[Color on the background of the cell while report execution]

Read about conditional style in ireport-ultimate-guide or jasperreports-ultimate-guide

[Empty xls file. First run application]

It's hard to understand remotely. I can't see errors (stacktrace). I don't know your application, and so on... I don't know what DataSource are used (sql, JRBeanCollectionDataSource, xPath query,...). May be it is empty in other computer.

[Empty xls file. First run application]

How you make export into xls??? See for example

http://community.jaspersoft.com/questions/502003/about-export-html

In this forum there are many information about various exports.

[Empty xls file. First run application]

Are you see data in html format (for example) ?

[Crosstab Issues]

It's so difficult to explain this remotely.... You must write some java-code. Examples you can find in this forum. One of this:

http://community.jaspersoft.com/questions/516879/crosstab-measures

 

But in first step you can try to set Calculation="Sum" for crosstab measure

[Crosstab Issues]

http://community.jaspersoft.com/questions/800324/crosstab-concatenate-values-measure

[Conditional Styling questions]

@marlin_snyder

From ireport-ultimate-guide.pdf :
In the condition expression you can use all the properties of the report object. Please note that the conditions cannot be generic,
for instance, you cannot set a condition like “if the number is positive” or “if the string is null.” You must be very specific,
specifying, for example, that a particular value (field, parameter, variable or any expression involving them) must be positive
or null, and so on.

I have similar problems :(

[display records from multiple tables in detail band]

I don't understand what mean "Quatation". Also is not clear in what table (or how to calculate) price ?

[Formatting of SQL results to prevent repeated row/column data]

 

[Using a generic JavaBean for different reports]

Collection src in all cases declared as Collection

[Using a generic JavaBean for different reports]

I am don't understand exactly yuor questions. Is OPENUM private field must be present in all javaBean?
Example:
public class A1() {

private String openum;
public String getOpenum();
private String field2;

}

public class B1 {
private String openum;
public String getOpenum();

private String field3;
...

}

This two different classes. You want to use it's in JRBeanCollectionDataSource for ONE report. Is I am understand correctly?
In this way you can rewrite classes with using inheritance:
public class Parent {
private String openum;
public String getOpenum();
}
public class A1 extends Parent {

private String field2;
}
public class B1 extends Parent {
private String filed3;
}

Collection src = new ArrayList();
src.add(new A1(...))
src.add(new A1(...))
JRBeanCollectionDataSource dest = new JRBEanCollectionDataSource(src);  - use it for first report

or
Collection src = new ArrayList();
src.add(new B1(...))
src.add(new B1(...))
JRBeanCollectionDataSource dest = new JRBEanCollectionDataSource(src);  - use it for same report
 

[How to print latest date (Jasper Reports with XML datasource) ??]

Are you set in iReport order by descending? In this case lastest dete will be first.

[How to print latest date (Jasper Reports with XML datasource) ??]

The simplest solution. Set order in iReport by date descending. And set PrintWhenExpression: $V{REPORT_COUNT} == 1  on this field (field must by type java.util.Date for expamle. Not String!)

But "simplest" != "best" :)

[Group Expression]

after insert query in this subreport:

select '2013-1-6' competent_date, 'Value 1' skill_set from dual union all

select '2013-1-6' , 'Value 2' from dual union all

select '2013-1-5' , 'Value 3' from dual union all

select '2013-1-5' , 'Value 4' from dual

 

I am get next output:

2013-1-6

Value 1

Value 2

2013-1-5

Value 3

Value 4

 

Are you get same result when only subreport run (without main report)?

[Group Expression]

Is dates really equals? Try to display $F{X}.getTime() in group header and compare displayed values

[crosstab data sorting problem]

I am try to use "Order by exp." for Column Groups, but I could not get it to work :( Columns sorted always by bucket expression in my crosstab.

In your case "data-presorted" options is not work (i guess) because order record in sql-query the same as in crosstab (alphabetic). Try to add field in query (numberOfMonth = 1,2,3) set order by "numberOfMonth" in query and set "data presorted" for crosstab.

 

[[solved] How to calculate sum by row and max in total for crosstab?]

Problem solved by same steps:
1. Set "None" to display row-summary and column summary
2. Calculate summary for row in java (calculate DataSource collection)
3. Calculate date of max and add row with max to collection (in java). In this row set dateMax = realDateMax+10000 years (It's for display in last row in report)
4. Date expression in jrxml: $V{peakDate}.getDate().getTime()>4000000000000L ? my.package.name.addYear($V{peakDate}.getDate(),-10000) : $V{peakDate}.getDate()     (Display correct data in last row)

It will be work only before 2096 year. It's enough for me :)

[Sum of previous 2 rows]

There is always the sum of only two records? What are you do if Shop3 will be added?
Use group and sum by group. See http://community.jaspersoft.com/system/files/documentation/ireport-ultimate-guide.pdf  
7.2 Working with Groups


 

[Reuse part of JRXML]

Why you can't use subreports ?

[Jasper report parameters]

This map contain values of parameters for report execution. See http://community.jaspersoft.com/system/files/documentation/jasperreports-ultimate-guide-3.pdf

 

[Cover Sheet]

"All the variables, and fields and Text Fields in the report are set to java.math.BigDecimal"
Stack trace says otherwise. My version JR is different from your version. I can not determine exactly where the error occurred. "My" src of jasper have empty 335 line at place
net.sf.jasperreports.engine.fill.JRBigDecimalSumIncrementer.increment(JRBigDecimalIncrementerFactory.java:335

Source jasper have this lines (in my version, but in another place):
BigDecimal value = (BigDecimal)variable.getIncrementedValue();
BigDecimal newValue = (BigDecimal)expressionValue;

Check expression (?) in your jrxml (may be it's cast to Integer (?)). Check type of parameters, may be problem here.... and so on
Without source code jasper and without jrxml we have only guess
 

[Jasper report parameters]

You must define params "value1" and "value2" in jrxml

[[solved] How to calculate sum by row and max in total for crosstab?]

I am use java (ORM) for DataSource (new JRBeanCollectionDataSource(Collection)).  I don't use query. And using additional query requred additional time for calculating report. It's not effective.

Now I am think that better way is calculating max in java. I will add additional record into DataSource collection with total max. But in this case many data (sum for row? total sum) must be calculated "by hand". And I must add private field in "Date-object" for sorting (to display summary in last row.). It's not effective too :(
And formatting summary in row, total summary is more difficult. And power of JR is not using. Only display "pre-calculated" objects... :(  

Now I'm in a sad meditations :(

[[solved] How to calculate sum by row and max in total for crosstab?]

How to display row with max summary value in last row? I am using IncrementerFactory implements JRExtendedIncrementerFactory.
But I am can't understand how "to say" jasper calculate sum in row (it's realized) and max (with Date of max - it's problem for me) for same measure of crosstab.
Any "date" (first column) is java-object with private field java.util.Date and java.lang.Boolean (it "marks" records for calculating maximum).

Full report:

In last(sum) total row I want to see row with data (instead of row "Max(date, values), etc..."):

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[Cover Sheet]

Can you put jrxml?