User constructed query using dropdowns

Question

Hi all,
I am trying to create a sql query using select lists with an application page. My problem is that written as a statement it would say;
select count (distinct id)
from requests
where date_raised between '01 JUN 07' and '30 JUN 07';
but if try to have a select list passing 'date_raised' or 'date_closed' it still works but if I put another for 'between' and 'not between' it has a problem, for example;
select count (distinct id)
from requests
where :P5_SL_RAISED_CLOSED :P5_SL_BETWEEN :P5_START_DATE and :P5_END_DATE
and date_closed is null or date_closed >:P5_END_DATE;
Could someone help me please, I searched the forums and nobody seems to have done this. (Or maybe it's so simple they just didn't post!)
Thanks,
Jay

Answer 1

Hi Jay,
you can accomplish this in following way:
change your report type to SQL Query(PL/SQL function body returning SQL Query),
then in region source try this:
begin
return 'select count (distinct id)
from requests where ' || :P5_SL_RAISED_CLOSED ||' '|| :P5_SL_BETWEEN || ' to_date('''|| :P5_START_DATE ||''',''DD-MM-YYYY'') AND to_date(''' || :P5_END_DATE || ''',''DD-MM-YYYY'') and date_closed is null or date_closed > to_date('''|| :P5_END_DATE || ''',''DD-MM-YYY'')';
end;
Of course, you should change DD-MM-YYYY to date format used in your fields.
Hope this helps.
Tomasz K>