1 Actuate Corporation © 2009 Abhisek Sinha Product Manager, Actuate Who is BIRT? Solving Your Data Visualization Needs with Open Source Reporting

1Actuate Corporation © 2009

Abhisek SinhaProduct Manager, Actuate

Who is BIRT?Solving Your Data Visualization Needs with Open Source Reporting


Today’s Agenda and Goals

• Background

• The Emergence of the BIRT Project

• Getting to Know BIRT: Demo

• Architecture and Extensibility

• Market Adoption

• Deployment Options

• BIRT Technology Family

• Case Study

• Summary


Business Intelligence and Reporting

Most applications have some type of data visualization need…

And the simple problems are easy, but…

Real-world data visualization is challenging…

• Gather the data

• Perform calculations, sort, group, aggregate, total…

• Present information professionally

…and meeting user demand is crucial to the success of an application

AccountTransaction Histories

Sales Reports

AssetsUnder

Management

BudgetReports

Online andPrinted

Statements

NetworkOutage

Frequency

UtilityBillsDeviation from

Service LevelObjectives

SalesCommissions

WebsiteTraffic Analysis

PurchaseOrders

ShippingManifests

DefectTracking

Daily WorkOrder

Task Lists

SupplierStatus Reports

360°Customer

Views

360°Customer

Views

Invoices


Traditional Approaches to the Problem

JavaJava JSPJSP

XSLTXSLT XMLXML

JFacesJFaces

JavaScriptJavaScriptHTMLHTML

ReportNetReportNet

Crystal ReportsCrystal Reports

JReportsJReportsStyleReportsStyleReports

Closed-Source Commercial Products Closed-Source Commercial ProductsBuy

Custom-Developed Solution Custom-Developed SolutionBuild


Open Source Creates New Choices

Open-Source-Based ProductsOpen-Source-Based ProductsBuild using

Open Source Code

Leverage Open Source in a Custom Solution Leverage Open Source in a Custom SolutionOpen Source Products

Closed-Source Commercial Products Closed-Source Commercial ProductsBuy

Custom-Developed SolutionCustom-Developed SolutionBuild


Actuate Launches the BIRT Project

AUGUST

2004

Actuate Joins Eclipse Foundation

as Strategic Developerand Board Member

Actuate proposed and started

BIRTBusiness Intelligence

and Reporting Tools Project

… a top-level Eclipse projectAdds BI and Reporting

as Open Source Project

Professional open sourcePrimary development resources

funded by Actuate

Contributions from many sourcesIBM, Innovent Solutions and community


Simplicity

that makes simple reports

easy

Simplicity

that makes simple reports

easy

Power

to createvery complex

layouts

Power

to createvery complex

layouts

BIRTBIRT

Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools

• Makes all report development easy

• Modern, web-page design metaphor

• Open and standards-based

• Flexible with rich programmatic control

• Full support for libraries and reuse

• Foundation for a range of solutions

• Makes all report development easy

• Modern, web-page design metaphor

• Open and standards-based

• Flexible with rich programmatic control

• Full support for libraries and reuse

• Foundation for a range of solutions

A New Generation of Reporting and Data Visualization Technology


BIRT Release History

September 2004 BIRT Project proposal accepted, and project launched

June 2005 1.0 Eclipse Report Designer, Report Engine, Chart Engine

December 2005 2.0 Support for a wide variety of common report types

June 2006 2.1 Advanced parameters, ability to join data sets, …

June 2007 2.2 Dynamic crosstab support, web services data source, …

June 2008 2.3 JavaScript Debugger, BiDi Support, Charts in Crosstabs, …

June 2009 2.5 Page aggregates, Multiple drill-downs in Charts, ……..

• Ground-up initiative: Innovative approach to layout and design• Enterprise-class, designed to handle real-world problems• Developed in the open with community feedback at all stages

Six Major Releases since Project Launch


Getting to Know BIRT

DEMO


BIRT Example Key Capabilities

Very Simple to Very Complex Layouts• Listings, cross-tab, dashboard, pixel-

perfect, charts …• Grouping, advanced aggregations, sub-

totals, calculations• Multi-section and sub-reports• Conditional sections and logic• Full programmatic control/scripting• Embedded images…

Comprehensive Data Access• SQL databases, Web Services, Flat

Files, XML, scripted data sources …• Multiple data sources in one design…

Output Formats• HTML, PDF, Excel, Word, PowerPoint…• Internationalization of labels and text• Bi-Directional language display

Re-use and Developer Productivity• Library support for publishing and

sharing components• Leverages common standards (SQL,

HTML, JavaScript, Java, XML)• Cascading Style Sheets• Built-in debugger…

Interactivity and Linking• Data driven hyperlinks• Drill-through charts and graphics…

