Cascading parameters with multiple values: How to build custom parameter page?

We need a report with cascading parameters with multiple values on each level. I have got so far as here: <a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.birt-exchange.com/forum/designing-birt-reports/10129-need-display-multiple-value-parameter.html'>http://www.birt-exchange.com/forum/designing-birt-reports/10129-need-display-multiple-value-parameter.html</a> 
(I have added the beforeOpen script and have changed the scalar parameter type) 
 
This works just fine for the last level of the cascading parameters, but not on the first level: there is no way to trigger the next level of the cascading parameters, since the automatic triggering is only active for single values. 
 
Thus I want to design a custom parameter page where I put a button next to the cascading parameter levels which shall trigger the next level of the cascading parameters. What action do I fire to trigger the next level? 
 
(please see the attached jpg for the looks of it in Access: the blue arrows are the buttons to trigger the next level. The attached report shows how far I got: multiple values for both parameters, but I cannot select any valus from the first list)

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Comments

JasonW

Reiner,

Currently BIRT does not support cascaded parameters with multiselect values at each level. One thing you could try is to simulate a cascade using different reports. So the first report would only contain a multiselect list box parameter tied to a data set (no graphical content) except for a text element to forward to the next report which would contain a multiseclt list box parameter tied to dataset for the second level, until you get your final. I have not tried this so I am not sure it would work, but it may be worth trying.

Jason

Reiner

Hello Jason,

I have also thought along the lines of report drilldown with multiple reports. I guess it will work, but presumably without the wanted user experience since we have some other parameters as well.

The other way I can think of is to write a new EventHandler or change an existing. Do you think it is worth to have a look at the ListGroupEventHandler?

The way we are heading right now is to write a little web application which collects all the parameters and then call the BIRT Report Engine API to generate the report.

JasonW

I do not think an event handler will meet your needs. You could write your app and then call the webviewer, just add the completed parameter object to the appcontext or session and then in the report use script to pull out the parameter values. You could also look at using the tag libraries. Take a look at this blog entry: 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://birtworld.blogspot.com/2007/09/22-birt-tag-library-building-custom.html'>BIRT World: 2.2 BIRT Tag Library: Building a Custom Parameter Page</a> 
 
Jason