Task 2:

Create a new report

You can create a report in the following ways:

n	Start with a blank report design.

n	Use a predefined report template.

For each template, BIRT Report Designer provides a cheat sheet, which contains step-by-step instructions, to help you create the report.

For this tutorial, you start with a blank report design.

1	Choose File →New→Report. New Report appears. Figure 1‑5 shows the window that appears in BIRT Report Designer. New Report is slightly different in BIRT RCP Report Designer.

Figure 1‑5

New Report in BIRT Report Designer

2	In BIRT Report Designer, in the tree view of the available folders, select the project that you created. This step applies only to BIRT Report Designer users.

3	Type the following text as the file name:

Customers.rptdesign

4	Choose Next. New Report provides options for starting with a blank report and several report templates, as shown in Figure 1‑6.

Figure 1‑6

Report templates in New Report

5	Select Blank Report, then choose Finish. Your new report appears in the main window. This window displays the layout editor, as shown in Figure 1‑7. The layout editor shows an empty report page.

The remainder of this tutorial provides the detailed steps for creating the customer report.

Figure 1‑7

Blank report design