NextReports Designer - Release Notes

08.31.2010 version 3.4

  • [Feature] Engine : Interpret values for parameters with default source at runtime
  • [Feature] Report Layout : Zoom in  / Zoom out
  • [Improvement] Move to Java 1.6 and update swingx to 1.6 version
  • [BugFix] Query Editor : Exception when going from designer tab to editor tab and no data source is connected

08.02.2010 version 3.3

  • [Feature] Parameters with MULTIPLE values also for those without a source
  • [Feature] 'Hide when expression' property
  • [BugFix] Verify query / report / chart version on import actions : cannot import newer versions on older designers

06.09.2010 version 3.2

  • [Feature] Query Editor : Find / Replace history
  • [Feature] Report Layout : Formatting conditions
  • [Feature] Report Layout : Expressions support
  • [Feature] Report Layout : Group Row Variable
  • [Feature] Color chooser : new 'Excel Palette' to select excel known colors
  • [Feature] Report Layout : paper size for RTF and RTF
  • [Feature] Chart Layout : use parameters in title and legends
  • [Feature] Publish Report - dashboardable check (to inform that a report can be added to a server dashboard)
  • [Improvement] Update to iText 5.0.2
  • [BugFix] Excel export : maximum number of fonts and styles was reached
  • [BugFix] Report Layout - Insert row / column : Pressing close in the dialog will insert the column / row anyway.
  • [BugFix] Error for parameter with a source that returns a char column
  • [BugFix] Database Keywords used as table names : drag and drop table in designer fails
  • [BugFix] OpenChart : chart is not opened if sql query returns an error (when getting columns)
  • [BugFix] Import Chart : not visible on right click in the tree explorer (on Charts node)
  • [BugFix] N-Layer (N>2) Dependent Parameters with default values : only first dependent parameter was automatically filled

04.21.2010 version 3.1

  • [Feature] Image Size
  • [Feature] New property "locale" in designer properties file
  • [Feature] View user in License info
  • [Feature] Engine : Export a report / chart to a table memory object (header and data)
  • [Feature] Global properties for report : orientation, header on every page (no selection at runtime is needed)
  • [Feature] Groups : "New Page After" property (for RTF, PDF, EXCEL)
  • [Feature] Header on every page also for RTF and EXCEL (similar to PDF)
  • [Improvement] Update to poi 3.6
  • [BugFix] Publish Report : error thrown if data source was renamed on the server
  • [BugFix] Import from older versions : first import properties file (with tnsname)

03.18.2010 version 3.0

  • [Feature] Charts : Line, Bar, Horizontal Bar, Stacked Bars, Pie
  • [Feature] Backup, Restore, Import actions also include now the charts.
  • [Feature] Older ViewReportSQL Action is now ViewSQL Action and allows to view the sql from a query, a report or a chart.
  • [Feature] Extend Wizard action to support also chart creation.
  • [Feature] Publish and Download actions for reports and charts. For report the images are also published / downloaded.
  • [Feature] Add images in report layout for export in HTML, PDF, RTF, EXCEL. Images are not scaled.
  • [Feature] Add hyperlinks in report layout for export in HTML, PDF, RTF, EXCEL
  • [Feature] Export to XML
  • [Feature] Engine: add run listener to be notified about the current row exported
  • [Feature] Update integration demo : hints for dependent parameters and default parameter values, chart demo
  • [Feature] ProgressBar on Next splash screen
  • [Improvement] Calendar in user interface allows for hour & minute selection.
  • [Improvement] Redesign menu & toolbar actions. Only one Save and Save As actions (will save query, report or chart, depending on what was created/opened).
  • [Improvement] Stop Run Report and Stop Preview Chart actions: only one message will be visible to the user.
  • [Improvement] Update oracle driver to 11.1.0.7 with better support for statement cancel.
  • [Improvement] Update mssql  driver to 1.2.5
  • [Improvement] Oracle Tns Name will show databases in a combobox (if tnsnames.ora file is found and no exception is thrown)
  • [Improvement] Import&Export : remind last selected folder for further imports/exports.
  • [BugFix] Html Exporter:A report with a cell with rowSpan>1 and colSpan= will have the row after that cell on the same line.
  • [BugFix] For parameter of type Time or Timestamp, user interface shows a TextField. Should show a calendar.
  • [BugFix] Alias for a column with a 'group by' function is not restored when the query is opened.
  • [BugFix] GroupBy after drag&drop columns with SHIFT key pressed does not change the selection in user interface (if output property is false)
  • [BugFix] Cannot open a report with an invalid query (a table from the designer has been renamed or deleted)
  • [BugFix] Incorrect test for loading a newer report from an older engine.
  • [BugFix] Count Distinct for Integer values does not work.
  • [BugFix] Oracle Tns Name value is not seen updated in Settings panel.
  • [BugFix] QueryExecutor - jdbc driver errors : If driver throws other exception than SqlException, the application remains blocked with the glass pane
  • [BugFix] Pdf "header on every page" does not take into account row and column spans (Update iText library).
  • [BugFix] Query Editor: Search Replace with characters that are special for regular expressions does not work.
  • [BugFix] Export query, report, chart : create destination folders path if it is not found.
  • [BugFix] Auto-Join for a foreign key will fail if the table with the primary key is in a different schema than the first table.

02.12.2009 version 2.4

  • [Feature] Added version 2.1.7 of iText with support for rowSpan and colSpan in PDF and RTF
  • [Feature] Added support for Firebird database
  • [Feature] A parameter with manual source allows for values sort after id or after name
  • [Feature] When export from report layout panel, user is allowed now to select a number of records (to see faster how the report looks)
  • [Feature] User is allowed to export the current report using other datasource than the one on which it was created (useful for test & production databases with the same structure)
  • [Feature] Parameters have support for default values (by default selected in user interface at runtime)
  • [Feature] Parameters can be "hidden". That means the user cannot see them and their default values are computed and replaced when the report is runned
  • [Feature] User can see in real time the number of records exported
  • [Feature] A ruler can be seen in report layout panel if user customize the columns size
  • [Feature] New settings : ruler visibility and ruler unit measure
  • [Feature] New setting : The cvs delimiter can be modified from Settings.
  • [Feature] Pdf export : at runtime user can set to see the report header rows on every page.
  • [Feature] Bulk column resize
  • [Feature] Delete, CTRL-C, CTRL-X, CTRL-V shortcuts for Delete, Copy, Cut Paste in report layout
  • [Feature] Layout selection with the mouse can be done in any direction (not only from top-left to bottom-right)
  • [Feature] Layout selection can be done also with SHIFT pressed and arrow keys
  • [Feature] Cut/Copy group of cells (matrix) in the report layout
  • [Feature] Publish report to NextReports server
  • [Feature] Download report from NextReports server
  • [Feature] New property 'Wrap text' for cell (has meaning for Excel, Pdf and Html)
  • [Feature] New property 'Hide repeated value' for cell (has meaning for any column cell from band detail)
  • [Feature] Add metadata to excel, html, pdf and rtf exported files
  • [Improvement] Dialect for supported databases is improved.
  • [Improvement] CTRL & mouse selection in report layout is improved. (for CTRL pressed, drag is ignored)
  • [Improvement] Because a dialect is needed for every type of database, only the supported ones can be used to create data sources
  • [Improvement] Copy to disk & Copy from disk actions select by default the output folder with datasources
  • [Improvement] The total number of records computation is improved.
  • [Improvement] Parameters properties are organized  by meaning
  • [Improvement] Settings properties are organised by meaning
  • [Improvement] Open the generated exported file do not block the application anymore.
  • [Improvement] Insert and Delete rows, columns are done on the grid headers, not on selected cell
  • [Improvement] User is notified if the current connection is invalid.
  • [Improvement] Export Data Source : allow for overwrite the data source file
  • [Improvement] ComboBox in any layout editor cell has a popup which allows to see the names despite their length
  • [Improvement] The names of queries, reports and folders can contain any character except \ / : * ? " | % (and they cannot start with space or .)
  • [Improvement] Unmerge cell(s) works now on multiple selection
  • [Improvement] Insert columns & rows : the number spinner was replaced with a text field and the user is notified if he introduces more than allowed
  • [BugFix] Saving query of an opened report duplicates the object in tree, or may overwrite an existing query with the same name without notice
  • [BugFix] HTML export for a report with a row span on the cells on the first column does not create a new row in html
  • [BugFix] Rtf Export for reports with row span > 1 has erroneous position for cells
  • [BugFix] ExitAction cancel button does not work. The application still exits.
  • [BugFix] Store Procedure call for some databases does not work
  • [BugFix] Export to pdf : an empty row has no default height
  • [BugFix] Export to pdf : if no padding is set the row text is cut by border
  • [BugFix] MySql : could not create a report from a query with different columns with the same name, even if we used aliases
  • [BugFix] Data Source rename : could not rename a data source with a name with the same text but different upper/lower letters
  • [BugFix] Close application: When a newly created and not saved report is in the layout and we press close (or exit) and we select close from the save panel, the application still exits and the report changes are lost
  • [BugFix] After we modify the property for more than one selected cells, only the first cell remains selected
  • [BugFix] Report Layout editors where not removed when we opened a new report or when we delete a row or a column


07.01.2009 version 2.3

  • [Feature] A new action Extract Template from current report
  • [Feature] User can add functions now in the footer band (not only in the group bands)
  • [Feature] Vertical allignment for cell
  • [Feature] A new Settings action to modify properties from nextreports.properties file from application
  • [Feature] Validation for a single procedure
  • [Feature] Column resize in report layout. The user can work now with auto size or manual size.
  • [Feature] A new property in configuration file : A4.warning to notify user if report layout width is bigger than A4
  • [Improvement] Update excel export using a new poi api version 3.2
  • [Improvement] Paste in the layout can be done now for multiple cells and for any kind of cell (not just for empty cells)
  • [Improvement] Bulk delete for rows and bulk delete for columns
  • [Improvement] Import from an old version : the properties from nextreports.properties configuration file are also imported
  • [Improvement] A new docking api version.
  • [Improvement] After importing a license, if it is valid the application will not need a restart.
  • [Improvement] On any export action, the application is now blocked also before showing the runtime parameters panel
  • [BugFix] Save As Report overwrite report was not allowed
  • [BugFix] Rename Query & Rename Report : name was not shown in the input text field
  • [BugFix] Functions with the same name where overwritten with the first function value
  • [BugFix] Values for parameter with manual select source were ordered by id.
  • [BugFix] Importing a license with a different name than license.dat was not working.
  • [BugFix] GroupBy for columns with output set to false was not working in all the situations.
  • [BugFix] Custom pattern for cell was erroneous shown for date and time categories.
  • [BugFix] An empty report (without any column or row) could be saved in previously versions, but cannot be saved anymore.
  • [BugFix] Mouse Right Click on a report node modified the current path
  • [BugFix] Excel color support was erroneous for some light colors
  • [BugFix] Report without header rows could not be loaded

04.30.2009 version 2.2

  • [Feature] Folder creation for Queries and Reports
  • [Feature] Drag&Drop for queries, reports and folders : move with the mouse, copy with the mouse and CTRL pressed
  • [Feature] Html accessibility properties : scope, id , headers (508 compliance)
  • [Feature] Show stored procedures in explorer tree
  • [Feature] Queries with stored procedure call
  • [Feature] Drag&Drop for procedures from explorer tree to query editor
  • [Feature] New Action "Validate Procedures" which will mark which stored procedures are candidates for reporting
  • [Feature] New field 'previewValue' for stored procedure parameter
  • [Feature] Copy query to disk & Copy report to disk
  • [Feature] New Oracle - Service template  for data source driver
  • [Feature] New Oracle - Tns Name template for data source driver - if you have an Oracle client installed on the same machine and you specify the path to tnsnames.ora file in next-reports.properties, you can use the database name from that file in the url
  • [Improvement] Show the opened query or report in the title application bar
  • [Improvement] Show success message for Copy query from disk, Copy report from disk, Backup and Restore
  • [Improvement] Query and report are added in explorer tree to their alphabetically sort position
  • [Improvement] Refresh action on explorer tree does also a refresh on tables, views and procedures (not just on queries and reports)
  • [Bug Fix] User was allowed to add null parameter to criteria
  • [Bug Fix] Cannot delete an expression with a function
  • [Bug Fix] Adding criteria to an expression was not possible in some circumstances
  • [Bug Fix] Sort type in criteria was saved different for different languages
  • [Bug Fix] Executed query does not contain comments anymore (before that commented parameters were shown at runtime)
  • [Bug Fix] Query and report name cannot contain other characters than letters and digits

03.19.2009 version 2.1

  • [Feature] Quick Start screen & Show at start up functionality
  • [Feature] New action Tools/Import : import data sources, queries and reports from an older version
  • [Feature] New action Tools/Reset layout : restores docking layout to default
  • [Feature] New action Apply Template : apply template on any loaded report
  • [Feature] New action Help/Tutorial
  • [Feature] New action Help/Manual
  • [Feature] Run query directly from query designer panel (not only from query editor panel)
  • [Feature] Report export directly from explorer tree
  • [Feature] RTF export
  • [Feature] Support for 'or criteria' in designer
  • [Feature] Undo/Redo for report layout actions
  • [Improvement] Ask for 'save query' or 'save report' only if some modifications occurred
  • [Improvement] Wizard : visually select default report templates
  • [Improvement] Wizard : ask for saving the created report
  • [Improvement] A new version of iText (2.1.5) which brings performance improvements for generating PDF  and RTF
  • [Bug Fix] Deselect 'Group by' only if the column is not in the select (output=false)
  • [Bug Fix] Designer columns drag&drop for joins (keep the selection in the table from where the column is dragged)
  • [Bug Fix] LIKE operator : for parameter value the character ' was duplicated
  • [Bug Fix] IN operator : for parameter value the characters ( and  ) were duplicated
  • [Bug Fix] '>=' and '' and '<'
  • [Bug Fix] The use of the same table more than once in the designer was not allowed
  • [Bug Fix] PDF & HTML fonts where not used correctly (new property 'font.directories' inside next-reports.properties)
  • [Bug Fix] Change Language : some strings where not changed for a specific locale
  • [Bug Fix] Create report with columns with same name from different tables : force user to use aliases
  • [Bug Fix] Remove column from layout did not work if empty cells where not shown in explorer tree
  • [Bug Fix] Actions in menu bar or toolbar that cannot be performed at a specific moment, were not disabled
  • [Bug Fix] SaveReport Action : report was saved even for cancel (if tried to save with a name of another existing report)
  • [Bug Fix] Layout : cell editing was started on any key pressed. Move with arrow keys was not possible
  • [Bug Fix] Wizard, select query step, changing between radio buttons did not clear the state of previous selection resulting in a an erroneous column selection