf">
   <include src="report"/>
</file>

9.4.3.2 File for Combined Report Sections

This example will yield one file named sections.pdf that contains a report consisting of the header section and the main section of the report.

<file id="a2" name="sections.pdf" format="pdf">
   <include="headerSection"/>
   <include="mainSection"/>
</file>

9.4.3.3 File for Each Group of Combined Sections

In this example, a separate file will be created for each repeating group. Each file will contain a report that combines the relevant group main and trailer sections. The main and trailer sections must repeat on the same group, and the variable file name must refer to a column contained within the "repeat on" group. That is, if the report repeats on department_id, and you have four departments, 10 through 40, then one file will contain the main and trailer sections of department 10; the next will contain the main and trailer sections of department 20; and so on. The variable value under name must refer to a column that is within the G_department_id group.

<foreach>
   <file id="file9" name="department_&amp;&lt;department_id&gt;.pdf"
   instance="this">
      <include src="mainSection"/>
      <include src="trailerSection"/>
   </file>
</foreach>

9.4.3.4 File for Each Report Group Instance

In this example, assuming the report is grouped on department_id and there are four departments, 10 through 40, you will end up with four files respectively named: department_10.pdf, department_20.pdf, department_30.pdf, and department_40.pdf.

<foreach>
   <file id="a20" name="department_&amp;&lt;department_id&gt;.pdf"
   instance="this">
      <include src="report"/>
   </file>
</foreach>

9.4.4 printer examples

The examples in this section include:

• Print Whole Report

• Print Two Sections of a Report

• Print Grouped Report

• Print Combined Sections for Each Group Instance

• Print Relevant Instance of a Report to Its Relevant Printer

The way printer names are specified, differs between Windows and UNIX. Each example demonstrates both ways.

9.4.4.1 Print Whole Report

In this example, the entire report will be sent to the specified printer.

9.4.4.1.1 Windows

<printer id="a80" name="\\neptune\prtr20">
   <include src="report"/>
</printer>

9.4.4.1.2 UNIX

<printer id="a80" name="10th_floor_printer">
   <include src="report"/>
</printer>

9.4.4.2 Print Two Sections of a Report

In this example, two sections of a report will be sent to the printer.

9.4.4.2.1 Windows

<printer id="a1" name="\\neptune\prtr20">
   <include src="headerSection"/>
   <include src="mainSection"/>
</printer>

9.4.4.2.2 UNIX

<printer id="a1" name="10th_floor_printer">
   <include src="headerSection"/>
   <include src="mainSection"/>
</printer>

9.4.4.3 Print Grouped Report

In this example, one report will be printed. The report will be grouped by, for example, department_id. For this to work, all sections of the report must repeat on the same group.

9.4.4.3.1 Windows

<foreach>
   <printer id="prt20" name="\\neptune\prtr20" instance="all">
      <include src="report"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

9.4.4.3.2 UNIX

<foreach>
   <printer id="prt20" name="10th_floor_printer" instance="all">
      <include src="report"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

9.4.4.4 Print Combined Sections for Each Group Instance

This example will yield a number of print jobs: one for each group instance. The combined sections must repeat on the same group. If the report repeats on department_id, and you have four departments, 10 through 40, you will end up with four print jobs: one for department 10; one for department 20; and so on. The main and trailer sections must both repeat on department_id.

9.4.4.4.1 Windows

<foreach>
   <printer id="prt20" name="\\neptune\prtr20" instance="this">
      <include src="mainSection"/>
      <include src="trailerSection"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

9.4.4.4.2 UNIX

<foreach>
   <printer id="prt20" name="10th_floor_printer" instance="this">
      <include src="mainSection"/>
      <include src="trailerSection"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

9.4.4.5 Print Relevant Instance of a Report to Its Relevant Printer

For this example to work, the "repeat on" group must contain a column of printer names appropriate to the host platform (e.g., the printer_name column must contain an appropriate printer alias on UNIX and a printer server/name combination on Windows). For example, if the report is grouped by department_id, then G_department_id must also have a printer_name column. Assuming the printer_names are tied to departments, then department 10's report would be printed on department 10's printer; department 20's report would be printed on department 20's printer; and so on.

