Results tab: Narrative editor

Use this editor of the "Analysis editor: Results tab" to add one or more paragraphs of text to be displayed with the results. Narrative text is useful for providing information such as context, explanatory text, or extended descriptions along with column values. You can perform the following actions in the narrative view:

• Type a sentence with placeholders for each column in the results.

• Specify how rows should be separated.

• Use HTML formatting buttons to make text bold, italic, or underlined, and insert line breaks.

• Apply cosmetic formatting to the fonts used in the narrative view, or import the font formatting from a previously saved view.

• Add references to variables.

For example, suppose that you have created an analysis that shows a user's sales by region and want to provide explanatory text with the analysis. Using a narrative view, you can create the following explanatory text:

This report shows your sales by region. The regions are:
East Region
West Region

For more information, see "Editing Narrative Views."

Components

Bold, Italic, Underline

Use these buttons to insert the HTML tags to begin and end bold, italic, or underlined text in the Prefix, Narrative, or Postfix fields.

Line Break

Use this button to insert a line break in the Prefix, Narrative, or Postfix fields.

Contains HTML Markup

Use this option to work with HTML codes, as described in "Working with HTML Markup." If you are trying to save a narrative object that contains HTML code, then you must have the Save Content with HTML Markup privilege. See "Managing Presentation Services Privileges" in Security Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition for information on privileges.

Prefix

Use this field to enter the header for the narrative. This text is displayed at the beginning of the narrative.

For example, the following prefix entry:

[b]This analysis shows your sales by region. The regions are:[/b][br/][br/]

Displays this text:

This analysis shows your sales by region. The regions are:

Narrative

Use this field to enter the narrative text that is displayed for each row in the results. You can include both text and column values. Include a line break code at the end of this field to force each line of text and values onto its own line.

To include values, use the at sign (@), as described in the following list:

• Use an at sign by itself to indicate the first column. If you include multiple at signs, then the first occurrence of the sign corresponds to the first column, the second occurrence corresponds to the second column, and so on.

• Use @n to include the results from the designated column in the narrative. For example, @1 inserts the results from the first column in the analysis, and @3 inserts the results of the third column.

For example, for an analysis that returns the region name in the second column, the following narrative entry:

@2

Displays this text:

East Region
West Region

Row separator

Use this field to enter a row separator for each line from the Narrative field that contains values. For example you might enter a string of plus signs (+) between each line.

Rows to display

Use this field to enter the number of rows from the column to return. For example, enter 5 to display values from the first 5 rows of the column. For a hierarchical column, you can use selection steps to display hierarchy levels with the hierarchical column. For example, create a step to select members based on hierarchy and add members of the specified level. A hierarchy level is considered a row.

Postfix

Use this field to enter the footer text to be displayed at the bottom of the narrative. To display the footer information on a separate line from the actual narrative text, include markup tags in the Postfix field. Ensure that the narrative ends in a line break, or that the footer begins with a line break.

Toolbar

The toolbar contains the following buttons:

• Buttons that are common to all views. For more information, see "Toolbar Buttons Common to All Views."

• Format Narrative View — Use this button to display the "Format Narrative View dialog," where you format the view.

• Import formatting from another analysis — Use this button to display the "Open dialog," where you select an analysis from which to import formatting for columns and views. For more information, see "Using a Saved Analysis to Modify the Cosmetic Appearance of Other Analyses."

Done

Use this button to save your edits and return to the compound layout view.

Revert

Use this button to restore the settings in effect prior to your edits.

Notes

• You can reference variables in the Prefix, Narrative and Postfix fields. For the syntax to use, see "What Is the Syntax for Referencing Variables?" For more information on variables, see "Using Variables."

• The following characters are reserved characters:

  • @ (at sign, unless used as a column placeholder in the Narrative field)

  • [ (left bracket)

  • ] (right bracket)

  • ' (single quote)

  • \ (backslash)

  
  

  Note: If you want to include a reserved character, then precede it with a backslash character (\) to escape it. For example, to include a backslash character, type \\.