Problem with empty report parameters when passed to PL/SQL function

Question

Hi,
We have come across what appears to be a bug in the JRC. When passing a report parameter to a PL/SQL function as a parameter, empty parameters are changed before being sent to the function. More specifically, an empty string "" ends up as the value "(')" in the PL/SQL function parameter. In our report we print the report parameters on the first page so we know that the parameters are OK before being passed to the database.
The problem exists for version 12.2.203, 12.2.204 and 12.2.205 of the JRC.
We have identified a workaround, but it is not exactly elegant: Before executing the report we modify all empty  parameters ("") to " " . In the PL/SQL function, we trim all parameters before using them.
We call the function using a command object with a sql syntax like this example:
select * from table (qa_batch_release.get_qa_br('{?p_report_id}','{?p_reg_set_number}','{?p_cr_number}','{?p_change_id_decode}','{?p_country_id}','{?p_mfg_item_no}','{?p_4_no}','{?p_5_no}','{?p_7_no}'))
The PL/SQL function is a table returning function.
Best regards, Thor

Answer 1

Hi Kishore,
using #COLUMN_VALUE# would probably not make much sense, because normally a report has multiple columns and not just the numeric column which you want to verify if it's negative. But APEX will fire the template condition for each column, because the report template is a column cell template.
What you can do to make it more generic is to use for example
#CHECK_AMOUNT#
in the template and provide a not displayed column in your SQL statement which contains your value which is named CHECK_AMOUNT. For example:
SELECT NAME
     , BALANCE
     , BALANCE AS CHECK_AMOUNT
FROM XXX;Because this CHECK_AMOUNT column would be a generic name, you can use this template in all your reports as long as you provide this column.
Thope that helps
Patrick