Getting Started Guides

This section provides a quick start path for those evaluating BIRT. If this is your first time hearing about BIRT, start with the “What is BIRT” section on the New to BIRT page.

• Download BIRT Designer
  • Choose the Actuate BIRT Designer Professional if you:
    • want a simple Windows installer
    • need the out-of-box database drivers
    • need to design Information Objects
    • plan to evaluate the BIRT iHub integration
  • Otherwise, Choose the Eclipse BIRT Report Designer
    • requires Java 1.5 JDK/JRE

• Learn to Design BIRT Reports
  • Watch Video: Designing a BIRT Report (Part 1, Part 2)
  • Get to know the BIRT Designer User Interface
  • Open the Chart Examples and Report Examples within BIRT
    • Select Window -> Show View -> Other -> Report and Chart Design
  • Launch the BIRT Turorial in the BIRT Field Guide
    • Select Help -> Help Contents -> BIRT Report Developer Guide -> Field Guide to BIRT
    • Look for 'Tutorial 1' in the 'Learning the Basics' chapter
  • Create a report using BIRT Cheat Sheets
    • Select Help -> Cheat Sheets -> Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools

• Download BIRT Deployment Option
  • Choose BIRT onDemand if you:
    • want to deploy your BIRT reports to the cloud
    • don't want to download or develop server software
  • Choose the BIRT iHub Evaluation if you:
    • want the quickest way to test your deployed BIRT reports
    • need to evaluate Interactive Viewer, Dashboards, or other enhanced features
    • plan to use the JavaScript API for application integration
    • have BIRT designs from Actuate Designer Pro or Eclipse BIRT Report Designer
  • Choose Eclipse BIRT Runtime if you:
    • want to run BIRT reports from the command line
    • want to modify the WebViewerExample and have your own JavaEE server

• Using BIRT API's
  • If you are looking for a deeper integration, see the BIRT APIs page
  • Software companies interested in integrating BIRT into your products, download the Actuate Java Components

• Getting started with other Applications Using BIRT
  • Using Actuate BIRT with IBM Maximo
  • Using BIRT and Actuate with IBM ClearQuest
  • Actuate Mashboard - BIRT Dashboard Implementation for iServer
  • Using BIRT and Actuate with JavaServer Faces(JSF)

OLD LIST OF GETTING STARTED GUIDES

• Designers
  • BIRT Designers - Includes open source Eclipse BIRT Designers and Actuate BIRT Designers.
  • BIRT Studio - Web-based BIRT report designer for end-users
  • Information Object Designer - Designer for building metadata objects for use with BIRT reports deployed to iServer report server.
• Report Viewers and Servers
  • BIRT WebViewerExample - Open source example web implementation of the BIRT APIs.
  • Actuate BIRT Viewers - Includes Actuate BIRT Viewer and Interactive Viewer WAR files.
  • Actuate Java Components (OEM) - Includes BIRT Deployment Kit and e.Spreadsheet Deployment Kit for OEMs.
  • BIRT iHub - Report Server for BIRT.
• Engines and APIs
  • BIRT Engine - Includes BIRT Report Engine API, Design Engine API, and Chart Engine API.
  • e.Spreadsheet Engine - Includes e.Spreadsheet Engine and Excel API
  • Actuate JSAPI - JavaScript API for integrating BIRT reports into any web page.
  • Actuate Web Services API - Information Delivery API (IDAPI) for interacting with the iServer via web services.
• Applications Using BIRT
  • Using Actuate BIRT with IBM Maximo
  • Using BIRT and Actuate with IBM ClearQuest
  • Actuate Mashboard - BIRT Dashboard Implementation for iServer
  • Using BIRT and Actuate with JavaServer Faces(JSF)