38.4 Create a PDF Document of Your Report

Oracle Reports Builder supports multibyte characters in the PDF format. By generating the PDF file of your report, you have the advantages of being able to:

create the report output in a portable format.
use PDF font subsetting and PDF font embedding feature.
Tip:
Make sure you perform the following steps before you generate the file:
- Change the registry entry for NLS_LANG to AMERICAN_AMERICA.UTF8.
- Edit the uifont.ali file.
- Edit the REPORTS_PATH registry entry.
See Section 38.1, "Prerequisites for This Example" for more details.

To generate the PDF file:

In Oracle Reports Builder, choose File > Generate to File > PDF.
Save the report as multibyteutf8_your_initials.pdf.
In the Runtime Parameter Form that displays, type the value PL (exactly as shown), and click the Run Report button to execute the report.

The Report Progress dialog box is displayed and provides the print status of the PDF output. When the PDF is created, this dialog box disappears.
Locate the PDF file (multibyteutf8_your_initials.pdf) and double-click to open the file.

It should look something like this:

Figure 38-7 PDF file of the report with Polish characters

Description of "Figure 38-7 PDF file of the report with Polish characters"

Note:

You can open the PDF file on any computer and it will look exactly the same, without installing any Unicode font. This is because the PDF file includes the font used in the report.

Notice the default rough visual appearance of the characters in the PDF output. You can smooth the characters by using "smoothe lineart" setting in Acrobat Reader.