Re: [Gnue] reports (clarification)

[Rodrigo Moya <rodrigo linuxave net>]

> 
> > - no one is working on the DTD, this has been abandoned (for the moment,
> > since it's not a bad idea to have a DTD AS SOON AS the XML report format
> > is finished, but not before of course).
> 
> I dont have issues with a DTD or working on one, but I think the guts of
> the report engine are far more important than small details in a dtd at
> this stage.
> 
that's the same thing I think myself, because of that I started on the
IDL

> > - current work is on making a basic IDL to start writing the report
> > engine. As soon as we agree on this, the report engine and the clients
> > can start. As you may have noticed, I started very simply to add other
> > things as soon as we code and need them.
> 
> I would like to see the following even before an IDL or con currently
> with an IDL.  
> 
> a.  What the template xml file should look like (a small example)
>
Carlos, please do a template xml file by basing you on the DTD you've
got

> b.  What a the populated report xml file shoudl look like (a small
> example)
>
I am thinking on using the same file, just filling in the parts where
the data
is contained. What do you think?

> c.  IDL for pushing the template to server
> d.  IDL for processing template (read populate with data)
> e.  IDL for specificing what to do with populated file (read convert to
> something else or hand back xml to client)
> 
I'm looking at all that's been said about the IDL I sent, and I'll be
sending a new one soon with all the suggestions.

> As with these pieces one could begin to author a client and converter at
> same time.
>
yes that's my idea as well
 
> > - there will be a XML format to describe a report, that is, not the
> > output, but the structure. This format, I guess, could be the one
> > produced in the current gda-report.dtd file, since I think it's been
> > discussed deeply, although I confess I haven't participated too much on
> > that thread, so maybe a new revision by everybody can be made.
> 
> I havent even looked, but that would probably do.  A small sample would
> be good place to start for proof of concept.
> 
> > - this XML format will be processed by the report engine (not the
> > client), which will get the data either from GDA (default one) or from
> > another source (by means of plugins maybe) to produce a XML output
> > format, where the data is actually formatted in another special XML
> > format. As we said, gda-report will be made libgda-independent, so that
> > anybody could add a different way of accessing its data by just writing
> > a plugin. This will be the case for GNUe, isn't it?
> 
> Yes this is the case.  Some method for getting a datasource will be used
> to merge data with the template into a new xml file.  (How Reinhard and
> co wish to go about this is undecided)  libGDA will play a part, its
> just a matter of whether bizlogic will sit in front of it (for GNUe).
> 
> > - then, clients will ask the report engine for this XML output, or for a
> > given format, such as PDF, PS, HTML, etc This conversion, as Derek
> > suggested, could be made though a customized jade
> 
> Correct.  Jade is a suggestion only.  We could write our own our us XSLT
> or the likes if we wish.
> 
> > - the report engine will have a sort of cache to return repetitive
> > reports, etc
> 
> It will have ability to do few things as I see it.
> 
> a.  it can cache the converted output... ps, html, pdf etc...
> b.  it can cache the xml file.  then a request can be made to do just
> the conversion to ps,html,pdf etc...  This could come in handy when you
> want to archive something, but may need it in one of several formats. 
> If you rarely access it, you save disk space by only archiving xml and
> generating output type you need.  Anyhow that is a tangent from this
> discussion.
> 
I agree

> > - apart from this, but outside of the report engine, will be report
> > clients and designers, which, of course, won't be started seriously
> > until an IDL is approved. This part is, I think, the one Carlos is
> > talking about.
> 
> I would say designer and client is far less important than a working
> engine that is robust.  Its very easy to hand hack the first xml file
> template.  Then command line to run through engine and produce
> ps,html,pdf is a HUGE step.  As it allows real business stuff to be
> done.
> 
> I think a client is next most important as it allows then more visual
> way to run reports, with a designer being last but definitely not least.
> :)
>  
agree

> > I have not entered technical discussions about each point since this
> > will go the next set of mails. But one thing I'm sure about is that GNUe
> > and GNOME-DB/libgda should work together on this, it would be a pity to
> > have a separation, so please just say what you don't agree and we'll
> > discuss it. But really, I thought we had agreed on all this.
> 
> Yes I think we should work together.  I thought we had agreed on this as
> well, but I saw a lot of client type stuff and dtd stuff being discussed
> so I thought I had missed something.  For that I apologize.
> 
> The other issue for GNUe is a designer and client that is not xplatform
> is dead in the water for us. :(  But that is somewhat of a different
> issue.
> 
that's the reason why we should define a good API for clients of all
types to be developed.

So, I'm happy that it was just a misunderstanding.