Libraries and CSS Files In BIRT 2.5.1

jjfeigal

We have started to work with report libraries and CSS files located in the Shared Resources folder in order to standardize the BIRT reports that we are developing.

In Report Designer we are able to get a report working to our satisfaction and then we save the report.

The next time that we open the report in Report Designer, we sometimes get errors indicating that the library cannot be found as well as errors indicating that elements that are defined in the library do not exist. Also, we sometimes get errors indicating the the CSS file cannot be found and we don't see our styles being applied to the report design.

These errors can be resolved by executing a "Refresh Library" and a "Reload CSS File".

In case it matters, here is some background information about our BIRT development/production environment. We have a Windows 2003 Server dedicated to our BIRT Reports development and production. The development reports are located in a folder defined under a webappsbirt-viewer folder under Tomcat. The rptlibrary file and CSS file are located in a resources folder defined in the same folder as the reports. The location of the resources folder is specified in the Eclipse Preferences under Report Design/Resource. There is a parallel folder structure for production reports.

Is there an explanation why we have to execute a "Refresh Library" and a "Reload CSS File" each time we edit a report design?

jjfeigal

I have some additional information related to when we see the errors related to the libraries and CSS files.

1. After starting Eclipse and opening a BIRT report project, if a report design is opened for editing, the errors are not received.

2. After modifying/saving/closing a report design, if the report is opened during the same Eclipse session while the BIRT report project remains open, the errors are received.

3. After modifying/saving/closing a report design, if the BIRT report project is closed and reopened, when the report design is opened for editing, the errors are received.

Is it possible that some internal BIRT related processing information that is initialized when Eclipse is started is not being reset after a report is edited/saved/closed? This would be a question that only the developers at Actuate could answer.