<foreach>
   <printer id="a60" name="&amp;printer_name" instance="this">
      <include src="mainSection"/>
   </printer>
</foreach>

Each group instance equals a separate print job. Each print job goes to the relevant department's printer

9.5 Using a Distribution XML File at Runtime

The method for using a distribution XML file at runtime is essentially the same whether you use it in a URL or a command line. Use the commands:

distribute=yes destination=filename.xml

Where filename is the name of the distribution XML file. You are required to specify either the relative or absolute path of the XML file. For example, for Windows, you might specify:

distribute=yes destination=c:\ORACLE_HOME\reports\distribution\filename.xml

For UNIX, you might specify:

distribute=yes destinations=ORACLE_HOME/reports/distribution/filename.xml

The paths in these examples are used for illustrative purposes only. There is no requirement for where you store your distribution XML files. You can store them wherever you like.

9.6 XSL Transformation for Custom/Pluggable Destinations

The distribution.xsl file is an XML style sheet, located on both Windows and UNIX at ORACLE_HOME\reports\conf\distribution.xsl. You can modify this file by adding a template for translating your destype tag format to the required format defined in the distribution.dtd file.

Use the distribution.xsl file to transform user-defined custom tags in the distribution XML file to a format required by Reports runtime. Reports can understand only the generic destype tag structure for any pluggable destination. The user can specify the custom destination in accordance with the generic destype tag structure for a pluggable destination. Alternatively, for ease of use, the user can specify a custom, more specific tag structure. These tags are unknown to the distribution.dtd, so they need to be mapped to the generic destype tag structure as specified in the distribution.dtd.

The following examples illustrate a fax destination. The user can specify the destination as per the generic tag structure in the distribution XML file as follows:

<destype id="faxdest" name="fax">
   <property name="number" value="123456789"/>
   <include src="report"/>
</destype>

A more user-friendly example:

<fax id="faxdest" number="123456789">
   <include src="report"/>
</fax>

Reports runtime cannot process the <fax> tag structure as illustrated here because the <fax> tag is not a standard destination specified in the distribution.dtd file. The following tag structure must therefore be converted to the generic format as shown in the first example.

To achieve this, you must specify a template for the fax destination in the distribution.xsl file. The template will be used to convert the <fax> tag structure to the generic destype structure. Your distribution.xsl entry might look like this:

<xsl:output doctype-system="distribution.dtd"/>

<xsl:template match = "/">
   <xsl:apply-templates match = "destinations" />
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="destinations">
   <destinations>

   <!--
   The Standard mail/file/printer/destype and foreach must be copied to the
   transformed xml. The foreach tag must be copied only if it is specified with
   file/mail/printer/destype tags.
   -->
      <xsl:copy-of select="mail"/>
      <xsl:copy-of select="file"/>
      <xsl:copy-of select="printer"/>
      <xsl:copy-of select="destype"/>
      <xsl:copy-of select="foreach"/>

      <!-- apply template for the sample FAX destination -->
      <xsl:apply-templates match = "fax" />

   </destinations>
</xsl:template>

   <!--
   Sample Transformation Template for a FAX destination specified in the
   distribution.xml file

   <fax id="FAXDEST" number="123456789">
      <include src="report"/>
   </fax>
   -->

<xsl:template match="fax">
   <!-- create a new destype element -->
   <xsl:element name="destype">
      <!--
      create an ID attribute and copy the value from the ID given for the fax
      destination
      -->
   <xsl:attribute name="id">
      <xsl:value-of select="@id"/>
   </xsl:attribute>

   <!-- create a Name attribute with a fax as it's value -->
   <xsl:attribute name="name">fax</xsl:attribute>
   <!--
   create a Property Attribute with name / value attribute pairs property tag
   is created for number attribute. Similarly create more property tags for any
   other attribute you add to the FAX destination
   -->
   <xsl:element name="property">
      <xsl:attribute name="name">number</xsl:attribute>
      <xsl:attribute name="value">
         <xsl:value-of select="@number"/>
      </xsl:attribute>
   </xsl:element>

      <!-- copy the include tag as it is -->
      <xsl:copy-of select="include"/>
   </xsl:element>
   <!-- end of template -->
</xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>