Well I can’t work out how to run a background process to generate data that mirrors the UI state.  Is the alternative method as simple as ticking a box that says download in background?

You can do this today, by employing a bit of PL/SQL code.

• The APEX_REGION.EXPORT_DATA function allows you to reference a region ( your IG region ), and it will perform a data export (as CSV, HTML, etc) taking the current report settings into account. You'll get the same as if you used Download in the Actions menu.
• Store that CLOB into a table or a collection.
• Kick that logic off using a page process, running in the background. The Background Page Process functionality provides functionality to …
  • See currently running executions in the APEX_APPL_PAGE_BG_PROC_STATUS view
  • Use the Return Execution ID into Item attribute of your Background Page Process (in Page Designer) to get the ID of your background activity into a page item.
• Build a simple download page to show status of background executions and to provide ability to download your file.

I don't quite see that as a declarative feature, as it implies so many parts, which have to be customized towards your application. While kicking off the actual background processing is rather simple, the steps after the file has been prepared are typically highly customized …

• Some want to store it persistently for a while to allow multiple downloads, others want to have it stored only once and removed after first download, others want to send by email, others want to upload to Object Store and so on …
• The execution status and download part will be a part of your application. Obviously, the UI for this is specific to your app - some want it to be a dedicated page, others want it to be a part of the IG page, others want a modal dialog.

So, the best way to implement your requirement, is IMO indeed to use the existing building blocks, which are essentially APEX_REGION.EXPORT_DATA and the Background Page Processing functionality. The rest is then utilizing standard APEX functionality to build the UI for this as you need it.

It may take the current report settings into account but not any live filtering, reordering or column hiding which has taken place in the client on top of the report definition.

Did you try it out already? 

Interactive Grid Filters (also live filters) are taken into account. For Interactive Grid and Interactive Reports it's important to pick the right report ID, though. As soon as you do live filtering, you get a new report ID - and that will be the one you have to use. You need to examine contents of apex_appl_page_ig_rpts view.

Without a complete working example, its a nightmare.  Hence my idea.  Lots of things are possible through the API, but you don't need to if it can be managed through configuration.  The clue is in the name “low code”

DECLARE
    l_export       apex_data_export.t_export;
    l_region_id    NUMBER;
    l_report_id    NUMBER;
    l_current_exec apex_background_process.t_execution;
    l_execution_id NUMBER;
    l_file_name    VARCHAR2(255) := 'pvcompliance_icsr_intake_' || REPLACE(LOWER(:P14_INTAKE_ROUTE), ' ', '_') || '_' || TO_CHAR(SYSDATE, 'YYYYMMDD_HH24MISS') || '.csv';
    l_error_msg    VARCHAR2(4000);
BEGIN
    -- Get the current background execution ID 
    l_current_exec := apex_background_process.get_current_execution;
    l_execution_id := l_current_exec.id;

    -- Insert initial row with RUNNING status (ensures row exists for updates)
    INSERT INTO apex_user_exports (execution_id, status, created_by, filename, num_rows)
    VALUES (l_execution_id, 'RUNNING', :APP_USER, l_file_name, :P14_NUM_ROWS);

    COMMIT;

    -- Get region ID using binds (ensure :APP_PAGE_ID is fully spelled)
    SELECT region_id
    INTO l_region_id
    FROM apex_application_page_regions
    WHERE application_id = :APP_ID
    AND page_id = :APP_PAGE_ID  -- Fixed: Full bind variable
    AND static_id = 'intake_region';

    -- Get the *current* report ID (captures last viewed saved report with its state/filters)
    l_report_id := APEX_IG.GET_LAST_VIEWED_REPORT_ID(
        p_page_id   => :APP_PAGE_ID,
        p_region_id => l_region_id  -- Fixed: Use NUMBER region_id, not static_id
    );

    -- Fallback to primary/default if no last viewed report
    IF l_report_id IS NULL THEN
        SELECT report_id
        INTO l_report_id
        FROM apex_appl_page_ig_rpts  -- Note: View name is case-sensitive in some envs
        WHERE application_id = :APP_ID
        AND page_id = :APP_PAGE_ID
        AND type = 'PRIMARY';  -- Fixed: Correct column for default report
    END IF;

    -- Export using current report ID (applies saved filters/sorts/etc.)
    l_export := apex_region.export_data(
        p_format      => apex_data_export.c_format_csv,
        p_page_id     => :APP_PAGE_ID,  -- Page ID (not app ID)
        p_component_id => l_report_id,  -- Now uses current/primary report
        p_as_clob     => FALSE,         -- For BLOB output
        p_region_id   => l_region_id
    );

    -- Update with BLOB and set to COMPLETE
    UPDATE apex_user_exports
    SET export_blob = l_export.content_blob,  -- Matches BLOB
        status = 'COMPLETE'
    WHERE execution_id = l_execution_id;

    COMMIT;  -- Commit the update

EXCEPTION
    WHEN OTHERS THEN
        l_error_msg := SQLERRM;
        
        -- Log error (row should exist from initial INSERT)
        UPDATE apex_user_exports
        SET status = 'ERROR', 
            error_msg = l_error_msg
        WHERE execution_id = l_execution_id;

        COMMIT;  -- Commit error update
        
        RAISE;
END;

this last code returns 3,000 rows in the export despite the UI being filtered to 18.  When you can demonstrate a working example, I will accept the idea being cancelled.  it is supposed to be a low code framework, my suggestion is simply to add a “download in background” option, which reflects the live UI state, and lets you specify where the download should be stored.

Can we move this towards the forum?

https://forums.oracle.com/ords/apexds/domain/dev-community/category/apex

This is clearly now a how-to discussion, which we should continue there. Happy to help you getting this set up.

-Carsten

You can download a blob without a dynamic action, you still implemented that!! Its about making the product easier to use.

AI says this is a nightmare, so if you can demonstrate it works, i will accept the idea being cancelled.  I would suggest you try and solve it yourself before cancelling a good idea.

Background download of Interactive Grid that reflects UI changes/filters etc. - Oracle Forums

Forum question

I have an example app, which illustrated this, ready to share. However, attachments cannot be uploaded here. If you raise a question on the APEX discussion forum, I'm happy to share the app export.

-Carsten

Thanks I did, link is in above thread

An example app has been uploaded to the thread, which illustrates how this works today. However, there is indeed a bug hiding in APEX, which makes it harder to get the solution working - we are tracking this as bug 38525701.

It's really a shame that this functionality isn't natively available for reports. 

It would avoid having to manually handle this situation on a large ERP system that contains hundreds of reports