Multiple Usage and Productivity Aids• Graphical layout and design• Query & metadata editors• Formatting Builder • Grouping Builder• Customizable cheat sheets and

templates…


BIRT Design Gallery

Charts and Tables

Listing with Groups and Sub-Totals


BIRT Design Gallery

Crosstabs

Crosstab and Charts


BIRT Design Gallery

Forms

Calendar / Schedule


BIRT Design Gallery

Dashboards

Multi-Language and Bi-Directional


BIRT Chart Gallery


BIRT Chart Gallery


BIRT Chart Gallery


BIRT Report Designer BIRT Report Designer

High-Level BIRT Architecture

BIRT Report EngineBIRT Report EngineBIRT Report EngineBIRT Report Engine

PresentationServices


Report Design EngineReport Design Engine

GenerationServices

GenerationServices

DataServices

DataServices

ChartingEngine

ChartingEngine

EclipseReportDesigner


ChartDesigner

ChartDesigner

Eclipse DTP,WTP,…

Eclipse DTP,WTP,…

Data

Data

HTMLPDFExcelWordPowerPointPostScript…

XMLReportDesign

ReportDocument


APIs and Extension Points

Extensibility is a key principle of the BIRT Project

Data source extensibility• Application specific design-time query builders• Custom design-time and run-time data access

Custom business logic extensibility• Incorporate complex business logic scripting• Access existing and new Java code

Visualization extensibility• Build new visual data presentation ‘widgets’• Extend charting with new chart types; new output formats

Rendering content for output• Target output for specific devices and formats


BIRT Report EngineBIRT Report EngineBIRT Report EngineBIRT Report Engine



GenerationServices

GenerationServices

DataServices

DataServices

ChartingEngine

ChartingEngine

BIRT Report DesignerBIRT Report Designer BIRT Report DesignerBIRT Report Designer

Report Design EngineReport Design Engine



ChartDesigner

ChartDesigner

Eclipse DTP,WTP,…

Eclipse DTP,WTP,…

High Level BIRT Architecture: APIs

XMLReportDesign

ReportDocument

HTMLPDFExcelWordPowerPointPostScript…

Data

Data

Custom Report Designer UI

Report Engine API

Open Data Access

Chart Engine API

Emitter API

Chart UI API

Scripting API

Design Engine API


BIRT APIs

• Design Engine API (DE API) Create and modify the XML report design

• Report Engine API (RE API) Create the report output based on XML report design file Used by the Report Designer Preview and the Web Viewer

• Chart Engine API (CE API) Can be used as standalone package to create and render charts Embedded in DE API and RE API


BIRT MomentumDownloads

BIRT technology is tried and tested in many applications

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

2005 2006 2007 2008

Th

ou

san

ds

of

do

wn

loa

ds

Th

ou

san

ds

of

do

wn

loa

ds

More than 6.5 million downloads through

December 2008

More than 6.5 million downloads through

December 2008

BIRT Downloads “BIRT is one of the top 10 most downloaded commercially supported open source applications and has a tremendous growth curve over the last two years.”

Andrew Aitken, Managing Partner, Olliance Group


BIRT MomentumSample BIRT Adopters


BIRT MomentumPublications

BIRT: A Field Guide to Reporting2nd Edition

BIRT: A Field Guide to Reporting2nd Edition

Integrating and Extending BIRT2nd Edition

Integrating and Extending BIRT2nd Edition

Practical Data Analysis and Reporting with BIRT

Practical Data Analysis and Reporting with BIRT

Eclipse BIRT: Business Intelligence und Reporting Tool

Eclipse BIRT: Business Intelligence und Reporting Tool


BIRT Project Users

AUDIENCE FEATURES

Report developers Drag-and-drop authoring, charting

Advanced report developers Scripting, script API

Runtime integration developers BIRT Viewer and engine APIs

Report design integration Design engine API

Extension developers BIRT extension points

Core development Eclipse development, open source

Ea

syC

om

ple

x


How is BIRT Being Used?BIRT Report Designer on Desktops

Usage Scenario

• Desktop personal productivity tool

Users

• Report developers

• Advanced business users

Use BIRT Report Designer as a desktop reporting solution

BIRT Report Designer

BIRT Report Designer


How is BIRT Being Used?Integrated Data Visualization

Usage Scenario

• Add reporting and data visualization to applications

Users

• ISV and Enterprise Application Developers

• Java Developers, PHP Developers, …

• Report Developers

Integrate Open Source BIRT Report Engine into application

ApplicationApplication

Integration CodeIntegration Code

BIRT EngineBIRT Engine


How is BIRT Being Used?Business Intelligence

Usage Scenario• Automated report generation, distribution, …• Interactivity, security, …

