Basic Structure of a Report Specification

The top level element in a report specification is the report element. The report element contains all of the elements that define the data for a report and how the data is presented. The report element has attributes that allow you to define the namespace and locale of the report.

The following is a graphical representation of the content model of a report element, from the v5_report_one.xsd schema.

This image shows the direct descendants of the report element. — Figure 1. report object child elements

Tip: Most XML editors allow you to view a graphical representation of a schema. If you are new to authoring report specifications, look at this view of the v5_report_one.xsdschema to understand how the elements fit together to create a report.

The two main elements to consider are the queries and layouts elements. These two elements contain the fundamental parts of the report. The queries element contains all of the data items, filters, parameters and aggregate information for data in the report. The layouts element defines how the data is presented, including the page layout and the data container. In order to put a data item in a report, the data item must be defined in the queries element, and then referenced in the layouts element.

For more information, see the Report Specification Reference entries for queries and layouts. See also Queries Element and Layouts Element.

The remaining child elements of the report element are described here.

modelPath: Specifies the path to the Framework Manager model of the data in the report.
classStyles: Defines the styles to be used locally in the report
burst: Specifies the recipients and delivery method of a bursted report.
reportVariables: Defines report variables that allow conditional rendering of various parts of the report. For more information, see Report Variables.
drillBehavior: Defines the drill-through behavior in a report
XMLAttributes: Reserved. Do not add this element to a report specification.
upgradeInfo: Reserved. Do not add this element to a report specification.
namedConditionalStyles: This element is used to define conditional styles. For more information, see Conditional Formatting.
drillSets Behavior: This element is used to link data items across queries for drill up or down behavior.
reportName: Contains the name of the report in the content store.
appProperties: Defines properties specific to an IBM Cognos Active Report. For more information, see the IBM Cognos Analytics - Reporting User Guide.