Learning the Basics : About report files and supported formats : Previewing a report
 
Previewing a report
As you work on the design of a report, you typically want to see the report as it would appear to the report user. Using BIRT, you can easily preview a report in any of the supported output formats. You can also view the report in the BIRT report viewer. The report viewer, shown in Figure 2‑41, is an interactive viewer that provides report users with the capability to jump to specific pages or to specific sections of a report, to run a report to get the latest data, to print a report, and to export a report to any of the supported output formats.
Figure 2‑41 BIRT Report Viewer
The following list describes the ways to preview a report:
*To preview a report in BIRT Report Designer, choose the Preview tab at the bottom of the layout editor. The previewer displays the report in HTML format.
*To preview a report in the report viewer, choose RunView ReportIn Web Viewer.
*To preview a report as a Microsoft Word document, choose RunView ReportAs DOC.
*To preview a report in HTML format in a separate window, choose RunView ReportAs HTML.
*To preview a report in PDF format, choose RunView ReportAs PDF.
*To save a report as a PostScript file, choose RunView ReportAs POSTSCRIPT.
*To preview a report as a Microsoft PowerPoint document, choose RunView ReportAs PPT.
*To preview a report as a Microsoft Excel document, choose RunView ReportAs XLS.