Adding Images

There are 3 approaches to handle images and pictures in a report created with Report Designer. The first approach is used when all images are static, i.e. they do not depend on report parameters or other circumstances. A typical example is a company logo. In this case, images are just inserted into the report template in MS Word standard way:

The second approach is used when the report contains a fixed number of images and that number is known in advance. The typical example would be an employee photo in the Employee Card report. The images are dealt with as Report Components. At design-time, a developer puts an image placeholder in the report template (zipped ooxml file), at run-time Report Designer engine replaces that placeholder with BLOB file selected from a database table. For each image you should:

1. (Optionally) put a placeholder image of the expected size in the right position(s) in the report template. It may be just an empty rectangular or something like this:
   
   Save and upload report template (.docx file) into Report Designer.
2. In the Report Designer on Image tab add a new component. Enter Component Name and path to where the image is located in the ooxml zip archive e.g. word/media/image1.jpg. To find out the path just rename your .docx to .zip and look through the archive content.
3. In the field Dynamic SQL statement of the report component enter anonymous PL/SQL block that accepts report code and report parameters as inputs and returns BLOB as output. Use the following structure:

   DECLARE 
   v_param1        NUMBER;
   v_dummy2        VARCHAR2(32767);
   v_dummy3        VARCHAR2(32767);
   v_dummy4        VARCHAR2(32767);
   v_dummy5        VARCHAR2(32767);
   v_image_blob    BLOB := NULL;
   
   BEGIN
   
   -- Receive IN parameters :param_1, :param_2, :param_3, :param_4, :param_5
   v_param1  := to_number(:report_input_parameter_1);  -- parameter #1 transmitted into the report or entered by a user
   v_dummy2  := :report_input_parameter_2; -- don’t delete the line even if param2 is not used
   v_dummy3  := :report_input_parameter_3; -- don’t delete the line even if param3 is not used
   v_dummy4  := :report_input_parameter_4; -- don’t delete the line even if param4 is not used
   v_dummy5  := :report_input_parameter_5; -- don’t delete the line even if param5 is not used
   
   -- Possible example of selecting image blob
   SELECT file_blob INTO v_image_blob
     FROM my_table
    WHERE my_table_id = v_param1;
   
   -- Return OUT parameter :image_blob
   :image_blob := v_image_blob;
   END;
   

The third approach must be chosen when the report contains a fickle number of images that might depend on report parameters. That number is not known at design-time, and images are usually located in table rows. The typical example would be images of ordered/requested goods in an order or offer. The images are transferred as values CustomXML attributes. The value must be encoded into base64 format. For each image you should:

1. In Report Designer select CustomXML node whose attributes are mapped to Word-table columns. To the fields of the data source of this node add the function call APEX_WEB_SERVICE.BLOB2CLOBBASE64(p_blob) where p_blob is a field of BLOB type (in your table or view).
2. To the list of Node Attributes of the selected node add a new Datasource Column (referencing to the encoded blob in Data Source)
3. Open report template in MS Word. Activate Design Mode and XML Mapping Pane. The next steps presume that you already have CustomXML nodes mapped to Repeating Content Control (table row). If not so, read how to map several database records to MS Word table. Place the cursor in the column where the image must be located. In CustomXML select the attribute whose value will contain base64 encoded images. Right-click on this attribute and from the popup menu select Insert Content Control > Picture. If necessary, change the picture properties, e.g size. Save and upload report template.