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Displaying Text

Displaying Text

A report typically presents most of its information in textual format. In fact, we can safely assume that all reports contain text. Even if a report consists primarily of charts or pictures, it still uses text to label charts, display titles, describe the charts or pictures, and so on.

Textual information can be

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Static text, which is text that you type in the report. You use static text in a report title, column headings, or to write a summary about the report.
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String, number, or date values that are derived from data set fields. The majority of information in a report typically comes from data set fields.
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String, number, or date values that are derived from JavaScript expressions. Reports often contain information that is calculated, such as the report-generation date, or the number of records in a report table.

Textual information can be as short as a single word, or span multiple paragraphs, even pages. BIRT Report Designer handles all lengths of text elegantly. When you insert a textual element, you do not need to worry about specifying an element size that is large enough to display all the text. BIRT Report Designer automatically adjusts the size of elements to accommodate their contents.

How to use a dynamic text element

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Make sure the table or list in which you want to insert a dynamic text element is bound to the data set that contains the CLOB data. To verify or create the data set binding, perform the following tasks:
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On the expression builder, choose Available Column Bindings, choose the table under Sub-Category, then double-click the column binding that refers to the data set field that contains the CLOB data. Choose OK to save the expression.
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In the layout editor, select the dynamic text element. Property Editor displays the properties of the dynamic text element.
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Choose this value if you do not know the format of the field contents. If the content contains HTML tags, BIRT Report Designer interprets it as HTML and displays the content correctly. If the content is plain text, BIRT Report Designer displays it correctly also.
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Choose this value if you know that all the field contents are HTML.
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Choose this value to display the field contents exactly as they appear in the data source. If the content contains HTML tags, BIRT Report Designer displays the HTML tags.
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