Here is an example view and report created for the Oracle Assets Asset Category Descriptive Flexfield, which uses the table FA_ADDITIONS. The columns shown in bold print are columns that particularly pertain to the flexfield itself. You should note the differences between the boldfaced columns in the underlying table and those in its view. The descriptive flexfield columns in this table include the ATTRIBUTEn columns and the CONTEXT column (structure column).
SQL> describe FA_ADDITIONS Name Null? Type ------------------------------- -------- ---- ASSET_ID NOT NULL NUMBER(15) ASSET_NUMBER NOT NULL VARCHAR2(15) ASSET_KEY_CCID NUMBER(15) CURRENT_UNITS NOT NULL NUMBER(4) ASSET_TYPE NOT NULL VARCHAR2(11) TAG_NUMBER VARCHAR2(15) DESCRIPTION NOT NULL VARCHAR2(80) ASSET_CATEGORY_ID NOT NULL NUMBER(15) PARENT_ASSET_ID NUMBER(15) MANUFACTURER_NAME VARCHAR2(30) SERIAL_NUMBER VARCHAR2(35) MODEL_NUMBER VARCHAR2(40) PROPERTY_TYPE_CODE VARCHAR2(10) PROPERTY_1245_1250_CODE VARCHAR2(4) IN_USE_FLAG NOT NULL VARCHAR2(3) OWNED_LEASED NOT NULL VARCHAR2(6) NEW_USED NOT NULL VARCHAR2(4) UNIT_ADJUSTMENT_FLAG NOT NULL VARCHAR2(3) ADD_COST_JE_FLAG NOT NULL VARCHAR2(3) ATTRIBUTE1 VARCHAR2(150) ATTRIBUTE2 VARCHAR2(150) . . . . . . ATTRIBUTE29 VARCHAR2(150) ATTRIBUTE30 VARCHAR2(150) ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY_CODE NOT NULL VARCHAR2(210) CONTEXT VARCHAR2(210) LEASE_ID NUMBER(15) LAST_UPDATE_DATE NOT NULL DATE LAST_UPDATED_BY NOT NULL NUMBER(15) CREATED_BY NUMBER(15) CREATION_DATE DATE LAST_UPDATE_LOGIN NUMBER(15)
This descriptive flexfield has three context-sensitive structures: VEHICLE.OWNSTD, VEHICLE.HEAVY, and BUILDING.OFFICE. The BUILDING.OFFICE structure has two segments, square footage and insurer. The VEHICLE.OWNSTD structure has five segments, as shown. The VEHICLE.HEAVY structure has five segments as well, square footage cargo, number of axles, transmission type, insurance company, and insurance policy number. The two VEHICLE structures share the same segment name for the insurance company segment.
The resulting view contains a total of eleven segment columns, rather than twelve, for the three structures. The column CONTEXT_VALUE in the view corresponds to the column CONTEXT in the table (the context field prompt defined in the Descriptive Flexfield Segments window is "Context Value"). See: Descriptive Flexfield Segments.
SQL> describe FA_ADDITIONS_DFV Name Null? Type ------------------------------- -------- ---- ROW_ID ROWID CONTEXT_VALUE VARCHAR2(210) SQUARE_FOOTAGE NUMBER INSURER VARCHAR2(150) LICENSE_NUMBER VARCHAR2(150) INSURANCE_COMPANY VARCHAR2(150) INSURANCE_POLICY_NUMBER VARCHAR2(150) SQ_FOOTAGE_CARGO NUMBER NUMBER_OF_AXLES NUMBER TRANSMISSION_TYPE VARCHAR2(150) LICENSE_RENEWAL_DATE DATE POLICY_RENEWAL_DATE DATE POLICY_NUMBER VARCHAR2(150) CONCATENATED_SEGMENTS VARCHAR2(1116)
Here is a simple example of selecting some data from the table and its corresponding view.
