We're upgrading our APEX 5.1 application from using Oracle Reports to BI Publisher Reports 12c.
I'm looking at the most robust method to create and run reports using the BI Publisher reports server.
I originally I looked at creating the reports in APEX but found that I couldn't link the queries to create the master detail relationships and it didn't have the facility to upload excel spreadsheet templates.
We are trying to create 3 types of reports, invoice reports that require pixel perfect layout, excel spreadsheets that require formatting using an excel template and also mail merge type documents using a Word/rtf template.
I set up the APEX application to integrate with BI Publisher and this seems to work fine.
I've been able to create and download reports held in the shared components of the application using the BI Publisher print server but if I want to do the same for reports developed and held on the BI Publisher server I only seem to be able to do this by calling the BI Publisher url which requires a username and password adding to the url.
Is there a call similar to the function apex_util.get_print_document that allows me to call a report saved on the BI Publisher server without including a password and also allowing me to return the output as a BLOB.
Could I use a REST service in APEX to link to the BIP REST API ?
I haven't any experience with using RESTful services in APEX so would appreciate any help that would allow me to get a BI Publisher report using the BIP REST API.
URL used
http://<server>:<port>/xmlpserver/CSV_Reports/HH_Meter_Readings_Report.xdo?&_xpt=1&_xmode=4&P_FROM_SETT_DATE=01/04/2012&P_FROM_SETT_DATE=30/04/2012&P_DIST_ID=HYDE&_xt=simple&_xf=excel
http://<server>:<port>/xmlpserver/Converted%20Reports/Oracle%20Reports/pr_iprn/pr_iprn.xdo?&_xpt=1&_xmode=4&P_TBRPAR_ID=1422&_xt=simple&_xf=pdf
Thanks
Phil