We will introduce Update Compatibility of FineReport reporting tool versions that include FR8.0,7.1.1,7.1,7.0.5,7.0.4,7.0.3,7.0.1 in this article.

1. Update guide for FR8.0 versions

1.1 Flattening style

Description: The parameter interface control, filling control and toolbar button are changed to flattening styles.

To change V7.1 style plan, enable the plug-in of “Original Control Style Plug-in” in “Plug-in Management”.

1.2 Subfield

Description: Subfield headline and end line will automatically extend to subfield area size.

1.3 Change of activation code mechanism

Description: The original activation codes like RXWY-A25421-K58F47757-7373 can no longer be used for activating V8.0. You can apply new activation code from the official website free of charge.

Note: However, this will not influence the version updating of the original activated designer.

1.4 Parameters of user name and password

Description: All parameters related to user name and password are unified as fr_username and fr_password, including single sign-on (SSO). Therefore, original SSO integration scheme has to be changed during updating.

1.5 Management menu of data decision-making system

Description: All management menus of data decision-making system are re-written and xml is not compatible, including attributes saved in fsconfig.xml like all attribute configurations for system appearance and mobile platform, synchronous data set content and custom roles.

1.6 Map

Description: The improved map is still compatible to image parsing of old versions. However, old version template only supports preview but not map editing.

1.7 Combination chart

Description: The combination chart setting interface will enable the condition attribute setting of old version to be compatible to condition attribute without changing the preview effects.

1.8 Update

Description: V8.0 update is same as the previous version updating. Different from V7.1 update, you need to copy fr-chart-8.0.jar, fr-core-8.0.jar, fr-performance-8.0.jar, fr-platform-8.0.jar, fr-report-8.0.jar, fr-third-8.0.jar and fr-applet-8.0.jar. Delete the original fr-xx-8.0.jar and copy fr-xx-8.0.jar to corresponding directory. If V7.1 is updated to V8.0, except replacement of the four jars, you also need to delete the original four http packages. For details, refer to FineReport Update Guide.

2. FR7.1.1 version update guide

2.1 Form

Description: V7.1.1 has re-designed the forms and optimized internal logics. For details, refer to Form Design；

Update solution: For form designed with previous versions, you can preview the effect in V7.1.1 but cannot open it with designer. To change form, you need to design a new one with new form;

2.2 Update

Description: V7.1.1 version update is same as the previous version updating. Different from V7.1 update, you only need to copy fr-designer-7.1.jar, fr-server-7.1.jar and fr-third-7.1.jar. If V7.1 is updated to V7.1.1, except replacement of the four jars, you also need to delete the original four http packages. For details, refer to FineReport Update Guide.

3. FR7.1 version update guide

3.1 Jar package copy

Description: As V7.1 has a lot changes. Please note the following aspects when copying jar package for updating.

Update solution: Firstly, copy fr-server-7.1.jar and fr-third-7.1.jar under %FR_HOME%\WebReport\WEB-INF\lib. Then, delete the fr-server-7.0.jar and fr-third-7.0.jar packages of original V7.1. For designer update, you also need to copy fr-designer-7.1.jar under %FR_HOME%\lib of designer and delete V7.0 package. In addition, also copy 6 packages including httpclient-4.3.1.jar, httpclient-cache-4.3.1.jar, httpcore-4.3.jar, httpmime-4.3.1.jar, commons-codec-1.6.jar and fluent-hc-4.3.1.jar under %FR_HOME%\WebReport\WEB-INF\lib. You may ask FineReport for the jar package or directly copy it from the installation package for re-installation.

3.2 Register files

Description: To update V7.0 to V7.1, registered users please note that: you need to send related information to the e-mail of FineReport Business Department to request registration files for re-registration. For detailed operation methods, refer to Registration Steps.

3.3 Delete borders of filling center and page break center

Description: Center display is added in the filling preview; borders of page break and filling center are deleted. For details, refer to Filling Center.

Compatibility: After updating, the border line of page break center will be deleted. V7.1 provides a method – contentPane.setBorderVisible(true) – to add and remove border lines;

3.4 Map

Description: New making method fails to support setting different dimensional data for different levels. In new versions, the upper-level map data will be computed via AutoSum of underlying data.

Compatibility: For different dimensions at different levels in old versions, after compatibility, different dimensions are added for each level of map.

3.5 Platform

Description: after fs is unified with platform, one set of user information have been used.

Update solution: If two sets of user settings are configured in platform and fs, they have to be re-configured in V7.1. For details, refer to User Management.

