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Replace one Data Set with another in Report Designer
EricB
I have two reports in my workspace, both containing a Data Set with the same name. One report has a newer version of the Data Set (i.e. additional output columns available) and I'd like to use that newer version in the other report.
More generically.... what I'd like to do is take a Data Set from one report and use it to replace the similarly-named Data Set from a pre-existing report. The goal would be to have the pre-existing report stay in working condition while enabling the report builder to enhance the report to use the newly-added columns.
I can sort of do this with the Copy/Delete/Paste features, but it's rather cumbersome to go about it this way. I'm wondering if anyone knows of an easier way to accomplish this.
The full set of steps, with screenshots, I follow to perform this data-set-replacement can be seen in the attached Word document.
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johnw
Put the data set in a Library, then just reference the data set there. Anytime you update the dataset, it will reflect in all the reports that use it.
EricB
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="'johnw'" data-cid="96960" data-time="1330461568" data-date="28 February 2012 - 01:39 PM"><p>
Put the data set in a Library, then just reference the data set there. Anytime you update the dataset, it will reflect in all the reports that use it.<br /></p></blockquote>
Thanks johnw. Interesting idea. I tried it and it works, maintaining the report's bindings through the Data Set delete/paste process. I suppose that means, regardless of whether or not Data Sets will be reused across reports, it's wise to encapsulate the Data Source and Data Sets in to a library separate from any report artifact that has layout defined. I can see the value of this approach if the Data Sets are actually re-used across reports. If not, it seems a bit cumbersome to have this extra artifact associated to each report just to maintain all report bindings in the event that a Data Set needs to get replaced.<br />
<br />
In many cases, I think it would be simpler (from a report-building perspective) to have a dialog when attempting to paste a Data Set in where one already exists with the same name. The dialog would prompt with 3 options: <br />
1) 'Paste and Replace', 2) 'Paste, but keep both files', 3) 'Cancel, . The first option would replace and maintain all report bindings that referenced the Data Set. The second option would do as it does today, auto-renaming the Data Set being pasted in. The third choice would cancel the Paste operation altogether. This 3-choice prompt is similar to Windows 7 when moving a file to a directory where one already exists with the same name. I've attached a picture of the Windows 7 prompt.
johnw
I would submit that as an enhancement request in the Bugzilla for the Designer. The Bugzilla address is
http://www.eclipse.org/birt/phoenix/reportabug.php
.
EricB
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="'johnw'" data-cid="97023" data-time="1330530032" data-date="29 February 2012 - 08:40 AM"><p>
I would submit that as an enhancement request in the Bugzilla for the Designer. The Bugzilla address is <a class='bbc_url' href='
http://www.eclipse.org/birt/phoenix/reportabug.php.'>http://www.eclipse.org/birt/phoenix/reportabug.php.</a><br
/></p></blockquote>
Thanks johnw! I've opened enhancement request 372881: <br />
<a class='bbc_url' href='
https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=372881'>https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=372881</a>
;
