Seamless Export in Oracle APEX: Export a Region data with a Single Click (No Page Submission!)

In modern web applications, user experience matters. No one likes to lose their place or wait for full page reloads just to download a report. If you're building with Oracle APEX and want to offer users the ability to export a report with one click — without submitting the page — you're in the right place.

This article shows you how to export a region (like an Interactive Report or Interactive Grid) using a JavaScript-based trigger that keeps your page state intact.

🧭 What You'll Build

A custom solution that:

• Generates a file via a PL/SQL process

• Shows a toast message while downloading

• Triggers file download in the background

• Works with a single click, no page reload!

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🛠️ Step-by-Step Guide

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✅ Step 1: Create an AJAX Process to Generate the File

In APEX Page Designer:

• Go to Processing → Right-click → Create → Ajax Callback

• Name it: GET_FILE

• Code example (generating Excel data):

DECLARE
  l_blob        BLOB;
  l_mime_type   VARCHAR2(255);
  l_filename    VARCHAR2(255);
BEGIN
  SELECT BLOB001 BLOB_CONTENT, C002 MIME_TYPE,C001 FILENAME
  INTO l_blob, l_mime_type, l_filename
  FROM apex_collections
  WHERE collection_name = 'FILE';

  -- set the headers
  OWA_UTIL.MIME_HEADER(l_mime_type, FALSE);
  HTP.P('Content-length: ' || DBMS_LOB.GETLENGTH(l_blob));
  HTP.P('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="' || l_filename || '"');
  OWA_UTIL.HTTP_HEADER_CLOSE;

  -- download the blob
  WPG_DOCLOAD.DOWNLOAD_FILE(l_blob);

  APEX_APPLICATION.STOP_APEX_ENGINE;
END;

✅ Step 2: Create a JavaScript Function to Show Toast Message

Go to Page > Function and Global Variable Declaration and add:

function showToast(msg) {
    window.toast = $(`
    <div class="t-Alert t-Alert--info t-Alert--defaultIcons t-Alert--horizontal"
         style="
           position: fixed;
           top: 60px;
           right: 20px;
           z-index: 9999;
           min-width: 300px;
           background-color: #1976D2;
           color: white;
           box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
           border-radius: 8px;
         ">
      <div class="t-Alert-wrap" style="display: flex; align-items: center;">
        <div class="t-Alert-icon" style="padding: 10px; background-color: unset;color:white">
          <span class="fa fa-download" style="font-size: 20px;"></span>
        </div>
        <div class="t-Alert-content" style="padding: 10px; flex: 1;">
          <div class="t-Alert-body" style="font-size: 14px;">${msg}</div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  `);
    toast.appendTo('body')
        .delay(3000);
}

✅ Step 3: Create a Download Button

• Label: Download

• Button Action: Defined by Dynamic Action

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✅ Step 4: Create a Dynamic Action on the Button

🔹 Event: Click

🔹 Selection Type: Button

▶️ True Action 1: Execute JavaScript (Show Toast)

showToast('File is being download!');

▶️ True Action 2: Execute Server-side Code (AJAX)

• Action: Execute PL/SQL Code

• PL/SQL Code:

DECLARE
    l_export       apex_data_export.t_export;
    l_region_id    number;
BEGIN
APEX_COLLECTION.CREATE_OR_TRUNCATE_COLLECTION('FILE');
   SELECT region_id into l_region_id
     FROM apex_application_page_regions
    WHERE application_id = :APP_ID
      and page_id = :APP_PAGE_ID
      and static_id = 'projects_report';-- Static ID of region

    l_export := apex_region.export_data (
         p_format       => apex_data_export.c_format_xlsx,
         p_page_id      => :APP_PAGE_ID,
         p_region_id    => l_region_id );

    APEX_COLLECTION.ADD_MEMBER (
        p_collection_name => 'FILE',
        p_c001 => l_export.FILE_NAME,
        p_c002 => l_export.MIME_TYPE,
        p_blob001 => l_export.content_blob);
END;

▶️ True Action 3: Execute JavaScript Code (Download the File)

window.toast.fadeOut(400, function () {
         $(this).remove();
       });
var link = $('<a>')
    .attr('href', 'f?p=&APP_ID.:&APP_PAGE_ID.:&SESSION.:APPLICATION_PROCESS=GET_FILE::::')
    .appendTo('body');
link[0].click();
link.remove();

🧪 Result

With just a click:

• User sees a success toast

• PL/SQL prepares the file

• File is auto-downloaded

• No page reload 🎉

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📝 Conclusion

This method gives you complete control over how files are generated and delivered in Oracle APEX. Whether it's Excel, PDF, or CSV — you can offer instant downloads using AJAX, toasts, and JavaScript, without disrupting the user's flow.