Reports 9i Layout Issue

Question

I am creating a report where the output needs to be one character per column. It would be like a paper form you fill out where you fill in your name, address, etc. one letter per "block" on the form.
I select a JON_NUMBER that is VARCHAR2(5). Then I need to "separate" the JON_NUMBER into five individual "pieces" so I can fill the first character of the JON_NUMBER into the first field on the layout, the second character of athe JON_NUMBER in the the second field on the layout, etc.
Of course, the "easiest" way is to SELECT substr(JON_NUMBER,1,1), substr(JON_NUMBER,2,1), etc. I prefer not to do it this way. There will be eighteen fields on the report that will ALL need to be handled in the same way, one character per column. That will make the SELECT statement quite cumbersome.
Any suggestions on how to accomplish this?

Answer 1

Hi
You could create a function that inserts spaces between letters: "customer name" becomes "c u s t o m e r n a m e s".
I you use the correct font/size, maybe you can make the fields fit in the holes...
hth