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Bug 357658

Summary:	Customize Datasource properties from rptlibrary does not work
Product:	z_Archived	Reporter:	Philippe Marsteau <pmarsteau>
Component:	BIRT	Assignee:	Birt-Report-inbox <Birt-Report-inbox>
Status:	RESOLVED WONTFIX	QA Contact:
Severity:	normal
Priority:	P3	CC:	bluesoldier, rlu
Version:	2.6.2
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	PC
OS:	Windows 7
Whiteboard:

Description Philippe Marsteau

2011-09-14 12:36:50 EDT

Build Identifier: Eclipse 20110218-0911 - BIRT 2.6.2.r262_v20101008-9iF7A9JGHMBCRz-R8tbxRel8kQrI

Using BIRT Designer
Version 2.6.2.r262_v20101008-9iF7A9JGHMBCRz-R8tbxRel8kQrI

I have a rptlibrary with a dozen of datasets that are all using a single datasource (from that same rptlibrary).
I have then a rpttemplate that refers to the rptlibrary (reuses several of the rptlibrary datasets).
Finally, I have a rptdesign that was created based on the rpttemplate.

Now the rptdesign contains references to the rptlibrary datasets. However, I want to change the endpoint pointed by the datasource specified in the rptlibrary to a specific endpoint to be used only by the rptdesign. Library should not be modified (read-only). I need a way to customize the datasource once in the rptdesign without having to override the individual datasets referred in the rptdesign/rpttemplate.

I tried to drag the datasource from the rptlibrary into the rptdesign, and updated the endpoint. The rptdesign now contains a datasource definition that extends the one from the rptlibrary, which contains the customized properties (e.g. endpoint). I can see the customized properties while looking at the xml source of the rptdesign.

But this does not work. Running the report, it still tries to connect to the endpoint specified in the rptlibrary, ignoring the customized properties of the datasource extended in the rptdesign.

Alternatively, I tried to add another datasource in the rptdesign, then override the datasets to use that other datasource. This works, but is not practicable, since I would need to override each and every datasets from the rptlibrary/rpttemplate my rptdesign needs, which is a painful manual and error-prone process. What I do not understand, is that if customizing a property of a dataset (extending the rptlibrary dataset) works, why wouldn't customizing a property of a datasource (extending the rptlibrary datsource)???

Any idea why the customized/extended properties are ignored?
Is this a bug or intended design?
Is there a way to customize a datasource property and have this honoured by the rptdesign?

Thanks for your help!
Philippe

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Create a rptlibrary
2.Add a datasource to library (whatever type)
3.Set any property of datasource (e.g. endpoint)
4.Add a dataset to library (associated to previously created datasource)
5.Create a rptdesign
6.Drag datsource from rptlibrary to rptdesign
7.Drag dataset from rptlibrary to rptdesign
8.Open datasource from rptdesign
9.Customize property previously set in rptlibrary to a different value than the one from the rptdlibrary (e.g. endpoint)
10.Drag dataset to UI (as a table)
11.Preview design (will call dataset therefore datasource)

Current behavior: endpoint used is the one from rptlibrary
Expected behavior: endpoint used is the one from rptdesign (using customized property value)

Comment 1 Rick Lu

2011-11-10 01:35:45 EST

this is expected behavior. 

1. if library data set is drag and drop to the design. The design dataset refers to the library dataset. And the design dataset uses the library datasource indirectly. 

2. to use the report datasource, the report dataset must uses the report datasource instead of referring to a library dataset.

Comment 2 Philippe Marsteau

2011-11-10 07:49:35 EST

If that is expected behaviour, this is inconsistent with data set or report item design and behavior. If I drag a data set from library, and customize property, even if this comes from library, customized properties will be considered. This defeats the concept of extension (report data source extends library data source, that is reuse behavior from library but overrides some properties of it. Asking dev to use report data set to be able to use report data set is equivalent to disable reuasbility of data set and data source (what libraries are designed for). And there is no way to customize datasource property of extended data set (dragged from library) in the report to use data source from report.

So bottom line:
- either I cannot reuses data set queries from libraries at all
- or I must edit library if a specific report needs to use another schema/database.

Really, really bad design. To me still considered as a bug since inconsistent with behavior of other overridden elements extended from libraries.

(In reply to comment #1)
> this is expected behavior. 
> 
> 1. if library data set is drag and drop to the design. The design dataset
> refers to the library dataset. And the design dataset uses the library
> datasource indirectly. 
> 
> 2. to use the report datasource, the report dataset must uses the report
> datasource instead of referring to a library dataset.

Comment 3 Xiaoying Gu

2011-11-14 01:25:10 EST

set as wont fix

Comment 4 Rick Lu

2011-11-14 01:40:40 EST

(In reply to comment #2)
> If that is expected behaviour, this is inconsistent with data set or report
> item design and behavior. If I drag a data set from library, and customize
> property, even if this comes from library, customized properties will be
> considered. This defeats the concept of extension (report data source extends
> library data source, that is reuse behavior from library but overrides some
> properties of it. Asking dev to use report data set to be able to use report
> data set is equivalent to disable reuasbility of data set and data source (what
> libraries are designed for). And there is no way to customize datasource
> property of extended data set (dragged from library) in the report to use data
> source from report.
> 

the dataset with datasource is the same case like the table with dataset. For the given case, the suggestion is to customize the report data source then let the report dataset uses the report datasource. 

for any item that is dragged from the library, the customized properties are considered. 
But no way to guess whether the user wants to use the library datasource or the report datasource. In general, if report dataset is from the library, assume that the user doesn't want to change its library datasource.

Comment 5 Philippe Marsteau

2011-11-14 08:00:26 EST

(In reply to comment #4)

Could you describe a step by step instructions how to customize a datasource from library used by a dataset dragged from library in a report so the customized version of the datasource is used by the customized version of the dataset in the report (instead of the datasource from library)?

I tried and the library datasource was always used, even if the dataset was customized to use another datasource (or if the datasource was customized). Maybe that is the real bug? When I create a plain new datasource, extending the dataset from library does not allow me to choose the report datasource. If the report datasource has the same name than the datasource present in the library, then the one of the library is used, no matter the customization.

Again I may do it wrong, so please share the detailed step-by-step instruction and expected behaviors. As of today, the bug is NOT resolved. I could create a plain new dataset copied from datasource (instead of inherited from) but that is not the desired functionality. Desired functionality is to reuse datasets from library with minimal changes, and have at report level, the ability to select a different datasource.

> (In reply to comment #2)
> 
> the dataset with datasource is the same case like the table with dataset. For
> the given case, the suggestion is to customize the report data source then let
> the report dataset uses the report datasource. 
> 
> for any item that is dragged from the library, the customized properties are
> considered. 
> But no way to guess whether the user wants to use the library datasource or the
> report datasource. In general, if report dataset is from the library, assume
> that the user doesn't want to change its library datasource.