Users• Report developers• Business users

Leverage commercial deployment solution for BIRT Reports

Report ServerReport Server

BIRT EngineBIRT EngineBIRT EngineBIRT Engine


BIRT Deployment Options

• Web Applications Web Viewer

Sample Web application that encapsulates BIRT APIs Provides pagination, Table of Contents, PDF output etc. Available within the Report Engine download

Custom Servlet Write custom code for functionality provided by BIRT Viewer Example available on BIRT Exchange

Access BIRT Report Engine API

• RCP Applications Web Viewer Plugin

Add BIRT Viewer plugin to list of required plugins

Access BIRT Report Engine API Add Report Engine plugin to list of required plugins

• Standalone Java Applications Access BIRT Report Engine API


Deployment Scenarios - Web Viewer

Sample implementation of the BIRT report engine in a web application

Ajax-based Viewer – contains page navigation, TOC, parameter entry, export and print controls in the toolbar

Servlet mappings /frameset – to create page

navigation, TOC, parameter entry, export, and print controls to the toolbar

/run – to generate single-page HTML output, PDF documents, toolbar is not needed


Deployment Scenarios - Web Viewer

• Deployment Steps Download Report Engine from http://download.eclipse.org/birt/downloads/ Extract zip file to local folder Deploy the birt.war file / Copy birt.war to the webapps directory (for Tomcat)

• Examples Access report bundled in birt.war - http://localhost:8080/birt/frameset?__report=test.rptdesign

Viewer with toolbar, TOC - http://localhost:8080/birt/frameset?__report=Customer_Dashboard.rptdesign

Viewer without toolbar, TOC - http://localhost:8080/birt/run?__report=Customer_Dashboard.rptdesign

Generate PDF - http://localhost:8080/birt/run?__report=Revenue History by Product Line.rptdesign&__format=pdf

Pass Parameters - http://localhost:8080/birt/frameset?__report=Customer+Order+History.rptdesign&Customer=The+Sharp+Gifts+Warehouse

Display only chart/table as a reportlet - http://localhost:8080/birt/run?__report=Customer_Dashboard.rptdesign&__bookmark=RevenueByProductLine&__isreportlet=true


YourServletExample

plugins

logs

WEB-INF

lib

BIRT required runtime plug-ins. Copy from runtime.

The default location for BIRT logs.

Location for BIRT required jars. Copy from Runtime.

platform

configuration Location for OSGi configuration files. Copy from runtime.

report

images

Default location of Report Designs

Default location for report images

Deployment Scenarios – Custom Servlet


Deployment Scenarios – Custom Servlet

WebReport.java: The servlet that handles report generation on a GET command.

public void doGet(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) throws ServletException, IOException { //get report name and launch the engine resp.setContentType("text/html"); String reportName = req.getParameter("ReportName"); ServletContext sc = req.getSession().getServletContext(); this.birtReportEngine = BirtEngine.getBirtEngine(sc);

IReportRunnable design; try{ //Open report design design = birtReportEngine.openReportDesign( c.getRealPath("/Reports")+"/"+reportName); //create task to run and render report IRunAndRenderTask task = birtReportEngine.createRunAndRenderTask( design ); task.getAppContext().put(EngineConstants.APPCONTEXT_CLASSLOADER_KEY, WebReport.class.getClassLoader());

//set output options HTMLRenderOption options = new HTMLRenderOption(); options.setImageHandler(new HTMLServerImageHandler()); options.setOutputFormat(HTMLRenderOption.OUTPUT_FORMAT_HTML); options.setOutputStream(resp.getOutputStream()); options.setBaseImageURL(req.getContextPath()+"/images"); options.setImageDirectory(sc.getRealPath("/images")); task.setRenderOption(options);

//run report task.run(); task.close(); }catch (Exception e){ e.printStackTrace(); throw new ServletException( e );}}


Actuate BIRT Technology FamilyComplementing and Extending Eclipse BIRT

Deployment Tools

Deployment Tools

High-Scale DistributionHigh-Scale Distribution

Development Tools

Development Tools

User Interactivity

User Interactivity

Engage users with rich, interactive

content

Engage users with rich, interactive

content

Skill-specific tools for developers

and users

Skill-specific tools for developers

and users

Manage, schedule, secure, run and

distribute

Manage, schedule, secure, run and

distribute

Load-balanced, high availability

for 100,000sof users

Load-balanced, high availability

for 100,000sof users

Eclipse BIRTEclipse BIRT

Meet core reporting requirements

Meet core reporting requirements

BIRT Interactive Viewer

Actuate BIRT Viewer

Actuate BIRT Report

Designers

iServer Express

iServer Enterprise

Deployment Kits

Actuate BIRT Report Studio


Actuate BIRT Goes Beyond Eclipse BIRT

Visualizations• FlashChart report item• FlashGadget report item• FlashObject report item• 266 Flash visualizations• HTML button report item

