Report Builder Concepts: RDF,REP and REX

Report Storage

Reports can be stored either to a file or to a database. The most common and efficient way to store report definitions is to a file

Storing Report Definitions to a file:

Report definitions can be stored to an Operating system file as .rdf, .rep or .rex file types.

.rdf file type

This file type stores single report definition along with source code and comments in binary executable format. The file can be modified only in Report Builder and is portable in its binary format. Report definitions can be stored as .rdf files through any of following methods:

• Select FILE -> SAVE
• Select FILE -> SAVE AS
• Select FILE -> ADMINISTRATION -> CONVERT

.rep file type

This file type stores single executable report with no source code or comments in binary executable format. The .rep files are not modifiable and are portable as binary files only if no PL/SQL code is present. Report definitions can be stored as .rep files through any of following methods:

• Select FILE -> ADMINISTRATION -> COMPILE REPORT
• Select FILE -> ADMINISTRATION -> CONVERT

.rex file type

This file type stores single report definition along with source code and comments in ASCII or EBCDIC text format. The file is neither executable nor modifiable directly. But can be used for debugging.

These file types are inter-convertible using any one of the following methods

• From REPORT BUILDER -> ADMINISTRATION -> CONVERT

• From the windows menu: START -> PROGRAMS -> ORACLE REPORTS 6i -> REPORT COMPILER

• From the command line: RWCON60 – allows conversion of

• Report stored in database into .rep, .rdf or .rex file types.
• Report stored as .rdf into a .rep or .rex file or database report.
• Report stored as .rex into .rdf or .rep or database file.