BIRT User Interface

Hi,

I am just in my learning stage for BIRT.I have designed an application in PHP and have used BIRT 2.3.1 for generating reports.My customer has a requirement to add a user interface.I have attached a sample file.My customer needs a similar UI as in the sample report,with drop down navigations.Can this be done in BIRT?If yes, Please help me to solve this.Looking forward from you.

Thanks,
Jac

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richardc

Hi Jac, 
 
See: <a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.eclipse.org/birt/phoenix/examples/reports/birt2.1/cascade/index.php'>BIRT Example Reports</a> - using cascading report parameters 
 
Also the text book: 'BIRT - A Field Guide to Reporting' - Ch: 'Enabling the User to Filter Data'

Jac

Hi Richard, 
 
Thanks for your reply.This feature looks cool,but by customer does not want this in a parameter box.He wants this feature to be implemented on BIRT report viewer screen.Is that possible?He wants the UI similar to that we have on other web pages. 
 
Regards, 
Jac 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="richardc">Hi Jac, 
 
See: <a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.eclipse.org/birt/phoenix/examples/reports/birt2.1/cascade/index.php'>BIRT Example Reports</a> - using cascading report parameters 
 
Also the text book: 'BIRT - A Field Guide to Reporting' - Ch: 'Enabling the User to Filter Data'</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac, 
 
You could probably do something like this with a custom parameter page and then use frames to view both the custom parameter page and the viewer within the same page. You can find out about creating a custom parameter page here: 
 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.birt-exchange.org/devshare/deploying-birt-reports/298-2-2-birt-tag-library/#description'>2.2 BIRT Tag Library - Tips & Tricks - BIRT Exchange</a> 
 
Hope this helps.

Jac

Hi Williams, 
 
Thanks for your response. 
Its initially said to follow these steps 
1.deploy the birt viewer in /ViewerExample 
2.copy the birt.tld in my WEB-INF/tlds directory 
3.copy coreapi.jar, modelapi,jar, viewerservlets.jar and com.ibm.icu_3.6.1v20070417.jar in my WEB-INF/lib directory 
4. add the taglib in web.xml 
<jsp-config> 
<taglib> 
<taglib-uri>/birt.tld</taglib-uri> 
<taglib-location>/WEB-INF/tlds/birt.tld</taglib-location> 
</taglib> 
</jsp-config> 
I am using tomcat to deploy BIRT.I donot see any jar files or birt.tld file.I am using Eclipse BIRT.Please can you explain these steps and why these folder structure and jar files are missing?Looking forward from you at the earliest. 
Thanks, 
Jac 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
You could probably do something like this with a custom parameter page and then use frames to view both the custom parameter page and the viewer within the same page. You can find out about creating a custom parameter page here: 
 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.birt-exchange.org/devshare/deploying-birt-reports/298-2-2-birt-tag-library/#description'>2.2 BIRT Tag Library - Tips & Tricks - BIRT Exchange</a> 
 
Hope this helps.</blockquote>

Jac

Hi , 
 
It works.From a custom parameter page, i am able to call the BIRT report.I need to pass the parameter from this custom parameter page to BIRT.Right now,i donot get any records displayed and hence i get a blank Report viewer screen.I donot want the parameter box anymore.Please help me to pass the parameter to BIRT report from custom page. 
 
Thanks, 
Jac 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
You could probably do something like this with a custom parameter page and then use frames to view both the custom parameter page and the viewer within the same page. You can find out about creating a custom parameter page here: 
 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.birt-exchange.org/devshare/deploying-birt-reports/298-2-2-birt-tag-library/#description'>2.2 BIRT Tag Library - Tips & Tricks - BIRT Exchange</a> 
 
Hope this helps.</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac,

If you call the custom parameter jsp page and call the report from that, you shouldn't get the standard parameter page. As for passing the parameters, as long as the parameters are named the same in your custom parameter page and in your report, the values should pass through without a problem. Is this not the case?

Jac

Hi, 
 
I am using BIRT 2.3.1. 
 
This is the sample code i am using. 
<%@ page language="java" contentType="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" 
pageEncoding="ISO-8859-1"%> 
<%@ taglib uri="/birt.tld" prefix="birt" %> 
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> 
<html> 
<head> 
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> 
</head> 
<body> 
 
<birt:parameterPage id="birtParmPage" reportDesign="business.rptdesign" 
name="my form" 
pattern="frameset" 
height="600" 
width="800" 
format="html" 
title="My Viewer Tag" 
isCustom="true" 
showTitle="true" 
showToolBar="true" 
showNavigationBar="true" 
> 
BusinessId 
<input type="Text" name="BusinessId"> 
 
 
 
Transaction Type 
<input type="Text" name="TransactionType"> 
 
 
 
<input type="Submit" value="Run Report"> 
</birt:parameterPage> 
</body> 
</html> 
 
What i did was i removed the {P} link from the Report Viewer and tried submitting the JSP Page,The JSP page is displayed as an empty page.If i have the {P} link is enabled,then its working fine.But the actual requirement i is don't want the parameter box displayed in BIRT Viewer.Can you please help me? 
 
Thanks, 
Jac 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
If you call the custom parameter jsp page and call the report from that, you shouldn't get the standard parameter page. As for passing the parameters, as long as the parameters are named the same in your custom parameter page and in your report, the values should pass through without a problem. Is this not the case?</blockquote>

Jac

Please help me to solve this?

mwilliams

Jac,

So, when the custom JSP parameter page shows up correctly and you submit to see the report, the default parameter page is still showing?

