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Using Scripting in a Report Design : Overview of BIRT scripting : Choosing between JavaScript and Java

Choosing between JavaScript and Java

Both JavaScript and Java have advantages and disadvantages when writing an event handler. For a developer who is familiar with only one of the two languages, the advantage of using the familiar language is obvious, but for others the decision depends on the report requirements.

The advantages of using JavaScript to write an event handler include

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Adding a JavaScript event handler to a report is less complicated than adding a Java event handler. When writing a JavaScript event handler, there is no need to create a Java environment in Eclipse or to learn the Eclipse Java development process. You are not required to specify a package, implement an interface, or know the parameters of the event handler you write.
To add a JavaScript event handler, you type the code for the event handler on the Script tab after selecting the name of the event handler from a drop-down list.
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JavaScript is less demanding to code than Java due to these more relaxed requirements.

The advantages of using Java to write an event handler include

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The Eclipse Java development environment is very powerful and includes such features as autocompletion, context sensitive help, keyboard shortcuts, parameter hints, and more.
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All the Java event handlers for a report exist in readily viewable Java files. By contrast, the JavaScript event handlers are embedded in the design and you can view only one handler at a time.
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The integrated debugger only supports Java event handlers, not JavaScript event handlers.

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