JasperReports Library - First Steps

  • Primary Audience: Java developers
  • Secondary Audiences: script and other software developers (PHP, Perl, C/C++, web services)

Step 1: Download JasperReports project files

Environment Commands
Linux Download and extract jasperreports-{ver}-project.tar.gz to a new folder, e.g.: /opt/jasperreports-{ver}
Windows Download and extract jasperreports-{ver}-project.zip to a new folder, e.g.: c:\program files\jasperreports-{ver}

JasperReports is a library that you embed in another application. "Installing" JasperReports simply means including the JasperReport "jar" file in the classpath of your application along with other required jar files. JasperReports can be downloaded from the Releases tab on the JasperReports Library Project Home Page.

Step 2: Download and install Ant

JasperReports uses the Ant build tool from the Apache Foundation to compile source files, build the distribution files, generate the JavaDoc documentation, and run the samples.

Download Ant from http://ant.apache.org. For installation instructions, visit http://ant.apache.org/manual/index.html.

Step 3: Start the sample database

   Note: For Windows 7, command prompt is required to be run in 'Run As Administrator' mode.

Environment Commands
Linux
  • prompt> cd /opt
  • prompt> cd jasperreports-{ver}/demo/hsqldb
  • prompt> ant runServer
Windows
  • prompt> cd \program files
  • prompt> cd jasperreports-{ver}\demo\hsqldb
  • prompt> ant runServer

Step 4: Run the sample applications

The JasperReports project files include a complete set of sample applications and reports that show how individual JasperReports features can be used.

Open another Command Prompt window and run the following commands in sequence to see some of the features available in the barcode sample application. As you become comfortable with the ant -p command, move on to other samples.

Environment Commands
Linux
  • prompt> cd /opt
  • prompt> cd jasperreports-{ver}\demo\samples
  • prompt> dir
  • prompt> cd barbecue
  • prompt> ant -p
  • prompt> ant javac
  • prompt> ant compile
  • prompt> ant fill
  • prompt> ant view
  • prompt> ant viewDesign
  • prompt> ant run
  • prompt> dir build\reports
  • prompt> ant clean
Windows
  • prompt> cd \program files
  • prompt> cd jasperreports-{ver}\demo\samples
  • prompt> dir
  • prompt> cd barbecue
  • prompt> ant -p
  • prompt> ant javac
  • prompt> ant compile
  • prompt> ant fill
  • prompt> ant view
  • prompt> ant viewDesign
  • prompt> ant run
  • prompt> dir build\reports
  • prompt> ant clean

Suggested Next Steps

  • Get a free copy of The Definitive Guide to JasperReports
  • Download and install the iReport Designer or Eclipse-based designer, Jaspersoft Studio.
  • Compile the source files, generate the JavaDoc API documentation, or build the distribution JAR files. Execute the Ant tasks declared in the build.xml file found in the root directory of the project tree (type ant –p at the jasperreports-{ver} root directory).
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