JasperReports Tutorial (2024) - A Complete Guide

This tutorial is designed for software professionals and beginners who are interested in learning the concepts of JasperReports. In this JasperReports Tutorial, you are going to master the following terms and concepts -

JasperReports Tutorial For Beginners

In this JasperReports tutorial, we will start from the basics of JasperReports and learn all the major JasperReports concepts that a JasperReports professional must be aware of. Now, let’s have a look at the components of this tutorial.

• What is JasperReports?
• Why use Jasper Report?
• Features of JasperReports
• JasperReports - Environment Setup
• Life-Cycle of JasperReports
• The Disadvantage of using JasperReports

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What is JasperReports

JasperReports is a Java reporting tool used to write content to the printer, onto the screen, or into a variety of files like PDF, XLS, RTF, CSV, XML, HTML, ODT, and TXT. It is an open-source Java class library that adds reporting capabilities to Java-enabled applications such as Java EE or web applications to generate dynamic content. 

Introduction to Report Template 

In General, the layout that is adopted to generate reports by popular commercial reporting tools are as follows -

These were the elements present in the layout of commercial reports. Let us learn about them one by one. 

• Title - This band appears only once at the starting of the report. It can be used by setting the attribute - isTitleNewPage='true'
• page header - This element appears at the top of every page and may contain information on data, time, or organization name. It excludes the first page if the title band is used and the last page if this summary band is used with setting isSummaryWithPageHeaderAndFooter="false"
• Detail - It specifies the entries of the specific fields that the column header lists.
• ColumnHeader - It is used to list out the name of the specific fields like “Starting hour”, “Finishing hour”, “Author name”etc., depending upon what the user wants to display in the report.
• ColumnFooter - It displays the summation of the listed field in the column header.
• PageFooter - It is used to count and display the number of instant pages out of total pages.
• Summary - It contains the concluded information from the "detail" element in a pie chart or graph to get a clear vision.

Why use JasperReports?

There are many reasons for using a Jasper report tool:

• Generates watermarks.
• Multiple formats of reports can be exported.
• It offers a complete set of REST, SOAP, and Web Services.
• Developers can supply data in different ways.
• Users can embed reports into Java or non-Java Applications.
• Offers report generation performance and delivery to users.
• It helps to represent data in textual or graphical format.
• JasperReports allows role-based access control to all reports in the repository.
• Allows using of single report data from multiple data sources.
• Offers a secure and automated delivery interactive reporting engine.

Features of JasperReports

Here are significant features of the JasperReports tool:

• It offers a flexible report layout and allows to separate data into different report sections such as
• Report with the title at the top
• Each report page has a page header at the top
• Detail section contains primary report data
• Each page has a page footer at the bottom
• Summary section present at the end of the report
• It is capable of generating a ‘watermark’ for the reports for security and branding of reports.
• It offers multiple ways to supply data to report, such as using special classes called data sources.
• Using the Jasper Report tool, there are multiple ways to prepare report data textually and graphically via charts
• JasperReports supports various data sources to generate reports, including JDBC, custom data sources, XML files, Plain Old Java Object POJOs and also supports empty data sources.
• JasperReports allows creating Subreports (reports within reports) to simplify report design.
• Allows exporting of the report in too many formats that include PDF, HTML, CSV, XLS, RTF, XML, and plain text

JasperReports - Environment Setup

Step1. Click on "Download Now" option to install the JasperReports Community edition

Step2. Select Jaspersoft Studio CE

Step3. Click on the Download button 

Step4. After that, the given screen will appear; select I agree button

Step5. Then click on the install button

Step6. Once the download is done, tap on the finish button

Step7. Then click on the get started option and start working.

How to create a Report Template

A report is designed and created using the below-mentioned steps -

Step 1.  Create JRXML file in Jaspersoft studio

• Click on the file option
• Then, select New in the dropdown menu
• Click on the JasperReport option

Ste2. Selecting the desired template.

• Select a template you want.
• Click on the "Next" button.

Step3.  Selecting a parent folder.

• Go to MyReports folder.
• Enter the file name.
• Click on the "Next" button.

Step4. In the Data Source window, tap on the "New" button and create a new data adapter.

Step5. Select a data adapter.

• Select the data adapter from the list box. 
• Click on the "Next" button.

Step6.  Fill up data adapter details and select factory class.

• Enter a name for your adapter.
• Select factory class and click on the "finish" button.

Step7. Enter the prefix or pattern.

• Enter the name prefix or pattern.
• Click matching items.
• Click on the "OK" button.

Step8. Define the factory class and add the path to jar files.

• Enter the name of a static method in the factory class. In this example, this is createBeanCollection.
• If you wish to use the JavaBeans definition field descriptions in Jaspersoft Studio, then check the field description checkbox.
• Add a path to your jar files.
• Click on the "Finish" button.

Step10. Congratulations! You are done with adding all-important report creation information successfully. Now, click on the "Finish" button.

Lifecycle of JasperReports

Designing the report:

This is the first phase of the Jasper Report Lifecycle, where we have to create the JRXML file, an XML document that stores the definition of the report layout. We can use any text editor or report designer to create it manually. If we are using iReportDesigner, the layout will be designed visually, and therefore the real structure of JRXML can be ignored.

Compiling the report:

In this phase, the JRXML file created in the first phase is compiled, and a binary object with the .jasper extension is generated. Jasper files are shipped along with the application to run the reports

Executing the report:

In this step, data from the application is sent to the compiled report. A class called net.sf.JasperReports.engine.JasperFillManager offers the necessary functions to fill the data in the reports. Then a jasper print file is created, which can be used to print or export the report. 

Exporting the report to the desired format:

It is the last phase of the JasperReport lifecycle in which we need to export the Jasper print file using the class JasperExportManager. 

What are the Disadvantages of using JasperReports?

Here are some drawbacks of using JasperReports.

• Editing the lines and creating the cross tabs is a very challenging task.
• Making changes in any part of the package, such as removing features, it becomes difficult to again get to the default package setting.
• JasperReports must be compiled first before they run, which forces developers to install the entire Java SDK.
• Sometimes, after editing the report, it may show up different previews as unlike on the web.

Conclusion

JasperReports is a Java reporting tool used to generate page-oriented and ready-to-print content. We hope reading this article must have helped you understand JasperReports in a better way. 

In case you have any doubt, please comment on your query and we will resolve it as soon as possible.

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