Do I need to use Apache FOP ?

Hi,
I am configuring Oracle BI Publisher with APEX following the instructions in http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_express/html/configure_printing.html .
After completing step *3 Installing and Configuring Oracle BI Publisher on Windows* I am able to print reports in desired PDF, DOC, XLS format etc from APEX and all the functionalities seem to be available.
So my question is why should I follow step *5 Installing and Configuring Apache FOP* ? Is there any other extra benefit of doing that ? Am I missing anything here ?
Please advise,
Thanks
Ashish Agarwal (PMP, OCM & OCP)
http://www.dbcon.com.sg

Hi Ashish,
Sure, not a problem, please see my answers below:
1) correct, you either use BI Publisher or Apache FOP or other XSL-FO processing engines as stated under #6
2) the main advantage of using BI Publisher over Apache FOP is that BI Publisher allows for WYSIWYG report layout creation using the MS Word plug-in, and then using these templates as RTF based report layouts in Application Express. With Apache FOP or other XSL-FO processing engines you can't use RTF layouts, so you would have to design your report layouts using XSL-FO, which if done manually isn't exactly easy. There are other third-party visual design tools available though that provide help with that, just google for "xsl-fo design". Also, BI Publisher of course provides several advanced reporting capabilities when using this product directly, that are not available with the APEX / BI Publisher integration.
3) BI Publisher Desktop, i.e. the MS Word Plug-In is part of the BI Publisher product, it's not a stand-alone product. So if you're a licensed BI Publisher user, you're also licensed to use BI Publisher Desktop. And BI Publisher Desktop doesn't provide much value if used stand-alone without the server.
Regards,
Marc

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прод... etc
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V_Usager.DESCRIPTION Sexe,
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V_Usager,
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TBL_Natures,
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DEST_NOM || ', ' || DEST_ADRESSE || ', ' || DEST_CPOSTAL
when 3 then
DEP_NOM || ', ' || DEP_ADRESSE || ', ' || DEP_CPOSTAL
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when 1 then
DEP_PRECISION
when 2 then
DEST_PRECISION
when 3 then
DEP_PRECISION
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when 1 then
substr(DEP_TELEPHONE,1,3) || '-' || substr(DEP_TELEPHONE,4,3) || '-' || substr(DEP_TELEPHONE,7,4) || nvl2(DEP_POSTE,' poste ' || DEP_POSTE,'')
when 2 then
substr(DEST_TELEPHONE,1,3) || '-' || substr(DEST_TELEPHONE,4,3) || '-' || substr(DEST_TELEPHONE,7,4) || nvl2(DEST_POSTE,' poste ' || DEST_POSTE,'')
when 3 then
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end TelDEP,
case IND_TYPETRANSPORT
when 1 then
DEST_NOM || ', ' || DEST_ADRESSE || ', ' || DEST_CPOSTAL
when 2 then
DEP_NOM || ', ' || DEP_ADRESSE || ', ' || DEP_CPOSTAL
when 3 then
DEST_NOM || ', ' || DEST_ADRESSE || ', ' || DEST_CPOSTAL
end AdresseDEST,
case IND_TYPETRANSPORT
when 1 then
DEST_PRECISION
when 2 then
DEP_PRECISION
when 3 then
DEST_PRECISION
end ContactDEST,
case IND_TYPETRANSPORT
when 1 then
substr(DEST_TELEPHONE,1,3) || '-' || substr(DEST_TELEPHONE,4,3) || '-' || substr(DEST_TELEPHONE,7,4) || nvl2(DEST_POSTE,' poste ' || DEST_POSTE,'')
when 2 then
substr(DEP_TELEPHONE,1,3) || '-' || substr(DEP_TELEPHONE,4,3) || '-' || substr(DEP_TELEPHONE,7,4) || nvl2(DEP_POSTE,' poste ' || DEP_POSTE,'')
when 3 then
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from
TBL_Demande_1,
TBL_Demande_TRSP_1
where
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and ID_Demande = DemandeIDI then created a report layout in XSL-FO with XSLfast, but it won't work at all. I always get the dreaded "corrupted file" when I test my PDF Report... any ideas why it doesn't work? Have I missed something obvious?
Best regards,
Mathieu

Hello Mathieu
i assume that the default PDF printing is working, but that you want to create some better looking reports and therefore use a different non-generic XSL-FO.
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What you need is:
1) An XML (Data) File. You can get it from your report query when you say export it to XML.
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