Jump directly to search-result details if only one (1) hit

Question

I have a report where the user can limit the number of records shown via a couple of text fields. (do a search so to speak)
In the report the user can click a link and see details for the given record.
My customer would like the users to be taken directly to the details if the users search results in only one record.
Has anyone done something similar ?
best regards
Christian

Answer 1

This would be a way to do it:
Say you have three pages:
Page 1 - Search page (where you enter your search criteria and click a "Search" button)
Page 2 - Search results page (lists multiple found records and has drill-down links to view details of any particular record)
Page 3 - Record details page (shows details for just one record. This would be the page you are taken to when you drill down into a particular record from Page 2.)
On Page 1 have an After Submit PL/SQL Process looking something like this:
DECLARE
recordCount number;
uniqueRecordId number;
BEGIN
select count(*) into recordCount from your_table where some_column = :P1_YOUR_SEARCH_CRITERIA_ITEM and some_other_column = :P1_YOUR_SECOND_SEARCH_CRITERIA_ITEM);
if recordCount = 1 then
select ID into uniqueRecordId from your_table where some_column = :P1_YOUR_SEARCH_CRITERIA_ITEM and some_other_column = :P1_YOUR_SECOND_SEARCH_CRITERIA_ITEM;
owa_util.redirect_url('f?p='||:APP_ID||':3:'||:APP_SESSION||'::::P3_ID:'||uniqueRecordId);
else
owa_util.redirect_url('f?p='||:APP_ID||':2:'||:APP_SESSION);
end if;
END;
So if only one record is matched then you are automatically taken to Page 3 where the details of this one record can be shown (and you know which record to display as its ID has been passed in :P3_ID.) If more than one record (or zero records) are returned then you are taken to the search results page (Page 2) where your search results can be displayed as normal.
Hope that's of some help,
Andrew