Calling ReportBuilder Server from Java

rbuser

Has anyone successfully setup a report server and called it from Java? I am
working on a project that has quite a few ReportBuilder based reports. Some
of the functionality for the application is going to be put on the web using
Java. It would be great to not have to convert those reports from
ReportBuilder at this time if I could call ReportBuilder Server and get a
web page back that I can display.

nardmoseley

---------------------------------------------
Tech Tips: How can I request that the webtier
execute a specified report?
---------------------------------------------

Question:
---------
Without using the Web ReportExplorer, how can I request that the webtier
execute a specified report?


Solution:
---------
The webtier processes requests for web content. These requests consists of

1. The URL for the webtier

example: http://127.0.0.1/rbWebPub/report.dll


2. A parameter specifying the content type.

example: content=viewer

{note: content=viewer, is used to request report viewer content.}


3. Additional parameters that are specific to the content request.

volume=Report Forms (the volume name)
Name=Basic\Biolife Table (the full path name to the report)
frameset=1 (show the framset with the toolbar etc., this is required)


Use a web browser to access the webtier demo that displays the report
explorer.

Notice that when you place the mouse over a report in the report explorer
that the status bar in IE shows the url plus some params. That is the string
required to run the report on the web tier.

Example:
http://127.0.0.1/rbWebPub/report.dll?content=viewer&volume=Report
Forms&name=Basic\Biolife Table&framset=1


So the parameters here are

content=viewer (type of content is report viewer)
volume=Report Forms (the volume name)
Name=Basic\Biolife Table (the full path name to the report)
frameset=1 (show the framset with the toolbar etc., this is required)


4. AutoSearch Parameters

To specify autosearch parameters for a report, include the parameter
'newsearch=T' followed by the autosearch parameters.

AutoSearch parameters have the following naming convention: asgXfYse and
asgXfYsa.

The asgX specifies the autosearch group number, where X is the number. The
fY specifies the field number, where Y is the number. The se indicates that
the value is a search expression and the sa specifies that the value is the
"show all" boolean expression.


Example:

content=viewer
newsearch=T
asg0f0se=S
asg0f0sa=false

--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Thanks for the quick reply. In see the example now in the Trial version of
RB Server that I downloaded under Demos\Web Tier.

Can I take what is returned from the WebTier.ProcessWebRequest call and
display it appropriately without using the TWebModule like is in that
particular demo?

nardmoseley

Yes. The WebTier.ProcessWebRequest method returns an html page that can be
sent back to a web browser. (The WebTier is not dependent upon TWebModule or
any of the Delphi web classes - we were careful to keep things separated).

Note that the html page will contain references to other content (images,
html fragments, etc) that are stored in the WebTier's WebCache. Make sure
the web server has access to the WebCache folder and subfolders.

--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com