Console output?

Dear BIRT-Exchange community, 
 
I am new to using BIRT and I have been having difficulty lately troubleshooting scripts. Ideally I would like to be able to use simple Java "System.out.print" statements, but it seems such functionality is not incorporated into BIRT by default. Does anyone have any suggestions of what I could do as an alternative? On a side note, I came across a post in which the author created a Java class which sends output to a log file. The problem is that I am not sure where to place the Java class in order to be able to utilize it in my scripts. Here is the link: <a class='bbc_url' href='http://davidjberman.com/blogs/birt_reporting/archive/2009/07/21/249.aspx'>How to use the BIRT Reporting Engine for Eclipse - BIRT Java Reporting</a> Thank you in advance for your time and assistance! 
 
Sincerely, 
Brian Demers

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JasonW

Brian,

You can put in script like:
importPackage( Packages.java.io );
out = new PrintWriter( new FileWriter( "c:/test/events.txt", true ) );
out.println(reportContext.getHttpServletRequest().getServletPath());
out.println( "Initialize Event");
out.close();

You can also set a breakpoint on the script and step through it.

Jason

bdemers

Dear Jason,

Thank you for the swift response! I attempted to copy and paste that code segment into my script and for some reason it gave me an error. I am thinking that perhaps I am approaching what I believe to be "scripting in BIRT" in the wrong way. I am trying to manipulate data from a data source and then send it to a graph. The way that I have been trying to do this was clicking on a graph, then selecting Script tab. To check if the scripting works, all I know to do is click the Preview tab and check the bottom for errors. I would attach a screenshot to better iterate my point but the size requirements are absurd and was unable to shrink it down. Thank you again for your assistance!

Sincerely,
Brian

JasonW

Brian,

If you put
importPackage( Packages.java.io );
out = new PrintWriter( new FileWriter( "c:/test/events.txt", true ) );
out.println( "Test Event");
out.close();

Does it fail. What event are you putting it in? Also can you post your report with a details about what you are trying to do?

BTW you should be able to set a break point (Right Click) on a script line and the select debug report to debug into a report.

Jason

bdemers

Dear Jason,

I failed to think that I may have put it in the wrong event, quite a "smack yourself in the forehead" moment. I placed it in the "onRender" event. It first failed saying:

Chart Variable test:
+ Wrapped java.io.FileNotFoundException: c:testevents.txt (The system cannot find the path specified.) at line 11 of chart script:''

After I created the folder and text file, it gave me the following error:

Chart Variable test:
+ ReferenceError: "reportContext" is not defined. at line 12 of chart script:''

Finally, there is not an option to debug into a report when I right-click on a line.

Sincerely,
Brian

JasonW

Brian, 
 
In the onRender for a chart you have to choose one of the chart events in the drop down list on the right. Choose beforeGeneration. The chart script works slightly different than other items in BIRT. Take the line out that has the reportContext. To get reportContext in Chart script you have to make a call on the chart script context. For example in the beforeGeneration I might want to get a report parameter in like: 
 
function beforeGeneration(chart, icsc) 
{ 
cxtitle = icsc.getExternalContext().getScriptable().getParameterValue("chartTitle"); 
xAxis = chart.getBaseAxes()[0]; 
xAxis.getTitle().getCaption().setValue( cxtitle ); 
} 
 
To debug a report use Run->Debug Report 
You can also open the debug perspective (Window->open perspective->other then choose debug) Once in the debug perspective choose run-debug configurations then select the report icon in the tree on the left and hit the new button (top left looks like paper icon with a star in the top right hand corner) This should allow you to configure the debug configuration for the report that you currently have open. In order for it to stop on a line you have to set a break point as described before) To see a demo of this watch the 2.3 features demo from eclise: 
<a class='bbc_url' href='http://live.eclipse.org/node/484'>BIRT 2.3 Overview and New Features | Eclipse Live</a> 
 
Jason

bdemers

Dear Jason,

Removing the line containing reportContext solved that issue. Thank you! As for the debug perspective, I briefly attempted using it and will likely use it in the future. Thank you for your time spent assisting me, it means a lot. Take care of yourself!

Sincerely,
Brian

kajurengg

Thank you Jason! I am able to see the values getting passed to the parameters/variables using the above code.