3.6 Mailing list

Description: V7.1 combines the mailing list function into the user management page. In this way, e-mail is directly used as one attribute of user information, which is convenient for configuration and management.

Update solution: In old-version update, the mailing list has to be re-configured. For details, refer to Add User.

4. FR7.0.5 version update guide

4.1 jetty server

Description: To update from low version to V7.0.5, except change of corresponding jar packages, you need to update the jar packages corresponding to jetty server.

Solutions: Download jetty_705.rar file from FineReport Downloading Center. After extraction, replace the jetty folder under %FR_HOME%\lib folder.

4.2 Click event of drop-down control

Description: Click events of drop-down controls (e.g., drop-down box, drop-down check box, drop-down tree) are triggered upon clicking the controls. In V705, the events are triggered after the option in drop-down box is clicked.

Update solution: This option change is not compatible. If the click event has been used before, after update, the click event will be triggered when the drop-down option is clicked, which cannot be triggered by clicking the control. In this case, the user should select other events based on certain conditions.

5. FR7.0.4 version update guide

5.1 Stored procedure

Description: In V7.0.4, stored procedure, as a kind of data set, is divided into template data set and server data set. However, in previous versions, stored procedures are directly created in the server.

Update solution: The original V703 stored procedure is processed as the stored procedure in server data set.

5.2 Line engine page break SQL

Description: In V7.0.4, the page break sql line engine function in original V6.5 is added.

Update solution: It is fully compatible to the page break SQL line engine in V6.5.

5.3 Line spacing

Description: In V7.0.4, the line spacing function in original V6.5 is added.

Update solution: It is fully compatible to the line spacing in V6.5.

5.4 Map

Description: V7.0.4 improves the selection algorithm in map area.

Update guide: The map image customed by V703 may have region merging if the region line is not clear and coherent. In this case, you need to repair the image for normal usage. However, if the region line of custom image has consistent color and has no breakpoint, there will be no compatibility problem.

5.5 Filling custom event

Description: Re-define the secondary development interface of custom submit event and add secondary development extendability. In addition, the custom submit events can be directly defined, not just existing as sub-event of built-in SQL.

Update guide: The filling custom submit categories of previous versions require to be amended based on new interface specifications. For details, refer to Filling Custom Events.

6. FR7.0.3 version update guide

6.1 V702 designer’s direct update to V703

To directly update V702 to V703, except replacement of 3 jar packages of designer, server and third, as the map has been optimized and changed in V703, you need to copy the chartmap folder that contains map built-in data under %FR_Home%\WebReport\WEB-INF\resources.

6.2 Map update

To place the map template made by V702 into V703, you need to update the version based on the method below as the map in FineReport7.0.3 has been largely optimized and changed compared with previous versions.

Solution

Except copy of the above chartmap folder, you need to change the region corresponding relationship of map, i.e., re-set the corresponding fields of the region name in designer built-in map and that in database. For detailed operation steps, refer to Map Making > Region Corresponding Setting Procedure in Map.

6.3 Pie chart update

If V702 is updated to V703, the categorical data of pie chart will get lost;

Solution

In V702, there is categorical concept in pie chart data setting. You have to bind the categorical axis for pie chart. However, in V703, the categorical concept of pie chart is deleted in consideration of actual application. Therefore, after update, the categorical data of pie chart will get lost, and you can no longer add categorical data for the pie chart.

7. FR7.0.1 version compatibility and update guide

FineReport V7.0.1 has been improved and changed compared with V7.0. Any incompatibilities during update and corresponding solutions will be described in detail below.

Strong recommendation: Back up templates and data before updating.

There is a chart about comparision of FineReport versions.

