Use report library gadgets to display visual report items from a BIRT library. Report items include interactive viewing options for users to explore and customize the data presentation. A BIRT library file is created in BIRT Designer Professional and contains customized report elements, such as data sources, visual report items, styles, images, scripts and parameters.

For example, a report library file contains a chart, a cross tab, a Flash object, a grid, a map, and an image. You can add a separate report library gadget for the chart and the map items to the dashboard. Each of the report items you selected appear in their own gadget and can link to data selection gadgets.

When adding report items from the BIRT library, these items are copied to the dashboard. When the report library gadget is displayed, only the selected report items are rendered. If a report library is updated and you want to display the new version of the report item in the library, you must add a new report library gadget to the dashboard.

The report items in a BIRT library file are only generated if they are displayed on the dashboard. When using a Reportlet gadget to display items in a BIRT design file, the entire BIRT design is generated, if any part of the design is displayed on the dashboard. Large reports can cause a delay to retrieve the content of a Reportlet gadget. If the developer uses a BIRT library, only the requested content is delivered, offering better performance and a shorter delay to display the desired content.

This procedure requires a dashboard you can edit and a BIRT library file with report items added using BIRT Designer Professional. Create a new dashboard if one does not already exist.

To create a report library gadget, complete the following steps: