
JasperServer 0.9.2 Release

1. Introduction

2. Release Distributions
	BitRock Installers for Linux and Windows
	JasperServer Web application WAR
	JasperServer Web Services WAR and PHP Example Application
	iReport plugin for JasperServer

3. Further Information

4. Release Notes
	Web application
	Create Report
	View Report
	Metadata Repository
	Data Sources for Reports
	Security
	Web Services
	PHP example application
	iReport plugin for JasperServer
	Documentation
	

1. Introduction

JasperServer is specifically designed to provide a Web application around
JasperReports, the most popular open source reporting solution. Continuing
the philosophy of JasperReports, JasperServer provides a managed,
stand alone Web reporting environment, as well as being able to be embedded
in existing Java Web applications, and services to a variety of technologies
through Web services, including the LAMP stack. By focusing on a clean
business API and using an advanced inversion of control architecture, 
JasperServer can be easily integrated and customized for your needs. 

This first public release of JasperServer provides the ability to define 
and maintain JasperReports in a Web application and Web services environment.
An extensible metadata repository defines all needed resources to run
JasperReports in a secure environment. Report parameters can be defined so
that the user can be prompted for required inputs as reports are run.

JasperIntelligence is an open source business intelligence platform from 
JasperSoft built by the team behind JasperReports, providing common services 
like security and metadata management, and the capability to easily add 
additional functionality. JasperServer is the first service using the 
JasperIntelligence platform. Following soon will be:

* JasperServer enhancements based on a defined roadmap and community requirements
  and contributions
* Report and metadata designers integrated with the platform
* OLAP user interfaces
* Data warehouse management environments
* Data integration services (ETL)




2. Release Distributions

BitRock Installers for Linux and Windows

These installers contain everything to install JasperServer:
* Java 1.5
* Tomcat 5.5
* MySQL 5.0
* JasperServer Web application WAR

An installation wizard walks you through the setup. A set of test data, based
on a SugarCRM database, can optionally be installed. If existing Java, 
Tomcat or MySQL instances are detected, you can opt to use those instead of 
the separate versions included in the installer.

The Linux version is certified to work with:
* RedHat
* Debian
* SUSE
* Gentoo


JasperServer Web application WAR

A Web application providing the user interface for JasperServer for 
installation in Tomcat, JBoss and other Java application servers. Comes with
an example database creation script for MySQL.



JasperServer Web Services WAR

Standalone Web application providing Web services access for JasperServer for 
installation in Tomcat, JBoss and other Java application servers. To be used in 
conjunction with the Web application WAR, which provides metadata maintenance 
functions.

A simple PHP application is provide as an example for using Web 
Services to view reports with JasperServer.

Required:
* PHP 4 or PHP 5
* PEAR
    * SOAP Attachments



iReport plugin for JasperServer

iReport is the most popular graphical report editor for JasperReports, allowing
configuration, development and testing of JasperReports reports. It produces
JasperReports JRXML files. iReport is supported by JasperSoft.

This plugin extends iReport to allow the iReport user to connect to a 
JasperServer installation to browse the repository, and download and upload 
resources needed for JasperServer report units. The connection between iReport
and JasperServer is done through a Web Services interface.



 
3. Further Information

Project web site: 		   http://jasperintel.sourceforge.net
JasperIntelligence on SourceForge: http://sourceforge.net/projects/jasperintel

JasperReports project web site:    http://jasperreports.sourceforge.net
JasperReports on SourceForge: 	   http://sourceforge.net/projects/jasperreports 

JasperSoft:			   http://www.jaspersoft.com



4. Release Notes

Web application

* This has been tested with Tomcat 5.0 and 5.5, running JDK 1.5.

* Cookies need to be allowed to login to the web application. This will be 
  fixed in a future release.

* Installation into JBoss 4.0.3 has been tested and documentation is 
  available in this release.
  
* Revised menu to be horizontal with JavaScript drop downs.
  
  
Create Report

* Revised report creation/maintenance wizard.

* Additional validation of entries.

* List of values input controls can now be entered as separate objects
  in the repository, so they can be reused across report units.
  
* Date input controls are available.

* Added support for Groovy and JExcelApi.

* Changed validation on JDBC connection URLs to support MySQL, hsqldb,
  and Oracle

* Allowed classpath references to resources ie. "test/images/dukesign.jpg" to
  work with included JARs.


View Report

* For Data Types of type DATE, a pattern should be supplied, otherwise the 
  default date format pattern is used for the locale of the server is used. 
  When specified, the pattern is displayed at the right of the input control 
  in the parameters input form.

* PDF, Excel and RTF (Word) are supported.

* Made View Report a Web Flow to allow more flexible and customizable viewing.

* The ParametersFormTag by default uses the 
  WEB-INF/jsp/DefaultParametersForm.jsp, but this can be overridden with the
  renderJsp attribute so developers can use their own JSP if they want a 
  different look and feel for parameters.
  
* Similarly, the JasperViewerTag by default uses
  WEB-INF/jsp/DefaultJasperViewer.jsp to position controls around the HTML
  report. This can be overridden with the renderJsp attribute.



Metadata Repository


* The repository is backed by a database and accessed via Hibernate 3.1.2. 
  The default implementation is for MySQL 5.0. Through the setting of 
  configuration parameters, alternate databases can be supported, as database
  creation scripts are generated through the build process.


Data Sources for Reports


* Only JDBC data sources for reports are supported in this release.

* Data sources (JDBC or JNDI based) created in the application are not tested
  at configuration time to ensure they are usable.

* With non JNDI data sources, JDBC drivers need to be either on the
  application server classpath, or included as resources in report units.


Security

* Default administrative user is now "jasperadmin" with default 
  password "newPassword".

* As installed, the user names and passwords for the application are stored
  in the metadata repository, and use form based authentication. Based on the 
  use of the Acegi Security framework, the authentication mechanism can be 
  changed to use external authentication services like LDAP. The application 
  does not currently manage the distinction between externally defined users 
  and roles.

* Passwords are unencrypted in the database.

* Deleting users is not implemented.

* Large user lists for user maintenance can be paged through.

* Object level security is implemented and tested, but not fully integrated
  into the application at this point.

* Pluggable authentication guide added


Web Services

Web services currently implemented:

* Login
* List of available reports
* Run report, with optional parameters. HTML only
* Repository exploring
* Creation of basic report unit (single jrxml + existing datasource)
* Add/delete resources to/from folders/reportUnits
    * JRXML
    * Image
    * Resource bundle
    * JAR
    * Font
* Modify resources metadata (label and description)
* Creation/delete of folders
* JRXML editing and re-publish


* Changed from using Axis 1.3 to Axis2.

* Use of XML serialization of objects, rather than Java serialization.



PHP example application

* Only HMTL JasperReports can be rendered.



iReport plugin for JasperServer

Provides:

* Repository exploring
* Creation of basic report unit (single jrxml + existing datasource)
* Add/delete resources to/from folders/reportUnits
    * JRXML
    * Image
    * Resource bundle
    * JAR
    * Font
* Modify resources metadata (label and description)
* Creation/delete of folders
* JRXML editing and re-publish
* JDBC connections import: to use a JDBC based connection in iReport

* No support for maintaining input controls.



Documentation

Added into distributions and on web site.

* User guide
* Installation guide
* JBoss 4.0.3 configuration guide
* Samples directory

Added to web site

* Pluggable authentication guide

Revised roadmap on JasperIntelligence project web site
http://jasperintel.sourceforge.net reflecting announcements.