Types of data sources
To create a new report, the first step the BIRT Studio user performs is to select a template on which to base the report. The second step is selecting the data to display. You provide BIRT Studio users access to data in any of the following ways:
Create and publish data objects.
Create and publish information objects.
Create and publish report templates that include defined data sets. Use this method if you want to provide templates that combine both presentation and data elements.
Create a custom data source and integrate it with BIRT Studio. Use this method if the data is stored in a proprietary system or if you want to design a custom user interface for selecting data.
This section describes all of these methods except creating and publishing report templates that include defined data sets. This method is described in
Creating and publishing report templates.