You can save and view a report in the following formats:
HTML
Microsoft Excel document (.xls)
Microsoft PowerPoint document (.ppt)
Microsoft Word document (.doc)
PDF
PostScript
In addition, users who receive reports can export the data to any of these common office software formats, then edit and redistribute the reports to other users.
Viewing 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 view 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 1‑41, is an HTML‑based 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 1‑41 BIRT Report Viewer
The following list describes the ways to preview a report:
To preview a report in the report viewer, choose Run➛View Report➛In Web Viewer.
To preview a report as a Microsoft Word document, choose Run➛View Report➛As DOC.
To preview a report in HTML format in a separate window, choose Run➛View Report➛As HTML.
To preview a report in PDF format, choose Run➛View Report➛As PDF.
To save a report as a PostScript file, choose Run➛View Report➛As POSTSCRIPT.
To preview a report as a Microsoft PowerPoint document, choose Run➛View Report➛As PPT.
To preview a report as a Microsoft Excel document, choose Run➛View Report➛As XLS.
HTML