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Rendering external image links in reports

medini_1024169437

I recently have been asked, how to use external images in medini in reports. As you know, you can either drag image files to a medini project (and they are stored internally) or you can create links to external resources using an URI. Both are creating internally the same type of object called PJExternalDocument.

In case of a link, the document's URI attribute is absolute, i.e. it has a schema, otherwise the URI is relative to the document file stored in the project.

So I created a new OCL based data set first for external documents:

Inside, I scripted a custom column to distinguish between relative and absolute, so between document and link:

I used this attribute to filter out any image that is inside the project, just using external links. In the sample project I have internal images (to test filtering) and two links to image sin the net:

Finally in the design I have a list that renders a label (document name) and an image, bound to the URI. The result looks like:

I have attached the report design file. Feel free to extend and feedback here.

Happy Reporting

Jan

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medini_1035748653

Hello Jan,

I have a strange situation. I scripted a custom column in a OCL data set for external documents. I can preview this data set results.

Then I stored my template. I didn't even add List to the template. I also didn't bind this data set to any element of the template. When I generated a report, it showd an error:

Look forward to your help.

Best wishes!

Xiao Feng

medini_1024169437

Hi Xiao,

have you used the script from the template as is or scripted your own?

Can you post the script here? There seems to be an issue.

Please use the "Code Snippet" support and set language to "Java Script":

Jan

medini_1035748653

Jan,

I use the script from the template, as below:

try {
	var uri = new java.net.URI(row["uri"]);
	uri.isAbsolute();
} catch (any) {
	false;
}

And error information as below:

Invalid Javascript expression: try {
	var uri = new java.net.URI(row["uri"]);
	uri.isAbsolute();
} catch (any) {
	false;
}.
Invalid Javascript expression: try {
	var uri = new java.net.URI(row["uri"]);
	uri.isAbsolute();
} catch (any) {
	false;
}.
Invalid Javascript expression: try {
	var uri = new java.net.URI(row["uri"]);
	uri.isAbsolute();
} catch (any) {
	false;
}.
Invalid Javascript expression: try {
	var uri = new java.net.URI(row["uri"]);
	uri.isAbsolute();
} catch (any) {
	false;
}.
Invalid Javascript expression: try {
	var uri = new java.net.URI(row["uri"]);
	uri.isAbsolute();
} catch (any) {
	false;
}.

Xiao Feng

medini_1024169437

I have absolutely no clue what's going on :-(

I think you have to post the design here so I can test.

Jan

medini_1035748653

Hello Jan,

I feel something may be wrong with my data set. Then I delete the script from my data set, and I creat a new data set that follows your method. In the end, the above errors is no longer displayed.

Best wishes!

Xiao Feng

medini_1035748653

Hi Jan,

If I want to output a internal image(document), like BIRTman1.png in your medini project. What settings should I make for the template?

I tried to remove the filter you set for the internal images, but the result didn't show the internal images in report.

Thank you in advance.

Sincerely

Xiao Feng

medini_1024169437

Hi Xiao,

glad you fixed the first issue. Internal documents are a bit more tricky. The URI is relative to the location of the project in the file system. Unfortunately the data set and the scripting doe snot know anything about file locations. I have to think about this and most likely will come up with some rather "dirty hack" to get this done.

But its definitely possible.

Regards

Jan

medini_1035748653

OK, I am looking forward to your solution.:-)

Best Regards!

Xiao Feng

medini_1024169437

Hi Xiao,

I refined the data source and managed to create a separate computed column "url" which either gives the original URI (if absolute) or a file based URL if URI is a relative file path. I removed the filter and it seems to work.

Have fun

Jan

medini_1035748653

Hello Jan,

Great. Thank you very much!

Sincerely

Xiao Feng

medini_1038955747

Hi Jan,

Is it possible in medini to add a pictutre in the HARA table ?

For exemple I want to create a new column in HARA and for each line I want to have a picture or image.

Best regards

Abdoul

medini_1024169437

Hi Abdoul,

well, there is a short answer (no) and a longer answer, something like 'not officially supported but possible'. With some tricks you can achieve something like this:

Happy Scripting

Jan

medini_1042943268

Hi Jan,

Using your code, when I insert a second list (simple copy and paste) into the report document to display external images, I receive the following error when running the report in Medini:

Invalid Javascript expression: // parse the URI and check whether its absolute or relative

try {

var uri = new java.net.URI(row["uri"]);

uri.isAbsolute();

} catch (any) {

false;

My intent is to have different listings based on filtered values, but even a non-filtered throws this error when repeated. The single instance as provided in your code works fine. Any thoughts?

Regards,

Ben

medini_1024169437

No clue at a first glance, could you post your design file here in the forum?

Regards

Jan

medini_1042943268

Hi Jan,

Here is the design file. It is supposed to iterate through the images twice.

Thanks,

Ben

medini_1024169437

Hello Ben,

I had a look and it seems that the reason is a problematic setting in the "data set".

As mentioned in another article, OCL data sets MUST NOT use caching at all times, and I myself broke that rule in my example. So please open the design, select the data set and go to the "Advanced" property view tab. In there you find a settings named "Needs cache..." which is "true" by default but shall not.

Make sure the property is set to "false" and try again.

Regards Jan

PS: If the DS is used only once, the caching problem does not count so I overlooked the hidden issue.

medini_1042943268

Thank you, Jan. That corrected the issue with multiple iterations through the list.

Ben

medini_1073221077

Jan, three years back you said that it there is a "not officially supported, but possible way" to show images in tables. Care to explain how? Using XHTML? I'm trying to do that by extracting the URI of an external document, but I can't get it to work.

// Mattias

medini_1024169437

3 years already? Time is slipping fast :-)

Well, I meant the RFT control here as well, the XHTML does not support images yet. We use a renderer from teh eclipse Nebula project and that one unfortunately does not rernde <img> elements.

So even if the XHTML code contains img tags, they are not handled :-( So RTF is the only choice at the moment.

Jan