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Open the BIRT expression builder for a data field in a report, or an aggregation in a table. The most likely expression that a user will build is one that references data fields available to that report item. However to get at the fields I must 1. Find and click Available Data Sets 2. Find and click my data set. 3. Find and double-click the desired field. Now, close the dialog and reopen it to fix your expression. You get to do these clicks all over again. Expected one or the other of two time-saving features. 1. That the default display would show data row fields available to this report element. That is, the data row for the immediately-surrounding data set. (For most reports, there is only one such row.) Or 2. That the dialog remembers the last expansion state and restores it. Note that this must be more general than it first seems, since if I have two reports, I don't want to see the data row for the other report simply because that is what I last expanded. What I want is the more general idea, "expanded data row for the current report item." Either way, did not expect to have to do quite so much work just to add a field.
After discussion with Lifeng, we agree with option (2) described by Paul, reason being it is consistent with the Text report item builder, which was recently changed to remember the last expanded state. (a) Please make sure we implement as described by Paul The dialog remembers the last expansion state and restores it. Note - that this must be more general than it first seems, since if I have two reports, I don't want to see the data row for the other report simply because that is what I last expanded. What I want is the more general idea, "expanded data row for the current report item." ** THis applies to different report items like 2 tables in a report too
Remember the state for each expression builder instance could be too much resource burden for the designer. Move to future to wait for more requests.
