Displaying BIRT documents
BIRT design files contain many features to enhance chart types, document layout and scripting. BIRT document files are created using BIRT Designer Professional and Report Studio. These files and their content are displayed in dashboards using report and Reportlet gadgets.
Use report gadgets to display entire BIRT files. If the document contains multiple pages, the user can navigate through those pages or use the table of contents in the BIRT document to find the information they need. The BIRT document retains the file access permissions of the original BIRT document and users can interact with the report using the same features as Interactive Viewer.
Use Reportlet gadgets to display a report element from a BIRT document that is identified by a bookmark. For example, a single element such as a BIRT map or multiple elements in a BIRT report grid such as a chart, a table, a map, and some dynamic text.
Report gadgets support drill-through of charts when the BIRT developer enables this functionality. Figure 16‑1 shows a report gadget’s toolbar menu.
Figure 16‑1 Exporting content from a report gadget
Users can interactively change the appearance, content and layout of a BIRT document when the user maximizes the report gadget. Figure 16‑2 shows a maximized report gadget. Maximize the report by choosing Analyze from the gadget menu.
Figure 16‑2 Opening the context menu of a maximized report gadget
How to add a Reportlet gadget
This procedure requires a dashboard you can edit and a BIRT document with bookmarks added using BIRT Designer Professional. Create a new dashboard if one does not already exist.
To create a Reportlet gadget, complete the following steps:
1 In the dashboard editor, choose InsertReportReportlet.
2 Choose Browse to display available reports.
3 Select a BIRT report document or report design file to display and choose OK.
4 Choose Select to display available bookmarks in the document.
5 Select a bookmark to display and choose OK, as shown in Figure 16‑3.
Figure 16‑3 Creating a Reportlet gadget
6 Select default values for any parameters in New Reportlet Gadget—Parameter.
7 In New Reportlet Gadget, choose OK to create the new gadget.