Jac

Yes it is there.Also, the reports seems to work only if the Parameter box is displayed.If i hide it , the Custom JSP Parameter page is not working. Custom JSP Parameter page is displayed as an empty screen. 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
So, when the custom JSP parameter page shows up correctly and you submit to see the report, the default parameter page is still showing?</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac,

You might try making all your parameters not required in your report design. That may make the default parameter page not show up, but your custom parameter page would still be required to run the report. If that doesn't work, I'll ask you to set up a custom jsp page and a report design made with the sample database that fails and attach it in here in a zip file. Let me know.

Jac

Hi, 
 
I have attached my JSP Custom Page and report file for your reference.Please let me know what is wrong in my code. 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
You might try making all your parameters not required in your report design. That may make the default parameter page not show up, but your custom parameter page would still be required to run the report. If that doesn't work, I'll ask you to set up a custom jsp page and a report design made with the sample database that fails and attach it in here in a zip file. Let me know.</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac,

I modifed your JSP page to only have 2 parameters and linked it to a report I made. I deselected the "Is Required" checkbox in the report parameters in the design, but did not select "is hidden" as you did. It seemed to work correctly. The report showed from the custom jsp parameter page without the default parameter page popping up.

Jac

Hi,

Can you send me the sample page you have used.I tried it as you have said,its seems not working,i am facing the same issue i had before.Please send me ur sample report and custom JSP page for reivew,so that it will be of a great help to me.
Looking forward from you.

mwilliams

Jac,

Here ya go. Let me know if you have issues with these too.

Jac

Hi mwilliams, 
 
I have used the sample code given by you.I am getting the default Parameter box {P} displayed.I don't know the reason why it is not working for me. 
 
Thanks, 
Jac 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
Here ya go. Let me know if you have issues with these too.</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac, 
 
Are you calling the jsp page? Or the report? 
 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://localhost:8080/birt-viewer/test.jsp'>http://localhost:8080/birt-viewer/test.jsp</a> should be your URL to call the parameter page. Then, submit should call the report and ignore the default parameter page. This isn't working for you?

Jac

Hi, 
I am calling the jsp page.But its not working as expected. 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
Are you calling the jsp page? Or the report? 
 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://localhost:8080/birt-viewer/test.jsp'>http://localhost:8080/birt-viewer/test.jsp</a> should be your URL to call the parameter page. Then, submit should call the report and ignore the default parameter page. This isn't working for you?</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac,

I'm not sure what you're getting. Is there any way you can take screenshots of your issues and attach them in here?

Jac

Hi mwilliams, 
 
I have attached 3 files for your reference. 
In the first file(first.png),you can see a jsp Custom Parameter page.I get that window open when i click a link from my main application 
 
In the Second file(second.png),i am able to run the report with the parameters i pass from JSP custom page.You can see for a {p} in the top left corner of the BIRT viewer.This is what i am not supposed to have. 
 
In the Third file(third.png),when i click {p} on it,i can view the parameter box.As per my requirement i shouldn't have this {p} when we are designing using JSP Custom parameter Page. 
 
I am looking forward from you for your response. 
 
Thanks a lot, 
Jac 
 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
I'm not sure what you're getting. Is there any way you can take screenshots of your issues and attach them in here?</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac,

Ok, I understand now. You don't want the toolbar button to re-run the report, which pops up the parameter screen. You should be able to go in and modify the viewer jsp pages to remove this option. If I find the exact location, I'll post the info in here.

Jac

Hi, 
 
I have removed the code for parameter screen from the viewer jsp pages.The problem i am facing is when i remove that code, the JSP page is displayed as an empty screen.Only when i include that code,we are able to see the Custom JSP parameter page with textboxes,buttons etc....You can check for this page in /apache-tomcat-6.0.18/webapps/birt/webcontent/birt/pages/control/ToolbarFragment.jsp.You have to comment the following lines 
 
<TD WIDTH="15px"> 
 
<INPUT TYPE="image" NAME='parameter' SRC="birt/images/Report_parameters.gif" 
 
TITLE="<%= BirtResources.getHtmlMessage( "birt.viewer.toolbar.parameter" )%>" 
 
ALT="<%= BirtResources.getHtmlMessage( "birt.viewer.toolbar.parameter" )%>" CLASS="birtviewer_clickable"> 
 
</TD> 
 
Can you please try for it and let me know whether your page is working or not. 
Looking forward to hear from you. 
Thanks, 
Jac 
 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
Ok, I understand now. You don't want the toolbar button to re-run the report, which pops up the parameter screen. You should be able to go in and modify the viewer jsp pages to remove this option. If I find the exact location, I'll post the info in here.</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac,

If I comment out that section, the report works exactly the same, only there is no "run report" button. The only thing I did different than you is I commented out one of the <TD WIDTH="6px"/> as well.

Jac

Hi mwilliams, 
 
Thanks for your support throughout.Its working fine for me now.Thanks a lot. 
 
Regards, 
Jac 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="mwilliams">Jac, 
 
If I comment out that section, the report works exactly the same, only there is no "run report" button. The only thing I did different than you is I commented out one of the <TD WIDTH="6px"/> as well.</blockquote>

mwilliams

Jac,

Great to hear! Glad I could help! Let us know whenever you have questions!