How to use multiple selection parameters in the data model

Question

Hi, after have looked all the previous threads about how to use multiple selection parameters , I still have a problem;
I'm using Oracle BI Publisher 10.1.3.3.2 and I'm tried to define more than one multiple selection parameters inside the data template;
Inside a simple SQL queries they work perfectly....but inside the data template I have errors.
My data template is the following (it's very simple...I am just testing how the parameters work):
<dataTemplate name="Test" defaultPackage="bip_departments_2_parameters">
<parameters>
<parameter name="p_dep_2_param" include_in_output="false" datatype="character"/>
<parameter name="p_loc_1_param" include_in_output="false" datatype="character"/>
</parameters>
<dataTrigger name="beforeReport" source="bip_departments_2_parameters.beforeReportTrigger"/>
<dataQuery>
<sqlStatement name="Q2">
<![CDATA[
select deptno, dname,loc
from dept
&p_where_clause
]]>
</sqlStatement>
</dataQuery>
<dataStructure>
<group name="G_DEPT" source="Q2">
<element name="deptno" value="deptno"/>
<element name="dname" value="dname"/>
<element name="loc" value="loc"/>
</group>
</dataStructure>
</dataTemplate>
The 2 parameters are based on these LOV:
1) select distinct dname from dept (p_dep_2_param)
2) select distinct loc from dept (p_loc_1_param)
and both of them have checked the "Multiple selection" and "Can select all" boxes
The package I created, in order to use the lexical refence is:
CREATE OR REPLACE package SCOTT.bip_departments_2_parameters
as
p_dep_2_param varchar2(14);
p_loc_1_param varchar2(20);
p_where_clause varchar2(100);
function beforereporttrigger
return boolean;
end bip_departments_2_parameters;
CREATE OR REPLACE package body SCOTT.bip_departments_2_parameters
as
function beforereporttrigger
return boolean
is
l_return boolean := true;
begin
if (p_dep_2_param is not null) --and (p_loc_1_param is not null)
then
p_where_clause := 'where (dname in (' || replace (p_dep_1_param, '''') || ') and loc in (' || replace (p_loc_1_param, '''') || '))';
else
p_where_clause := 'where 1=1';
end if;
return (l_return);
end beforereporttrigger;
end bip_departments_2_parameters;
As you see, I tried to have only one p_where_clause (with more than one parameter inside)....but it doesn't work...
Using only the first parameter (based on deptno (which is number), the p_where_clause is: p_where_clause := 'where (deptno in (' || replace (p_dep_2_param, '''') || '))';
it works perfectly....
Now I don't know if the problem is the datatype, but I noticed that with a single parameter (deptno is number), the lexical refence (inside the data template) works.....with a varchar parameter it doesn't work....
So my questions are these:
1) how can I define the p_where_clause (inside the package) with a single varchar parameter (for example, the department location name)
2) how can I define the p_where_clause using more than one parameter (for example, the department location name and the department name) not number.
Thanks in advance for any suggestion
Alex

Answer 1

Alex,
the missing thing in your example is the fact, that if only one value is selected, the parameter has exact this value like BOSTON. If you choose more than one value, the parameter includes the *'*, so that it looks like *'BOSTON','NEW YORK'*. So you need to check in the package, if there's a *,* in the parameter or not. If yes there's more than one value, if not it's only one value or it's null.
So change your package to (you need to expand your variables)
create or replace package bip_departments_2_parameters
as
p_dep_2_param varchar2(1000);
p_loc_1_param varchar2(1000);
p_where_clause varchar2(1000);
function beforereporttrigger
return boolean;
end bip_departments_2_parameters;
create or replace package body bip_departments_2_parameters
as
function beforereporttrigger
return boolean
is
l_return boolean := true;
begin
p_where_clause := ' ';
if p_dep_2_param is not null then
if instr(p_dep_2_param,',')>0 then
p_where_clause := 'WHERE DNAME in ('||p_dep_2_param||')';
else
p_where_clause := 'WHERE DNAME = '''||p_dep_2_param||'''';
end if;
if p_loc_1_param is not null then
if instr(p_loc_1_param,',')>0 then
p_where_clause := p_where_clause || ' AND LOC IN ('||p_loc_1_param||')';
else
p_where_clause := p_where_clause || ' AND LOC = '''||p_loc_1_param||'''';
end if;
end if;
else
if p_loc_1_param is not null then
if instr(p_loc_1_param,',')>0 then
p_where_clause := p_where_clause || 'WHERE LOC in ('||p_loc_1_param||')';
else
p_where_clause := p_where_clause || 'WHERE LOC = '''||p_loc_1_param||'''';
end if;
end if;
end if;
return (l_return);
end beforereporttrigger;
end bip_departments_2_parameters;
I've written a similar example at http://www.oracle.com/global/de/community/bip/tipps/Dynamische_Queries/index.html ... but it's in german.
Regards
Rainer