Introduction

DataVision is a database reporting tool similar to Crystal Reports. Reports can be viewed and printed from the application or output as HTML, LaTeX2e, XML, DocBook, or tab- or comma-separated text files. From the LaTeX2e and DocBook output files you can in turn produce PDF, text, HTML, PostScript, and more.

Report descriptions are stored as XML files. This means you can not only use the DataVision GUI, but you may also edit reports using your favorite text editor.

DataVision is written in Java for maximum portability between operating systems and databases.

DataVision is developed and maintained by Jim Menard, jimm@io.com.

Documentation

The documentation page contains links to the User's Manual, FAQ, and Javadocs.

A new mailing list named datavision-users@lists.sourceforge.net has been created for the discussion of tips, tricks, suggestions, bugs, and workarounds. For more information, see the documentation page.

Download

Download the latest version () from SourceForge. The download contains the Java source code, a jar file (so you don't have to compile anything), scripts for running DataVision, and the documentation.

Changes

Here is a summary of the major changes in version .

• Added GUI and command line support for boolean, string, numeric, and date parameters and parameter fields.
• New help menu and in-program HTML help.
• Bug fixes:
  • A NullPointerException was thrown if there were no database records retrieved.
  • Fixed formula field mouse selection bug.
  • Catch previously uncaught exceptions thrown when reading a report in for GUI editing.
  • Errors thrown when report XML is being read are now reported instead of being ignored.

Bugs and Missing Features

The bug list is now being maintained on the SourceForge project Bugs page.

Here is a short list of things that don't work yet, but are necessary to make DataVision really useful:

• Editing more than one report at a time. Object id numbers will clash, causing undefined, eerily mysterious problems. There's a simple workaround: only open one report at a time for editing and running.
• Page-at-a-time viewing from the "Run Report" screen.
• Undo, Redo, Copy, Paste.
• Drag-selecting multiple fields (but you can shift-click fields to select more than one).
• Change the RPN formula syntax to a more natural scripting language, perhaps Ruby (via JRuby).
• Joins should support inner and outer joins.

Documentation errata may be found on the Documentation page.

User Community

This list of countries includes those from which I have received emails and those subscribed to the Datavision Users mailing list.

• Austrailia
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• India
• Italy
• New Zealand
• Paraguay
• Russia
• Slovak Republic
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• USA

There is now a DataVision user's mailing list. For more information, visit the documentation page.

Copying and Warranty

The notices that were displayed here have moved to the Legal Notices page.