Exporting items to a data object

An organization that creates and uses BIRT reports has data sources, data sets, and cubes on hand. As a data object designer, you can reuse these items by exporting them from a report or a library to a data object.

The export utility copies the items to the data object. The exported items do not reference the original items in the report or the library. The export utility also detects and copies dependent items. For example, if you export a cube, the utility also exports the data source and data set that the cube uses.

Be careful when exporting multiple data sources, data sets, or cubes from different sources. If the data object contains an item with the same name, BIRT warns of the name conflict and asks whether or not to overwrite the item in the data object. Overwrite the item only if you want to replace it. The overwrite action cannot be undone. If you select a data set or a cube to export, and BIRT displays the name-conflict message, the duplicate names apply not only to the selected data set or cube, but to any dependent item. For a cube, for example, the data set or data source used by the cube might have the same name as a data set or data source in the target data object.

How to export data items to a data object

1	Open the report or library that contains the data items to export to a data object.

2	In Data Explorer, right-click a data item, then choose Export to Data Object, as shown in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3

Exporting a data source to a data object

Export Elements to Data Object—Select Data Object displays the data objects (.datadesign files) in the resource folder, if any exists, as shown in Figure 3-4. By default, BIRT uses the current project folder as the resource folder.

Figure 3-4

Export Elements displaying the data objects in the resource folder

3	Perform one of the following steps:

Select an existing data object to which to export data items.

Create a new data object by specifying a file name in New File Name. BIRT saves the data object in the resource folder.

4	Choose Next.

5	In Export Elements to Data Object—Select Elements, shown in Figure 3-5, select one or multiple data items to export. If you select a data set, BIRT also exports the data source that the data set uses. Similarly, if you select a cube, the associated data set and data source are exported.

Figure 3-5

Export Elements displaying the data items that you can export

6	Choose Finish.

If BIRT does not detect any name conflicts between the items selected for export and the items in an existing data object, BIRT exports the items and asks if you want to open the data object.

7	Open the data object to review its contents. The exported data items appear in the data object.

Copyright Actuate Corporation 2012