Custom Report Layout in APEX 3.0 PDF

Question

How much freedom do we have when developing a custom report layout using BI Publisher when we create the template file using the Word XML add-on?
Why I am asking is, I am trying to replicate several Crystal based reports that use multiple lines of for data. They group on several columns and display the grouped data on separate lines in the report.
Grouping 1 Line one has customer detail information
Next grouping 1 or more lines are provider of service line information
Last Line count of detail lines for customer
Or would I be better off porting these reports to Oracle Reports?
Thank you!
Tony Miller
UTMB/EHN

Answer 1

Marc, I was able to create reports based on a layout and a report query...Is it possible to let the end user (not apex developers) download the report layout, make modifications and load it again. They will only be changing the text and very rarely will modify the fields..
Thanks
Ashlee
update: i found the following logic in the f4000 app on page 1405 for download
declare
l_report_document blob;
l_file_ext varchar2(255);
l_mime_type varchar2(255);
begin
for c1 in (
select *
from wwv_flow_report_layouts
where id = :P1405_ID
) loop
if c1.report_layout_type = 'RTF_FILE' then
l_mime_type := 'application/rtf';
l_file_ext := 'rtf';
else
l_mime_type := 'application/xml';
l_file_ext := 'xml';
end if;
l_report_document := wwv_flow_utilities.clob_to_blob(c1.page_template,wwv_flow_lang.get_db_charset);
sys.owa_util.mime_header (l_mime_type ,false);
sys.htp.p('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename='||lower(replace(c1.report_layout_name,' ','_'))||'.'||l_file_ext);
wpg_docload.download_file( l_report_document );
end loop;
end;
and 1406 for upload
declare
l_report_layout clob;
l_report_layout_id number;
begin
for c1 in (
select blob_content from wwv_flow_files
where name = :P1406_LAYOUT_FILE
) loop
l_report_layout_id := wwv_flow_id.next_val;
l_report_layout := wwv_flow_utilities.blob_to_clob(c1.blob_content);
insert into wwv_flow_report_layouts (
id,
flow_id,
report_layout_name,
report_layout_type,
page_template
) values (
l_report_layout_id,
:FB_FLOW_ID,
:P1406_REPORT_LAYOUT_NAME,
'RTF_FILE',
l_report_layout
end loop;
end;
are these the tables/apis i could use ?