Creating a report from relational data
This
post shows how you will connect JasperReports to your database. I am using an
open source database named PostgreSQL to hold the sample data of almost all
post of iReport.
This
post also shows that you can connect iReport to any of the popular databases in
a similar manner
Getting ready
You will need PostgreSQL to follow to Post 6: iReport: Installation of PostgreSQL which shows how you
will install and run PostgreSQL. Note that your installation of PostgreSQL
should be up and running before you proceed.
Create a database
You need to follow the procedure
described below to create a database instance.
Run SQL Shell
1) Click PostgreSQL 9.3 -> SQL Shell (psql),
from Programs menu of your Windows installation, to run SQL Shell for
PostgreSQL server
2) You will see SQL Shell consol window. SQL Shell window will prompt you for server location, database, port and username, press Enter for each prompt.
You will be logged to postgres
database.
Create Database instance
Copy following SQL command in SQL
shell to create a database instance.
-> CREATE DATABASE jasperdb5;
Your jasperdb5 database instance
will be created.
Now follow the steps in next
section to copy data in the jasperdb5 database.
How to do it...
The following simple
steps will show you how to connect iReport to a database:
1. Run iReport; it will open with a Welcome Window, as shown in the
following screenshot:
2. If
you have not made any database connection so far in your iReport installation,
you will see an Empty datasource shown selected in
a drop-down list just below the main menu. Click on the Report Datasources icon shown encircled to the right of the drop-down list, as shown
in the following screenshot:
3. A
new window named Connections / Datasources will
open, as shown in the following screenshot. This window lists an Empty datasource as well as the datasources you have made so far.
4.
Click the New button shown at the
top right of the Connections / Datasources window.
This will open a new Datasource selection window, as
shown in the following screenshot.
5.
You will see Database JDBC
connection is selected by default. Click the Next button at the bottom
of the Datasource window.
6. A
new window named Database JDBC connection will
open, as shown in the following screenshot:
7.
Enter PG as the name for your new database connection in the input box
beside the Name field.
Note:
PG is just a name for the
database connection you are creating. You can give any name and create any
number of database connections
8.
suppose by default Postgres is not
selected then click on the JDBC Driver drop-down list; it
will drop-down to show a list of available JDBC drivers. As you are connecting
to the PostgreSQL database, select the Postgre SQL (org.postgresql.Driver) option from the drop-down list, as shown in the following
screenshot:
10 update
the JDBC URL field, as shown in the following screenshot:
11
Provide postgres as
the value of the Username and Password (root in our
case) fields, as shown in the following
screenshot
12.
Check the Save password checkbox beside
the Password field shown in step 11 to save your database password permanently
for reports generated using iReport.
13.
Click the Test button to test the new
database connection. In the case of a successful connection, you will see a Connection test
successful message in a dialog window. Dismiss the
message by clicking the OK button.
14.
Click the Save button to save the
newly created connection. You will see that the Connections /
Datasources window will open showing your new
connection set as the default connection in the connections list, as shown in
the following screenshot:
And click on close.
15.
Now you are all set to generate a report from the data contained in your
PostgreSQL installation. Whenever you are opening or viewing a report based on
data contained in PostgreSQL, just make sure that PG is selected in the datasources drop-down list, as shown in the
following screenshot:
There's more...
You have learned how
to connect iReport to PostgreSQL. If you have some other database, you just
need to select the appropriate JDBC driver from the JDBC Driver drop-down list in step
8 of the recipe.
iReport comes bundled
with drivers for the following open source databases:
MySQL
PostgreSQL
HSQLDB
If you are not using an open source
database, you will need to separately download and install the relevant JDBC
drivers.
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