Hit "figure it out" boundary on JRXlsExport

[2004 IR Help]

By: Michael Schwarz - evilpenguin

Hit "figure it out" boundary on JRXlsExport

2005-07-10 13:35

I've been working out how to use JasperReports within Java library context (to be used in a Struts servet today, but same lib may be used in a command line or embedded app tomorrow) to produce a report from a custom data class (I'm using a custom JRDataProvider that hands up a list of bean data sources). I figured out from the extremely limited Javadoc documentation how to compile and fill the report. That seems to be working.

 

I've hit the wall on figuring out how to do an XLS export (which is what the customer wants) since the docs indicate that the "easy way" (using JasperExportManager) doesn't do XLS.

 

I have figured out that from JasperFillManager.fillReport that I have a JRPrint object, and it is fairly clear to me that JRPrint.getPages() gives me a list of data that I have to iterate over (and perhaps sub-iterate over) and pass the data items to JRXlsExporter's methods.

 

My question is what the heck is in the "List" returned by "getPages()?" I can turn to the source code itself, but I'm not keen to launch on such an ambitious undertaking. Can someone direct me to a document or example? If I can get a rough idea of the class or classes in that list, I'm sure I can figure it out.

 

Any suggestions, anyone?

 

BTW, I've found a way I can contribute to this open source project, if I'd be welcome. I'd love to (once I'm through with my current contract) start going through the code and writing informative Javadoc comments. They are sorely needed. I've co-written two computer books ("Multitool Linux" and "Java Application Development on Linux"), so even though I am far from the world's greatest programmer, I'm fairly confident I can write lucid and helpful documentation.

 

But first, I have to finish this XLS report generation library!