Re: Next assignment - Reports

[Nathan Andelin <nandelin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Aaron Bartell wrote:
> I have been looking to create an open source reporting
> project based on the Eclipse BIRT stuff.  Basically you could
> have business users build the report in Eclipse and then
> upload the report definition to the iSeries.

I stepped through the Flash demo of the BIRT designer and saw the 
familiar metaphor of defining data sources (SQL Queries), then dragging 
and dropping data source elements onto report bands (header, footer, 
groupings, detail, etc.).  I understand that the designer creates an XML 
document containing data source definitions and report layout 
definitions and also allows users to write Javascript which can be 
interpreted by the runtime engine to handle special data and report 
formatting requirements.

Most of this was intuitive to me because the layout definitions are 
similar to HTML, and I've used a number of PC based query and report 
design tools over the years.  One difference was that Javascript is 
interpreted by the runtime engine on the server and used to handle 
special layout and data munging requirements.

I understand how the XML (data source and report layout and script 
definition) file could be uploaded to the server.

> From there a Java component could be written that accepts
> input from an RPG process to occupy the BIRT report with
> business data.  This is similar in concept to my RPGChartEngine
> tooling (http://mowyourlawn.com/RPGChartEngine.html).

This is the part I don't understand.  If the XML file contains data 
source definitions, SQL query definitions, report layout definitions, 
and Javascript for handling special data munging and layout 
requirements, then what would be the purpose of RPG?  Just to call the 
runtime engine to generate the report?  Pass parameters?

Nathan.