oracle.reports.plugin
Interface Plugin

All Known Subinterfaces:

PluginDataSource

All Known Implementing Classes:

PluginDataSourceTemplate

public interface Plugin

Base interface of Reports Plugin. Reports Plugin API allows Applcation developers to write their own Java components to work with Reports. Currently Reports Plugin API supports Plugin Data Source which allows Application developers to write a Java component to provide data for their reporting.

Method Summary

boolean	applyXML(java.lang.String xml) Applies text definition (usually in XML) to the plugin.
void	dispose() Disposes the Plugin and clean up related resources.
PluginFactory	getFactory() Gets the factory object which creates this plugin.
java.lang.String	saveToXML() Returns text definition (usually in XML) of the plugin.
void	setFactory(PluginFactory fac) Sets the factory object which creates this plugin.
void	startRuntime() Notify Plugin that Reports is about to start to run.

Method Detail

startRuntime

void startRuntime()
                  throws PluginException

Notify Plugin that Reports is about to start to run. In runtime, Plugin is not allowed to raise any UI dialog. If Plugin needs to raise any UI dialog, such as Connect Dialog, before its runtime execution, it should be done inside this method. Note, unlike execute methods which could be called many times for one Plugin, startRuntime is called only once for one Plugin for one report run.

Throws:

PluginException

dispose

void dispose()

Disposes the Plugin and clean up related resources. This method is called when Plugin are deleted from the report, or closing the whole report.

applyXML

boolean applyXML(java.lang.String xml)
                 throws PluginException

Applies text definition (usually in XML) to the plugin. Plugin's text definition is returned from saveToXML method and stored with report file (either RDF, JSP, or XML form). When open report file, the stored text definition is passed to this method to restore the plugin object. The synatx of the text definition is up to each plugin to define. This method and saveToXML are in pair to serialize and deserialize plugin into text definition for Reports to store and restore plugin with report file.

Parameters:

the - xml to apply

Returns:

true if plugin data source changed with the xml. false if the plugin data source unchanged.

Throws:

PluginException

saveToXML

java.lang.String saveToXML()
                           throws PluginException

Returns text definition (usually in XML) of the plugin. The text definition must contain complete information of the plugin, so that it can be used to restore the plugin when pass into applyXML method. The synatx of the text definition is up to each plugin to define. Reports calls this method to get plugin's text definition and save it with report (either in RDF, XML, or JSP form). This method and applyXML are in pair to serialize and deserialize plugin into text definition for Reports to store and restore plugin with report file.

Returns:

XML or text description of plugin's definition

Throws:

PluginException

setFactory

void setFactory(PluginFactory fac)
                throws PluginException

Sets the factory object which creates this plugin. Reports will call setFactory right after Plugin is created.

Throws:

PluginException

getFactory

PluginFactory getFactory()
                         throws PluginException

Gets the factory object which creates this plugin. Reports calls setFactory and passes in the factory object right after Plugin is created.

Throws:

PluginException