Eclipse BIRT Report Object Model (ROM)
DesignElement Element
| Display Name: | Design Element |
| Since: | 1.0 |
| XML Element: | None |
| Extends: | None |
| Extendable: | No |
| Abstract: | Yes |
| Name Space: | None |
| Name Requirement: | Not Supported |
| Allows User Properties: | Yes |
| Has Style: | No |
The design element is an internal, abstract element used to implement basic features of ROM elements. It provides the following:
The design element provides a framework for customizing properties. The developer can add application-specific properties. These properties appear in the JRP ERD property sheet identically to ROM-defined properties. The developer can identify the property type using a wide variety of choices. JRP ERD automatically displays a property builder UI based on the property type. The developer can also hide JRP ERD or custom-defined properties.
The developer can add custom properties to a component, and can hide ROM-defined properties. Together, these help the developer create highly customized, reusable components tailored to the needs of a given application.
The DesignElementDefn object is available to
your scripts. It provides the information about the design of an
object. Every ROM element has design information, and many have
separate run-time information. The design object provides access to
the information defined in the XML schema file. It is most useful
to get access to user-defined properties and property values so
that scripts can customize report behavior.
Not all properties are available for all kinds of elements. See the derived element definitions for details.
Some of the elements derived from this one support inheritance. If so, then the value of the above properties include values inherited up the inheritance chain.
Custom XML associated with an element.
| Type: | xml |
| Since: | 1.0 |
| Required: | No |
| Display Name: | Custom XML |
| JavaScript Type: | |
| Default Value: | None |
| Inherited: | Yes |
| Runtime Settable: | No |
| Property Sheet Visibility: | Visible |
| Property Sheet Group: | Top |
Applications can associate their own XML with any ROM report element. BIRT ignores this XML other than to make it available to user scripts. User scripts can use this XML to provide custom report behavior.
The XML must be valid. XML elements must be balanced. The XML should use a third-party name space, but the name space is not required.
User-defined properties for another way to customize an element.
List of user-defined property masks.
| Type: | List of PropertyMask Structures |
| Since: | reserved |
| Required: | No |
| Display Name: | Property masks |
| JavaScript Type: | |
| Default Value: | None |
| Inherited: | Yes |
| Runtime Settable: | No |
| Property Sheet Visibility: | Hidden |
| Property Sheet Group: | Top |
Property masks allow the user to customize
the set of properties available for a reusable component. Null if no masks are
defined. Each item in the array is a PropertyMask object.
Property Mask structure
List of user-defined properties for the element.
| Type: | List of UserProperty Structures |
| Since: | reserved |
| Required: | No |
| Display Name: | User properties |
| JavaScript Type: | |
| Default Value: | None |
| Inherited: | Yes |
| Runtime Settable: | No |
| Property Sheet Visibility: | Hidden |
| Property Sheet Group: | Top |
The list of user-defined properties defined
for this element. Null if no user-defined properties are available. Each item in
the array is a UserProperty object.
As noted above, JRP ERD elements can define custom properties. A property has two parts: a definition and a value. The definition provides the name, type and other descriptive information. The value is something that another developer enters to set the property. For example, suppose the developer defines an "AlertColor" property for a library component. A developer who uses this element might set the value of the property to "Red."
User Property Definition structure