JasperReports can be defined as an open source reporting tool designed for Java. The tool is specifically designed to write for a wide range of targets that include screen, printers, PDF, MS Excel, HTML, ODT, XML files, RTF, values separated by commas and so on. The tool can also be utilized in various applications that are enabled by Java. The apps may also include Java EE or other web applications, for generation of dynamic contents. It also has the ability to read instructions from .jasper or XML files.
As JR is not a standalone tool, it is not possible to install it all by itself. Instead, you will have to embed it into any specific Java application, by the process of including the application library in its CLASSPATH.
Before going through the process of adding functionalities of the JR, let us go through the features thereof. The principle features that JasperReports come ups with include:
Report Generation
Generation of reports is pretty common, though it may be a tedious and at times, a time consuming task for the programmers. In the past, generation of reports has chiefly been restricted to the realm of large scale commercial products like Crystal Reports. However, at present, with the availability of open source report generating tools like JR, developers of Java get a credible alternative option, other than any commercial software.
Adding JasperReports functionalities
When it comes to adding JR functionalities, the first thing that needs to be understood is the objects that the tool uses for representing the process of reporting on its way to report generation from report designing.
JasperDesign: It represents the definition of a report. In most of the cases, Jasper Design can be created from an XML report template, although it can be created from the programmer's perspective.
JasperReports: It represents a compiled or collated JasperDesign. The process of collation itself verifies the report design and compilation of the same into a specific JasperReports object.
JasperPrint: It represents a generated report and can be created from JasperReports that can be populated with the data obtained from data source.
The flexibility of the API in JasperReports helps the user in loading objects of JasperDesign, JasperReports, as well as JasperPrint from a specific file or stream and create these objects programmatically. It is also possible to print reports to printers, images, as well as PDF files. The library comes up with a façade class, dori.jasper.engine.JasperManager along with various methods of filling, loading, compiling, as well as methods of printing reports.
Again, so far as printing reports is concerned, documents generated by JasperReports library can be printed out with the use of the net.sf.jasperreports.engine.JasperPrintManager class. Users can export the generated reports to other formats that may include PDF, HTML as well as XLS. Facade classnet.sf.jasperreports.engine.JasperExportManager is there to help users achieve this particular functionality. Exporting here denotes transforming the JasperPrint object (.jrprint file) into a different format.
In case of any real-world application, it is virtually not practicable to load or compile JasperDesign whenever there is any need of report generation. As the designs of these reports are mainly static, in the majority of instances, the users would require precompiling of the JasperDesign files, for increasing the speed. However, the speed of even larger reports can be increased by generating as well as saving objects of JasperPrint.
Open source JasperReports can, therefore, meet the demands and the needs of Java reporting in a great way. That is why, when it comes to building any reporting application or adding reporting capability to any existing application, JasperReports comes in extremely handy. Outsource reports Development to a company that has years of experince in Reporting services.
We provide Jasper reports software development services. If you would like to discuss with a certified Jasper reports developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.
Before going through the process of adding functionalities of the JR, let us go through the features thereof. The principle features that JasperReports come ups with include:
- Flexible layouts of reports.
- Ability of textual and graphical representation of data.
- Ability to help developers to supply data in a number of ways.
- Ability to accept data from a wide range of data sources.
- Ability to generate watermarks, which is like a secondary image that a primary image is covered by.
- Ability to generate subreports.
- The capability of exporting a wide variety of reports to different formats.
Report Generation
Generation of reports is pretty common, though it may be a tedious and at times, a time consuming task for the programmers. In the past, generation of reports has chiefly been restricted to the realm of large scale commercial products like Crystal Reports. However, at present, with the availability of open source report generating tools like JR, developers of Java get a credible alternative option, other than any commercial software.
Adding JasperReports functionalities
When it comes to adding JR functionalities, the first thing that needs to be understood is the objects that the tool uses for representing the process of reporting on its way to report generation from report designing.
JasperDesign: It represents the definition of a report. In most of the cases, Jasper Design can be created from an XML report template, although it can be created from the programmer's perspective.
JasperReports: It represents a compiled or collated JasperDesign. The process of collation itself verifies the report design and compilation of the same into a specific JasperReports object.
JasperPrint: It represents a generated report and can be created from JasperReports that can be populated with the data obtained from data source.
The flexibility of the API in JasperReports helps the user in loading objects of JasperDesign, JasperReports, as well as JasperPrint from a specific file or stream and create these objects programmatically. It is also possible to print reports to printers, images, as well as PDF files. The library comes up with a façade class, dori.jasper.engine.JasperManager along with various methods of filling, loading, compiling, as well as methods of printing reports.
Again, so far as printing reports is concerned, documents generated by JasperReports library can be printed out with the use of the net.sf.jasperreports.engine.JasperPrintManager class. Users can export the generated reports to other formats that may include PDF, HTML as well as XLS. Facade classnet.sf.jasperreports.engine.JasperExportManager is there to help users achieve this particular functionality. Exporting here denotes transforming the JasperPrint object (.jrprint file) into a different format.
In case of any real-world application, it is virtually not practicable to load or compile JasperDesign whenever there is any need of report generation. As the designs of these reports are mainly static, in the majority of instances, the users would require precompiling of the JasperDesign files, for increasing the speed. However, the speed of even larger reports can be increased by generating as well as saving objects of JasperPrint.
Open source JasperReports can, therefore, meet the demands and the needs of Java reporting in a great way. That is why, when it comes to building any reporting application or adding reporting capability to any existing application, JasperReports comes in extremely handy. Outsource reports Development to a company that has years of experince in Reporting services.
We provide Jasper reports software development services. If you would like to discuss with a certified Jasper reports developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.
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