BIRT rptdesign vs rpttemplate

Question

I used both BIRT Report template (rpttemplate) and Design (rptdesign). But I didnt find any diffrence between them. I want to know when to use each one. We can use Master page,Script and all the components from palette in both the cases.

So why do we have multiple options?

Answer 1

Templates server as a means of saving a specific set of design architectures for repeated use. It offers similar benefits as library items.

Your final report should be a rptdesign.

If you don't have a need for rpttemplate, just ignore it.

Personally I have some data sources, and master pages in my library that I use for reoccurring needs. I ether start from scratch with a new report, bringing in library items, or modifying an existing saved rptdesign.

Answer 2

A template (rpttemplate file) serves as a template for designing new reports, just as its name implies.

Note that an rpttemplate is not meant to be executed.

Technically, an rpttemplate file is just like a rptdesign file with an additional cheat sheet. The cheat sheet is intended to help power-users or developer-rookies to modify the template in the right places.

While other report designers have hard-coded wizards to create new reports, BIRT has templates with cheat sheets.

Personally, I don't use templates at all; you don't really need them.

For reusing components, it is good practise to put the in a library (rptlibrary file) and reference them from there. BIRT's library concept is very powerful and much more useful than the template concept.