Re: Next assignment - Reports

[Pete Helgren <Pete@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Nathan,

I figured a sample would help you visualize what I was talking about.

Actually, the HTML approach is on equal footing with everything else we 
have tossed around here, especially if the "designer" is more 
comfortable with HTML.  I am biased because I like the way that Jasper 
supports so many output options out of the box.  But if you are just 
concentrating on HTML and PDF, a simpler approach may be the most workable.

Under the covers, the Jasper Report is just XML if you look at the jrxml 
a designer like iReport generates.  The RPG Report Generator API can 
take either a compiled report (.jasper extension) or an uncompiled 
report (.jrxml). I think it is "6 of one, half dozen of the other" when 
it comes to what the actual template/processing uses/generates as long 
as the API is simple (like Aaron said) and you have a designer tool that 
you have people experienced to use.

I'll be interested in what you finally decide as a solution.  Keep us 
posted.

Pete

Nathan Andelin wrote:
> Pete,
>
> Your RPG interface is more clear to me now, and it's simple.  You're not 
> exporting procedures that position and draw boxes on the page or any of 
> those kinds of details, for example.  A simple call can be evoked from 
> batch programs.  The API looks good.
>
> I'm just exploring the two paradigms.  In one case the developer uses a 
> WYSIWYG report and query definition tool and generates a complete report 
> definition.  In the other case, the a developer might use Dreamweaver to 
> define the layout (an HTML template), then call RPG procedures to merge 
> the template with data at runtime, and produce a stream file.
>
> It seems to me that both paradigms have a potential use.
>
> Nathan.
>
>
>
>