JPDF Reporting Capability.

The JPDF provides a capability to compose, preview and print a wide variety of reports.

Desktop Reporting Architecture enables quick, low-cost implementation.

Generates reports to screen-preview, hardcopy, and PDF files.

Designed to be integrated into Java Swing applications.

The Report Gallery contains examples of the types of reports that can be generated. The JPDF Demo can be used to see this capability in action.

Desktop Reporting Architecture

The JPDF Reporting Capability employs a Desktop Reporting Architecture. This means that all reporting activities occur within the Client Workstation -- there is no need for additional infrastructure (e.g. a report server). Reports can contain data obtained from any Data Source available to the client application (e.g. database, data file, and so on).

Report Definition

Two alternative approches to report definition are supported:

Report definition can be done programmatically. This entails making calls to the JPDF API from your Java application.

Report definition can be done declaratively. This entails usng a FoRML (Form/Report Markup Language) file. FoRML is an XML grammar which specifies the content and formatting of a report in a manner similar to the way HTML specifies the content and formatting of a web page. Using FoRML allows you to develop reports for your application with minimal Java coding.


        <?xml version='1.0'?>

        <!-- FoRML Document -->

        <FORML-DOC title='Employee Details Report' 
            forml-version='1.0'> 

          

            <!-- Meta Data -->

            <META-DATA>

              <DATUM name='DatabaseName' 
                                      value='HumanResourcesDB'/>

            </META-DATA>

                

            <!-- Page Specification -->

            <PAGE 
                          size-name='letter' 
                          orientation='landscape' 
                  margin='0.35in'> 
   
              <PAGE-HEADER-TEXT 
                                      color='Navy' 
                                      font-family='Georgia, Arial, Serif' 
                                      font-size='20pt'>

...

Report Viewer

The JPDF Preview Capability serves as an on-screen Report Viewer. The Report Viewer's tool bars can be customized to allow the user to specify various report parameters. For example, in the image to the right, the user can select the Fiscal Year for the Consolidated Income Statement report.

Print To PDF

The Reporting Capability allows reports to be printed to Adobe Acrobat® PDF files (requires the Ghostscript PDF interpreter). PDF files provide an efficient and portable format for report storage and exchange. The end-user can select to print to PDF by clicking the Print To File check box and selecting the PDF File option from the Print Dialog.