getOutputFormat() always returns "pdf" in beforeFactory event

[raviprsd18]

Hello BIRTians,

I tried using getOutputFormat() function in the beforeFactory event but it always gives me "pdf". I have some scripts to run in, if else logic based on the exported file type.

Example - if ( getOutputFormat() == "pdf" )
{
// pdf based script
}
else if ( getOutputFormat() == "xlsx" )
{
// xlsx based script
}
else if ( getOutputFormat() == "html" )
{
// html based script
}

Tried So Far

1. Logging the output of getOutputFormat() – always returns "pdf" in beforeFactory event
2. I tried accessing the __format report parameter, which is available in the URL. Unfortunately, I’m not able to access this parameter in the beforeFactory event.

@speckyspooky can I get some help here ?

Thanks in advance.

[hvbtup]

I guess that it doesn't make sense to access the output format in beforeFactory, because this event is run when the file is loaded, before it is actually used for generating output. This is too early to depend on the output format, because the report could (in theory at least) be rendered in different format using different calls to RenderTask after the beforeFactory was executed.

You cannot access any report parameter in the beforeFactory event, unfortunately.

You didn't tell us what you want to achieve, probably there are other solutions instead of using beforeFactory?

[hvbtup]

I think a fully dynamic table is not possible (or not reasonable).
But of course you can create a table with the maximum rows and columns in a library and then hide the rows and columns you don't need at runtime.

[speckyspooky]

Hi @raviprsd18,

the description is correct. The default value of the output format is set to "pdf" and will be set if the render option is known. Thefore the information is not given at befoerFactory.

I see 2 otpions for you,
option 1: you can create 3 table structures for each case and you controll it via standard visibility of BIRT
option 2: you use scripts at columns and rows at the method onRender() and then you can set row-/column-visibility to true or false

I use dependent of the specific use case both options.

[raviprsd18]

@speckyspooky thanks for the reply. Unfortunately both the options won't work for me because my use case is creating the tables dynamically in the beforeFactory event.

[speckyspooky]

But then it would be only possible if you hae an integration framework where the user defined the output format before the generation will be started and you handle this information like kind of external parameter.

At the level of BIRT there is no option because the information of the output format will be handled later.

[raviprsd18]

Thanks @speckyspooky

[hvbtup]

Yes, I think you need the DE API then. In some cases, depending on how you integrate BIRT, you can use one report to create and save a new report design: First, you run generator.rptdesign (ignoring the output), which creates generated.rptdesign using the DE API on-the-fly if necessary, then run generated.rptdesign. I use this in some cases, e.g. to genrate a PDF list output for an arbitrary SQL select statement.