Specific contents Deletion reason Alternative solution
Delete Plot Area Border 1) There is no actual scene for plot area border; 2) if not deleted, the border will cover the grid line or coordinate axis after setting of border display. In default, the plot area has no border and cannot be added with one.
Delete Adaptive Legend Size 1) The Adaptive Legend Size aims to displaying all legends when there are several legends and making the legend area position not squeeze the plot area position; 2) however, the “Adaptive Legend Size” in original versions has extremely poor effect. Therefore, FineReport decides to change it to another scheme. When the legend area is at left and right, the area size is fixed and the legends (default: 8-10) are only listed in one column. There is one arrow in the legend area. Click it to display all legends; when the legend area is at top and down, only 1 line is displayed based on best effect. Similarly, click the arrow to display all legends. In addition, if there are too many legend words that exceed the legend area width, an ellipsis will be used in the middle and all words will be visible if you move the mouse there.
Delete Vertical and Rotate function of chart title 1) Not helpful; 2) product stability is improved after deletion. All chart titles are in horizontal. You cannot set text direction on the interface.
Delete “Inside Base” in tab position 1) This function has poor effect and is not helpful; “Inside Base” interface setting and effect are not supported.
Delete tab positions of line chart & scatter chart and delete Top, Bottom, Left and Right setting 1) Not helpful; 2) product stability is improved after deletion. You cannot set it on the interface. In default, find a best position to place the tab.
Delete Left Align and Right Align for range chart tab positions 1) There is no big difference between Left Align/Right Align and Center; 2) product stability is improved after deletion. You cannot set Left Align and Right Align on the interface. However, Top, Down and Center are available.
Delete Legend Font and Color Setting 1) Tab Font Type, Bold, Italic and Size are only applicable for system tabs and Color is only applicable for series tabs and legends, causing logic problem. 2) Tab font and color setting are not helpful; Interface setting and effect of font and color of series tabs are not supported.
Delete background images for header area and legend area of all charts and data sheet of data chart 1) Not helpful; 2) product stability is improved after deletion. Background images for header area and legend area of all charts and data sheet of data chart are not supported.
Delete 2D Exploded Pie Chart and 3D Exploded Pie Chart A non-exploded pie chart can be changed to an exploded pie chart by setting degree of explosion. Therefore, instead of being listed separately, they are integrated as a whole. Non-exploded pie chart and exploded pie chart are integrated as a whole, instead of being listed separately.
Delete Explosion Degree Setting for pie charts Not helpful. Add “Explode or Not” option in the setting interface of pie chart. The interface provides no setting for explosion degree. Explosion effect is defaulted by the system.
Delete plot area image in 3D chart 1) The image at side cannot be attached; 2) the background image is not helpful. Interface setting and effect for plot area image of 3D chart is not supported.
Delete Non-dynamic Pie Chart Explosion 1) There is no actual application scene; 2) non-dynamic exploded pie chart means to emphasize all values, equivalent to no emphasis. 3) Excel2010 is gradually guiding users not to use Exploded Chart. You cannot set explosion of pie chart. However, in dynamic display, explosion effect will be shown when you click pop-up with mouse; in other circumstances, there is no explosion effect.
Tooltip interface change: 1. Delete tooltip of stock chart; for other charts, delete Separator, Series Name and Classification Name in the Tooltip interface; 2. In Tooltip interface, only Value and Percentage Value are remained for check; default to check Display Value. You can set the styles for Value and Percentage Value Default dynamic tooltips have classification names and series names. The sequence of classification names, series names and series values are uniformly set by UI to achieve best effect. Therefore, interface setting is deleted. Default dynamic tooltips have classification names and series names. The sequence of classification name, series name and series value are uniformly set by UI to achieve best effect.
Delete Value Axis Scaling and Second Value Axis Scaling in Chart Interaction Attributes The previous Coordinate Axis Scaling has poor effects. In addition, support of Value Axis Scaling and Second Value Axis Scaling is a misunderstanding of user requirements and brings unsatisfactory user experience. This version dedicates the Coordinate Scaling function and only supports Coordinate Scaling based on user requirements. Do not support Value Axis Scaling and Second Value Axis Scaling and only support Coordinate Scaling.
Logic change of parameter default values in parameter interface The original control values of the parameter control have to consider 3 layers. For example, there is a control P1 A. Assuming that the value of an external parameter P1 is 1, the control P1 value is 1. B. If there is no value of an external parameter P1, check whether the control value is set. If the control value is not Null, display this value. C. If the control value is Null, take the default value for parameter P1 set in the report. The logic to consider above all is too complex and cumbersome for the user. Therefore, delete the special logic of C, i.e., if the control value is Null, take the default value. It is intuitive as the default value is what is displayed in the control attribute table. In addition, the strong relationship between the parameter interface (as form) and the report to make the code division between form and report clearer. Guarantee compatibility and effect consistency of previous templates. New logic will be used in designing new template. Only when the control is automatically generated, take the parameter default value of parameter into the control value of the control. Delete the logic of “if the control value is Null, take the default value”.
Change the Associated Data Set into Consolidated Data Set The previous Associated Data Set can only consolidate data set and display data set by conditions. This version has more functions. Direct Consolidated Data Set is compatible to V7.0 while Consolidate Data Set by Conditions is not.