Setting Column Width for Excel Outputs.

Hi all,

We have a crosstab report where columns are getting chopped off in PDF.
But in Excel output the column width is minimum so the data is not visible unless we manually adjust the width.
Tried using custom page option on Master Page as suggested on the forum.

But its causing excel output to fail and its giving the following stacktrace :

Can anyone suggest what could be the issue here.

Thanks
Rachna

+ org.eclipse.birt.report.service.api.ReportServiceException: Error happened while running the report; nested exception is:
java.lang.NullPointerException

AxisFault
faultCode: {http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/}Server.userException
faultSubcode:
faultString: org.eclipse.birt.report.service.api.ReportServiceException: Error happened while running the report; nested exception is:
java.lang.NullPointerException
faultActor:
faultNode:
faultDetail:
{http://xml.apache.org/axis/}stackTrace:org.eclipse.birt.report.service.api.ReportServiceException: Error happened while running the report; nested exception is:
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.BirtViewerReportService.renderReport(BirtViewerReportService.java:291)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.actionhandler.BirtRenderReportActionHandler.__execute(BirtRenderReportActionHandler.java:66)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.actionhandler.AbstractBaseActionHandler.execute(AbstractBaseActionHandler.java:89)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.presentation.aggregation.layout.FramesetFragment.doService(FramesetFragment.java:222)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.presentation.aggregation.layout.FramesetFragment.service(FramesetFragment.java:86)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.servlet.ViewerServlet.__doGet(ViewerServlet.java:181)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.servlet.BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.doGet(BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.java:146)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.servlet.BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.doPost(BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.java:229)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:710)
at org.apache.axis.transport.http.AxisServletBase.service(AxisServletBase.java:327)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:803)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.servlet.BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.service(BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.java:112)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:290)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.filter.ViewerFilter.doFilter(ViewerFilter.java:68)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:359)
at aces.spring.security.filter.SSOAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(SSOAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:221)
at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:371)
at org.springframework.security.ui.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilterHttp(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:101)
at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53)
at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:371)
at org.springframework.security.context.HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.doFilterHttp(HttpSessionContextIntegrationFilter.java:235)
at org.springframework.security.ui.SpringSecurityFilter.doFilter(SpringSecurityFilter.java:53)
at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:371)
at org.springframework.security.util.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:174)
at org.springframework.security.util.FilterToBeanProxy.doFilter(FilterToBeanProxy.java:99)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
at org.jboss.web.tomcat.filters.ReplyHeaderFilter.doFilter(ReplyHeaderFilter.java:96)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:230)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:175)
at org.jboss.web.tomcat.security.SecurityAssociationValve.invoke(SecurityAssociationValve.java:179)
at org.jboss.web.tomcat.security.JaccContextValve.invoke(JaccContextValve.java:84)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:127)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102)
at org.jboss.web.tomcat.service.jca.CachedConnectionValve.invoke(CachedConnectionValve.java:157)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:109)
at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:262)
at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11AprProcessor.process(Http11AprProcessor.java:856)
at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11AprProtocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11AprProtocol.java:566)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.AprEndpoint$Worker.run(AprEndpoint.java:1508)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.ExcelUtil.covertDimensionType(ExcelUtil.java:628)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.layout.PageDef.parsePage(PageDef.java:23)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.layout.PageDef.<init>(PageDef.java:17)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.ExcelEmitter.start(ExcelEmitter.java:100)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.api.impl.RenderTask$PageRangeRender.render(RenderTask.java:553)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.api.impl.RenderTask.render(RenderTask.java:206)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.ReportEngineService.renderReport(ReportEngineService.java:1303)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.BirtViewerReportService.renderReport(BirtViewerReportService.java:285)
... 45 more

{http://xml.apache.org/axis/}hostname:L14009616

org.eclipse.birt.report.service.api.ReportServiceException: Error happened while running the report; nested exception is:
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.ExcelUtil.covertDimensionType(ExcelUtil.java:628)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.layout.PageDef.parsePage(PageDef.java:23)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.layout.PageDef.(PageDef.java:17)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.emitter.excel.ExcelEmitter.start(ExcelEmitter.java:100)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.api.impl.RenderTask$PageRangeRender.render(RenderTask.java:553)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.engine.api.impl.RenderTask.render(RenderTask.java:206)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.ReportEngineService.renderReport(ReportEngineService.java:1303)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.BirtViewerReportService.renderReport(BirtViewerReportService.java:285)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.actionhandler.BirtRenderReportActionHandler.__execute(BirtRenderReportActionHandler.java:66)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.service.actionhandler.AbstractBaseActionHandler.execute(AbstractBaseActionHandler.java:89)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.presentation.aggregation.layout.FramesetFragment.doService(FramesetFragment.java:222)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.presentation.aggregation.layout.FramesetFragment.service(FramesetFragment.java:86)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.servlet.ViewerServlet.__doGet(ViewerServlet.java:181)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.servlet.BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.doGet(BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.java:146)
at org.eclipse.birt.report.servlet.BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.doPost(BirtSoapMessageDispatcherServlet.java:229)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:710)
at org.apache.axis.transport.http.AxisServletBase.service

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Comments

mwilliams

Hi Rachna,

What version of BIRT are you using?

birtrac

Hi ,

Version is - 2.3.

Thanks

mwilliams

Just 2.3.0, not 2.3.1 or 2.3.2?

birtrac

Hi ,

Its 2.3.1 actually.

Thanks,
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna,

For the crosstab issue, you'll need to use the horizontal page break feature set to always.