Data Sources• BIRT Report documents• Data connectors for SQL databases• Information Objects

Integration• JavaScript API

Packaging• Installer for BIRT Report Designer• Addison-Wesley books

Deployment• BIRT Reports for iServer• BIRT Interactive Viewer• BIRT Report Studio

Enterprise• Scale• Page Level Security• iServer Navigator• Built-in Information Object Designer


Actuate BIRT Report Studio

User-selected Information Object

Calculatedcolumn

Data styles

Template objects

Drag-and-drop palette

Format text and currencies

Toolbar• Cut/Copy/Paste• Delete• Undo/Redo• Chart• Table• Insert• Group• Filter• Prompt• Format• Run• Print• Export

Grouping and sorting

Easy to use… end-users do not know SQL… iterative development


Actuate BIRT Interactive Viewer

Hide/show elements

Custom calculations

Show/hide columns

Formatting text and currencies

Conditional formatting

Modify labels

Toolbar• Table of

contents• Page

navigation• Printing• Export data• Save

Grouping

Sorting

Simple and advanced filters


Publish rich apps outside the firewall

Secure and support millions

of users

Scale, performance,

security, reliability

BIRTBIRT + iServer Enterprise

BIRT ApplicationsFrom Open Source and Embedded to Enterprise

Implement security &

management

Publish rich PM apps that satisfy users

BIRT + iServer Express

DepartmentApplications

EnterpriseApplications

ActuateActuate

Traditional BI VendorsTraditional BI Vendors

EmbeddedApplications

BIRTBIRT + Flash Widgets + …

Engage users and let them

drive rich appsBIRTBIRT Open Source

Free OpenSource Tools


Case Study – IBM Tivoli Maximo

Maximo is an enterprise software product within the Tivoli division of

IBM (NYSE: IBM)

IBM Maximo Asset Management unifies comprehensive asset life

cycle and maintenance management on a single platform.

Maximo provides insight for all of enterprise assets, Service Level

Agreements, maintenance conditions and work processes, for

better planning and control.


Case Study – IBM Tivoli Maximo

• BIRT is embedded in the Maximo web application

• Approximately 150 BIRT designs included in Maximo:

• Work Order Details

• Service Level Agreements

• Asset Availability

• Asset Failure Analysis

• Software Usage

• …

• BIRT security integrated tightly with Maximo Administration Application

• BIRT is a key component of many Tivoli products


BIRT: What is Next?

Eclipse BIRT 2.5.1 Release

• Part of Eclipse Galileo simultaneous release

• Development is underway now

• See project plan for details

www.eclipse.org/birt

Actuate 11

• More interactivity, deployment features, business user tools


ResourcesBIRT Exchange Community Site

Centralized knowledge hub for BIRT developers• Access demos, tutorials, tips and techniques, documentation…• Easy for users to contribute content, share knowledge• Enables developers to be more productive and build applications faster

Explore• Search/sort• Rate, comment• Forums

Download• Documentation• Software• Examples

Contribute• Report designs• Code samples• Technical tipswww.birt-exchange.orgwww.birt-exchange.org


BIRT Exchange DevShare

• Data Integration BIRT Scripted Data Source Example

BIRT Connection Pooling

Web Services Data

•Application Integration Java Event Handler

Placing Java Classes

Run BIRT Reports at Command Line

•Report Engine APIUsing the BIRT Report Engine APICalling the BIRT RE APIExecute BIRT Reports from Java classAPI – Examples


BIRT Exchange DevShare

• Web Viewer Exploring BIRT Deployment Options Using the Report Viewer Deploying BIRT WebViewerExample in Tomcat Birt Viewer 2.3 User Reference BIRT URL Security Custom Parameter page

• Additional Integration Examples Integrating BIRT with Hibernate and Struts

Using BIRT with Stripes

Using BIRT with JBoss Seam

Integrating BIRT with Spring

Deploying BIRT RCP App through Java Web Start

JBoss BIRT Portlet

Deploy BIRT on GlassFish


Summary

• Top-level open source Eclipse project

• Free with commercial friendly license

• Powerful, extensible data visualization technology

• Easy-to-use, web-centric design metaphor

• Very active community with more than 6.5 million downloads

• Actuate extends and complements BIRT with value-added technology

• Top-level open source Eclipse project

• Free with commercial friendly license

• Powerful, extensible data visualization technology

• Easy-to-use, web-centric design metaphor

• Very active community with more than 6.5 million downloads

• Actuate extends and complements BIRT with value-added technology

A New Generation of Reporting and Data Visualization Technology


Q & A

Who is BIRT?Solving Your Data Visualization Needs with Open Source Reporting

Documents

1 Actuate Corporation © 2009 Abhisek Sinha Product Manager, Actuate Who is BIRT? Solving Your Data Visualization Needs with Open Source Reporting