Re: How to create semicolon-delimited report output?

The biggest issue is that in a formated formatted form spacing is a issue. One often uses
word wrap etc to deal with long fields. One often vertically spaces fields eg addresses.
One often has headers and footers. etc

Any formating is counter productive for a delimited file output

The best solution is to use the same sql in the form and in the system that generates the
deliminated files.

Mike Krolewski

boblamb97_at_yahoo.com wrote:

> In Oracle Reports 2.5.3.6.1 how do I set the report to use semicolons
> instead of spaces between columns? Some of the field values may have
> internal spaces.
>
> I want to do this because I want to create report output in two forms:
> PostScript and ASCII for Excell. Report definition files already exist
> with Data Model and Layout that work OK for PostScript output. So, I'm
> retaining the Data Model but changing the Layout to produce
> semicolon-separated data files - ie. field1 ; field2 ; field3 ; ...
> with no headers and no trailers suitable for input into Excell. I have
> changed the Data Model System Parameters for character-based output,
> set each field horizontal sizing to variable and set the horizontal
> distribution to stack and sizing to contract (variable removed all
> intervening space).
>
> If this isn't possible I can always write my own sql to produce the
> required semicolon-delimited file, but I'm hoping to avoid a lot of
> error-prone rewriting that must be maintained whenever the original
> Data_Model changes. Can Reports be coaxed to output straight SQL?
>
> I'm forced down this path because Oracle Reports refuses to parse sql
> queries containing joined subqueries, unlike PL/SQL Oracle 7, eg::
> select QUERY1.FIELD1, QUERY1.FIELD2, QUERY2.FIELD1, QUERY2.FIELD2
> from
> (select FIELD1, FIELD2 [condition]) QUERY1,
> (select FIELD1, FIELD2 [condition]) QUERY2
> where QUERY1.FIELD1 = QUERY2.FIELD1;
>
> Any pointers on this gratefully received.
>
> Email: robert.lamb (at) ri.dasa.de
>
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Received on Mon Apr 27 1998 - 10:21:29 CEST