Incorrect display format in report column

Question

Hi.
A report have two columns, the first display a value based in a case expression:
NVL (DE.IMPORTE, 0) IMP_CHEQ
the second colum, displays the value formatted:
CASE WHEN DE.IMPORTE IS NULL THEN '-'
WHEN DE.IMPORTE > 0 THEN TO_CHAR (DE.IMPORTE, 'FM99G999G990D00')
ELSE '<FONT COLOR="#FF0000">' ||
TO_CHAR (DE.IMPORTE, 'FM99G999G990D00') ||
'</FONT>' END IMP_CHEQUES
As I want to sum the values of the formatted column, I choice the "sum" option in the first column, but use #IMP_CHEQUES# in the HTML Expression Column Formatting of the first (unformatted) column.
The formatting part of the column is "ignored", because the values are displayed in black, instead the indicated red color. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Denes, thanks for your reply.
I was looking your example, and learning a little more about html formatting.
In my problem, I saw more similar your example in http://htmldb.oracle.com/pls/otn/f?p=31517:111
I redo my answer:
A column value (DE.IMPORTE as IMP_CHEQ), is an important monetary indicator,
But the report reader wants to look the negative values in red, and for that I am using CASE to format the value color (according to the values been positives, null or negatives):
CASE WHEN DE.IMPORTE IS NULL THEN '-'
WHEN DE.IMPORTE > 0 THEN TO_CHAR (DE.IMPORTE, 'FM99G999G990D00')
ELSE '<FONT COLOR="#FF0000">' ||
TO_CHAR (DE.IMPORTE, 'FM99G999G990D00') ||
'</FONT>' END IMP_CHEQUES
in other column (IMP_CHEQUES) non visible.
Then, the column doesn't summarize IMP_CHEQUES, because these values aren't numbers.
The solution is show (and SUM) IMP_CHEQ, but set the HTML Expression column attribute as #IMP_CHEQUES#
That I don't understand is why any negative values are displayed en red color. Some is re-formatting the red colored values to the original
black color, and can't let function the "FONT COLOR /FONT" couple.
Thanks again, Marcelo.