input parameters

i have a report with 10 input parameters wherein only two are obligatory, the rest are optional. The problem is, as far as I know, if you use an input parameter that is blank in a WHERE condition of a SELECT statement no records will be selected from a table, correct? Unlike in a select-option wherein if it is blank all records from a table is selected.

The user does not want all input parameters to be set to OBLIGATORY.

Can anyone provide any suggestions wherein if an input parameter is empty this will be disregarded by the SELECT statement? I have several ideas such as creating mulitple SELECT statements wherein the WHERE condition will only use input parameters that has a value entered, but this is to cumbersome.

Thanks in advance.