Sharing a dataDesign object across reports

I am new to BIRT / Actuate. Just licensed iHub3 and am playing around. I figured out how to create a report w data source, data sets - info objects, etc. What I cannot figure out how to do is share a single .datadesign object across reports. Here's what I have done:<ul class='bbc'><li>I created a project called Platform. </li><li>Within Platform i have created a .datadesign object which is currently stored in the 'Report Designs' folder and the Report Designs folder.. I made a copy.</li><li>I then published the resource to a Data Objects folder by right clicking on it, selecting Publish, creating a server profile, checking the publish files box and checking the .datadesign file and pressing Publish.</li><li>When I create a new report, I would expect to go into the Resources tab under Property Editor and Add File and select the .datadesign file.. but it's not there. </li></ul>How do I access existing shareable objects in a new report? Thanks - John

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johnw

2 ways. 1) Use a library. 2) Use a template. I would actually use both. Create a library with your Data Object. Then create a template that instances the libraries data object. Publish the template. Then use that template every time you create a new report. It will automatically have the data object in it. Then if you make a change, just change the library, or change the data object itself, and every report that uses it will update accordingly. For more information, see the following links:<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.packtpub.com/article/use-templates-report-birt'>http://www.packtpub.com/article/use-templates-report-birt</a><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.linuxtopia.org/online_books/eclipse_documentation/eclipse_birt_report_guide/topic/org.eclipse.birt.doc/birt/eclipse_birt_report_SharedWorking.19.1.html'>http://www.linuxtopia.org/online_books/eclipse_documentation/eclipse_birt_report_guide/topic/org.eclipse.birt.doc/birt/eclipse_birt_report_SharedWorking.19.1.html</a><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theserverside.com/news/1364376/Using-Eclipse-BIRT-Report-Libraries-and-Templates'>http://www.theserverside.com/news/1364376/Using-Eclipse-BIRT-Report-Libraries-and-Templates</a>

John F

Thanks John - very helpful. I see there's a lot to learn about templates with respect to formatting as well. Appreciate the help! - John

csetzkorn

Hi all,
 
I have tried both options but did not get any working. This is what I did:
 
(1) I created a template with a Sql server JDBC data source
(2) Registered Template with New Report Wizard
(3) Create report from this template
(4) Created dataset in this report and viewed data in table
(5) Changed database name in connection string of template. Unfortunately, the change was not propagated (test scenario 2 databases with same schema and one table - each table table contains different data to see if database name has changed).
 
Can anyone help? Thanks.
 
Christian

JFreeman

The data source information needs to come from a report library and updated in a report library for changes to happen to the reports. The template is only used when initially creating the report. Changes to a template will not effect reports already created from the template.
 
As John indicated, you will want to create a report library with the data source information and then configured the report template to use the data source from the report library. This means reports created from the template will use the report library for their data source by default then changes can be made in the report library.