In this tutorial, you will see a substantial amount of Hands-On training on how to use the Report Builder tool.

Before going through your Hands-On training, lets take note of the following important definitions to remember:

• Tabular report shows data in a table format.  It is similar in concept to the idea of an Oracle table.   Oracle, by default, returns output from your select statement in tabular format.

• In Hands-On 01, you will experience how to generate a tabular report.

• Group-left reports are very useful for generating output reports from SQL statements with the group by clause.  The Group–left report suppresses redundant printings of the same value in the leftmost column of the report.  It is like making a control break in your report.  You can use the “Group-left” report on a master-detail relationship as well.

• In Hands-On 02, you will experience how to generate a group left report.

• A Mailing Label report is a list of addresses designed to be generated on mailing labels.  The addresses can be printed across the page, and then down or vice versa.

• In Hands-On 03, you will experience how to generate a Mailing Label report.

• A matrix report is a chart with two axes (rows and columns) that display for sets of data.  On the rows, the report displays one set of data, while on the columns the report displays another set.  Within the two axes, report displays a cross-product of results.

• In Hands-On 04, you will experience how to generate a Matrix report.

• The Form letter report will complement the mailing label report.  You can pull several database columns plus your mailing message to produce form mailings.

• In Hands-On 05, you will learn how to generate a Form Letter report.

• A Group-Above report is a style you use to demonstrate a master/detail relationship in your database.  You should define a master group, and for each master record, the report obtains the related values from the detail groups.

• In the Hands-On 06, you will learn how to generate a Group-Above report.

• The “Data Model”  will be used to display the data content and layout appearance of the report.

• The “Live Pre-viewer” will be used to view what the report will look like when it is executed.

• Object Navigator will be used to view report components and navigate through the report objects.  It gives you a hierarchical listing of all the modules open in your current session.  You use this listing to navigate to, and work on, those objects.  It gives you access to all database objects you own or have grant to, as well as a list of all the built-in functions and procedures you can use in Oracle Form Builder.  Clicking on the plus sign next to an object in the Object Navigator will expand the object and clicking on the minus sign will collapse the object.

• Property Palette contains object properties.  The contents of the Property Palette are referred to as the “Property sheet” for the object.  You use the Property Palette to modify object properties.  To open the Property Palette of an object, go to the object and right click on the mouse then select Property Palette.

Now, you should first read your case study, and try to solve the questions.  Then play the Hands-On training movie until you become familiar with the subject.  For more information about the subject, you are encouraged to read from a wide selection of available books.

Good luck!