I've also built a reporting app using Cocoon, using XSP to pull back the data from Oracle and then transforming it into either a PDF report or a CSV file. A couple of tips from my experience:
- If your report includes any grouping, order your SQL query by those fields. That way you can use an <xsl:for-each> and compare each row to the previous one to determine when you have a new value. (Much simpler than the Meunch method) - Rather than using svg, you can create a simple histogram by setting the height attribute of a series of bar images imported via <fo:external-graphic> - If your reports are large, there are a couple of things you can do to improve efficiency: (1) use XSLTC, (2) keep the XML generated by the XSP as lean as possible, (3) keep your XSL-FO as small as possible by placing formatting attributes as "high-up" in the element hierarchy as possible. Hope this helps, Mike [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Scott Warren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have done something very similar. I used XSP to > generate a "document" > then used various stylesheets to output html, xls > etc. This worked very > well. I didn't use anything other than Cocoon to get > the data. It's fast > and the very flexiable. A PDF output would be great > but time/money > stopped us from doing that. Also there is talk in > the future of having > Graphs in the reports later on. > > Regards > > > Scott Warren > Ocom Software > ... Exceeding Quality..... > email | mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > web | ocom.com.au > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jeff Sexton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, 20 August 2003 9:30 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: XML-Based Reporting Application, Design? > > > We'd like to built an application that uses data > from a database to > create > XML, which can be transformed to various forms. A > significant amount of > coding will be required to create the XML (otherwise > I'd just place SQL > in > an xsp), so I think a separate servlet will make > more sense. My thought > is to create a servlet that outputs type text/xml, > call the servlet from > a > sitemap, transform and serialize as needed. > > This leads to some specific design questions... > > 1) Best why to build an XML document in the servlet? > JDOM? > > 2) Is there a better way to tie together the cocoon > pipeline with the > data source than having a URL called in the sitemap? > Afterall it will > all be running under the same Tomcat... > > We're very happy with the way Cocoon has worked for > other, simpler > applications. But for this one we perhaps should > look at more advanced > features. And we have not done any significant > amout of XML generation > from java, so I'd like to hear some about how others > are doing this. > > Thanks! > > ----- > The ODS Companies > Jeff Sexton > Information Services > (503) 228-6554 x1024 > http://www.odscompanies.com > > This message is intended for the sole use of the > individual and entity > to whom it is addressed, and may contain information > that is privileged, > confidential and exempt from disclosure under > applicable law. If you are > not the intended addressee, nor authorized to > receive for the intended > addressee, you are hereby notified that you may not > use, copy, disclose > or distribute to anyone the message or any > information contained in the > message. If you have received this message in error, > please immediately > advise the sender by reply email and delete the > message. > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