For the XLS issue, can you attach a report that runs off the sample, classic models, database that breaks?

birtrac

hi Michael,

1. Okay I will replicate using sample db.

2. I cant use the horizontal page break because number of columns are dynamic, depending on the period selected.
The span could be 4 years, 10 years and son on.
Also it can have months as the columns.
Do we have horizontal page break for that option ?

Thanks
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna,

The current horizontal page breaking for crosstabs is based off of a dimension group level, so you could do by year or by month in your situation. You do this in the "Column Area" tab in the property editor for the crosstab. This is a new feature in the 2.3.x releases. I'm assuming that this feature will be improved upon in future releases.

birtrac

Hi Michael,

I am not very clear what you mean here.

I will explore this option , we either Show Years or Months across the Columns depending on the user input.
Year span can be any number of years and months of course depending on the number of years in the data multiplied by 12.

So how can we control when to page break in this sceanrio because number of columns will be dynamic .

Thanks
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna, 
 
Take a look at this example in the devShare: 
 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.birt-exchange.org/devshare/designing-birt-reports/855-crosstab-horizontal-page-break-example/#description'>Crosstab Horizontal Page Break Example - Designs & Code - BIRT Exchange</a> 
 
It shows the used of the horizontal page break. If you have more questions, let me know.

birtrac

Hi Michael,

That looks great .
But in our case period selection is dynamic i.e. Years or Months or Quarters.
So years can go upto 10 or 12 on one page I will try to create a dummy time to create similar scenario .
I hope that works if you have any sugegstions pls let me know.

Thanks,
Rachna

birtrac

Hi Michael,

As an example for setting pagetype to CUSTOM ->

For the same example :
Crosstab Horizontal Page Break Example - Designs & Code - BIRT Exchange

When I change the Page to Custom , it also gives the stacktrace when exported to Excel as occurring in our report .

(where we need to fix the EXCEL issue - the columns are set to minimum width when exported to EXCEL).

Thanks
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna,

So, you're exporting the same report to PDF and XLS?

birtrac

Hi Michael,

Yes we need to export the report both to Excel and PDF.

Also , is there a way we can print the PDF report on a wider PAPER withould columns shrinking.
i.e. if we have monthly data for 3 Years , we see all the columns on html .
But on pdf we have the following solution :
i. applying horizontal page breaking else columns get
either chopped off or they are un-readable.

Can we somehow tell Birt to print accorsding to Page size and give us the data.
thanks
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna,

You should be able to create your custom paper size in the property editor under the master page. This page size should be reflected in both XLS and PDF.

birtrac

Hi Michael,

Thanks Michael.

i. When I set the Custom page will it always use that page size or will adjust depending on data in the report.
Because if selection period is smaller then would it leave white space ?

ii. For Excel output it gives the stack trace, is there any fix to that ?

Is there any such possibility in coming new release which will take care of this ?

Thanks
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna,

The page size will not adjust to the data for PDF. You'll have to define the page size that you're wanting the report to be on. As for the excel error, I have not seen an error in Excel as of yet.

birtrac

Thanks Michael,

For the excel error I found the reason , the height/width was not set and it worked fine afterwards.

- We are unable to use custom page size because the size will vary on different selections i.e. year or month or Quarters so we cant give fixed custom page size.

- Also forced horizontal page breaking is unacceptable from users.

Can we find out out the foloowing issues are either resolved or being taken care of in any of the new upcoming Releases :
1. Column widths are ignored in excel export.
2. If its possible to have tabs/worksheets for the pages in Excel export.
3. PDF export automatically adjusts and do the horizontal breaking.
4. exporting logos in excel sheet.

Thanks
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna, 
 
1. I'll run a simple test in 2.3.2 and 2.5M6 and see if this is any different. 
2. This may be something you could submit as a request at <a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.eclipse.org/birt/phoenix/reportabug.php'>BIRT: Reporting Bugs and Requesting Enhancements</a>. You may want to search and see if the enhancement has been requested already. 
3. I think this is already an enhancement scheduled for the future. There is no release picked yet though. Horizontal page breaking for crosstabs was a new feature in 2.3.0, so it's still relatively new. 
4. There are issues with images being rendered with the XML XLS output that BIRT uses. You could check out one of the true XLS emitters out there to see if they give you the result you expect.

birtrac

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your support. I will log the request and check for the XLS-emitter.

It will be nice to see the 2.5M6 output to verify if that version takes care of the issue.

In the mean time we will try to get the users with the excel options.
Just one observation though
e.g. we have a Quarter selection and the we had 7 years of data so we had 28 columns and for each quarter we have nesting for 2 measures and one is derived column,
so for each period basically we have 3 columns as:

Year
Q1 Q2
Bus unit -- amount hours rate amt hours rate and so on.

The size for bus unit dimension is set to 0.5 for better look and feell , rest of the column widths are removed. The EXCEL output here in this scenario is different in different columns, any reason for that ?

Some are visible and some are shrinked ..no consistency though.

Thanks
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna,

Without seeing the output, it's hard to make a guess to why it would be doing that. It could be because of how it's handling strings vs. numbers or something like that. Not sure on an answer for that though.

birtrac

Hi Michael,

Thanks . I will attach some output related to that. I also think its something to do with String lengths or so, because when I had less data i.e. Years across the columns they appear different compared to when I had more data across columns i.e. for Quarters .

Regards!
Rachna

mwilliams

Rachna,

Can you post a sample report that messes up for you in BIRT 2.3.1? This way I can run the same report in 2.3.2 and 2.5M7 to see if the outputs are different? Thanks.