SQL> select ADD.ASSET_NUMBER ASSET, ADD.DESCRIPTION,
CONTEXT_VALUE, CONCATENATED_SEGMENTS
from FA_ADDITIONS ADD, FA_ADDITIONS_DFV
where ADD.rowid = ROW_ID;
Note that in this simple report, the structure name (BUILDING.OFFICE, VEHICLE.HEAVY, and VEHICLE.OWNSTD) appears in two columns: CONTEXT_VALUE (the structure column) and in the CONCATENATED_SEGMENTS column as the first "segment" value (the context value appears first because there are no enabled global segments). Some context values do not have any enabled segments, so the CONCATENATED_SEGMENTS column is empty for those assets. Some assets, such as asset number 363, while they belong to structures with enabled segments, do not have values filled in for the descriptive flexfield. For those assets, the CONCATENATED_ SEGMENTS column contains the structure name and several periods (segment separators) that designate empty segment values.
ASSET DESCRIPTION CONTEXT_VALUE CONCATENATED_SEGMENTS
----- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------------
334 Sales Vehicles VEHICLE.LEASESTD VEHICLE.LEASESTD.....
363 Mgt Vehicles VEHICLE.OWNSTD VEHICLE.OWNSTD.....
325 Mahogany Desk FURNITURE.DESKS
343 Paris Sales Bldg BUILDING.OFFICE BUILDING.OFFICE.39200.
Prudential
346 Paris Stor. Bldg BUILDING.STORAGE BUILDING.STORAGE..
352 Desk Phone COMM.PHONE
315 486PC w/20MB Mem COMPUTER.COMPUTER
340 9600 Baud Modem COMPUTER.NETWORK
365 4Dw File Cabinet FURNITURE.CABINET
369 Mgtt Vehicles VEHICLE.OWNSTD VEHICLE.OWNSTD.2FMA934.
10-MAR-94.ALLSTATE.
C-34878.21-SEP-93
348 Bonn Sales Bldg BUILDING.OFFICE BUILDING.OFFICE..
351 Bonn Stor. Bldg BUILDING.STORAGE BUILDING.STORAGE..
338 Laptop Computer COMPUTER.COMPUTER
339 Color Monitor COMPUTER.COMPUTER
332 Sales Vehicles VEHICLE.LEASESTD VEHICLE.LEASESTD.....
333 Mgt Vehicles VEHICLE.OWNSTD VEHICLE.OWNSTD.2FOB834.
10-MAR-94.ALLSTATE.
C-34865.21-SEP-93
335 Mgt Vehicles VEHICLE.OWNSTD VEHICLE.OWNSTD.....
347 Bonn Sales Bldg BUILDING.OFFICE BUILDING.OFFICE..
310 4Dw File Cabinet FURNITURE.CABINET
311 Std Office Chair FURNITURE.CHAIRS
312 Conf. Room Desk FURNITURE.DESKS
292 Mgt Vehicles VEHICLE.OWNLUXURY VEHICLE.OWNLUXURY.....
298 Mgt Vehicles VEHICLE.OWNSTD VEHICLE.OWNSTD.....
283 Flat Bed Trucks VEHICLE.HEAVY VEHICLE.HEAVY.2FOB837.
ALLSTATE.C-34065.200.
5-Speed Manual
276 Cvrd. Trailers VEHICLE.HEAVY VEHICLE.HEAVY.2FOX537.
ALLSTATE.C-34465.100.
157 Sacr. Open Space LAND.OPEN
69 Conf. Room Phone COMM.PHONE
21 Austin Mfg Bldg BUILDING.MFG BUILDING.MFG.60000.
Prudential
43 NY Sales Bldg BUILDING.OFFICE BUILDING.OFFICE..
46 Rocklin HQ Bldg BUILDING.OFFICE BUILDING.OFFICE.78300.
Fidelity Mutual
47 NY Office Bldg BUILDING.OFFICE BUILDING.OFFICE.90000.
Prudential
58 Rome Stor. Bldg BUILDING.STORAGE BUILDING.STORAGE..