R12 - XML Publisher a.k.a BI Publisher

Oracle XML Publisher, now known as BI publisher is used to present report
output with good look and feel charts, diagrams,pictures etc., It increases the
efficiency of reports. It provides mechanism merge the template files
(how the output should have the look and feel) and data
(which produced from the concurrent request) and produces the nice document
that can be viewed in at the client.

Simple example I can think of is, Active users, In general output of this
request will be in Browser, to improve the look and feel you go for BI publisher.
Not only the Look and feel there are so many benefits you can get are listed in
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/xml-publisher/index.html

I walk you through the steps involved in making XML publisher reports, with one
example I have mentioned above.


Report Generation steps:

Login as sysadmin user

1) Create the concurrent request which you want to have output based on BI Publisher

2) Instead to create the concurrent program newly alternatively what you can do is
copy the existing concurrent program and modify the settings.

3) In our example I have copied the concurrent request "Active Users" and saved it as
"XML Publisher - Active Users"

steps:

System Administrator -> Concurrent -> Program -> Define
Query Program "Active Users"
Click the "Copy To" Button

Program : XML Publisher - Active User
Short Name: XMLPFNDSCURS
Application: Application Object Library

select Include Incompatible Programs
select Include Parameters
Click OK
Change the Output Format to XML
Save




4) Add your new concurrent program to your required request group
System Administrator -> Security -> Responsibility -> Request
Query Group: System Administrator Reports
Application: Application Object Library
Add new Request:
Program: XML Publisher - Active User
Save



5) Create the Template file using Microsoft Word and save it as XMLP_ActiveUsers.rtf (RTF - Rich Text Format) , this defines how your output should look like
for more advanced graphs, report refer Oracle® XML Publisher,Report Designer's Guide,Release 12,Part No. B31410-01


Content of RTF file:


Refer:





6)Define XML Publisher Data Definition and Template

XML Publisher Administrator -> Data Definitions
Click Create Data Definition
Name: XML Publisher - Active User
Code: XMLPFNDSCURS
Application: Application Object Library
Click Apply


7)

XML Publisher Administrator -> Templates
Click Create Template
Name: XML Publisher - Active User
Code: XMLPFNDSCURS
Application: Application Object Library
Data Definition: XML Publisher - Active User
Type: RTF
Click File, Browse and upload your RTF template file XMLP_ActiveUsers.rtf created earlier
Language: English
Click Apply





8. Run the request
System Administrator -> Requests -> Run
Name: XML Publisher - Active User
Submit


9. View request output
It will look like



You can Refer the documents which comes along with R12 document set to create charts, reports etc.

Oracle® XML Publisher,Administration and Developer's Guide,Release 12, Part No. B31412-01
Oracle® XML Publisher,Report Designer's Guide,Release 12,Part No. B31410-01

Metalink Notes:

Note 362496.1
Note 364547.1


I hope you have learned what really BI Publisher is, since BI Publisher is going to be there in Fusion applications, its better to uptake this technology rather using traditional reporting methods in order to preserve the investment.

I am going to cover this BI publisher in Administrator point of view in the next post!!