Unable to preview BIRT report

Question

I'm new to BIRT and I've downloaded Eclipse IDE for Java and Report Developers today.

After following a tutorial and when I'm ready to preview my report, I clicked on "View Report on Web Viewer" and many other options, but it always launch Notepad+ for me.

Is there something wrong with my IDE?

I tried to check if there's any setting to configure the running mode, but I saw this in my project properties: http://s22.postimg.org/rs01foxzz/rundebug.jpg

Please advise. Thank you for your time.

Noticed that there's some errors in the Error Log, not sure if this is affecting the preview of the reports:

java.lang.NullPointerException

at org.eclipse.ui.internal.ide.handlers.EditorInputPropertyTester.test(EditorInputPropertyTester.java:48) at org.eclipse.core.internal.expressions.Property.test(Property.java:58) at org.eclipse.core.internal.expressions.TestExpression.evaluate(TestExpression.java:99) at org.eclipse.core.internal.expressions.CompositeExpression.evaluateAnd(CompositeExpression.java:53) at org.eclipse.core.internal.expressions.WithExpression.evaluate(WithExpression.java:72) at org.eclipse.core.internal.expressions.CompositeExpression.evaluateOr(CompositeExpression.java:68) at org.eclipse.core.internal.expressions.OrExpression.evaluate(OrExpression.java:21) at org.eclipse.core.internal.expressions.ReferenceExpression.evaluate(ReferenceExpression.java:70) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.services.EvaluationReference.evaluate(EvaluationReference.java:98) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.services.EvaluationReference.evaluate(EvaluationReference.java:137) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.services.EvaluationReference.changed(EvaluationReference.java:131) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.contexts.TrackableComputationExt.update(TrackableComputationExt.java:110) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.contexts.EclipseContext.processScheduled(EclipseContext.java:338) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.contexts.EclipseContext.set(EclipseContext.java:352) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.contexts.EclipseContext.deactivate(EclipseContext.java:650) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.clearContext(PartRenderingEngine.java:970) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeRemoveGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:954) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$3(PartRenderingEngine.java:862) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$8.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:857) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.removeGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:841) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeRemoveGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:894) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$3(PartRenderingEngine.java:862) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$8.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:857) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.removeGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:841) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeRemoveGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:894) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$3(PartRenderingEngine.java:862) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$8.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:857) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.removeGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:841) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeRemoveGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:894) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$3(PartRenderingEngine.java:862) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$8.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:857) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.removeGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:841) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.hardClose(WorkbenchWindow.java:1937) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.busyClose(WorkbenchWindow.java:1560) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.access$15(WorkbenchWindow.java:1527) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow$10.run(WorkbenchWindow.java:1592) at org.eclipse.swt.custom.BusyIndicator.showWhile(BusyIndicator.java:70) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.close(WorkbenchWindow.java:1589) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench$14.run(Workbench.java:1155) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.busyClose(Workbench.java:1137) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.access$21(Workbench.java:1079) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench$19.run(Workbench.java:1410) at org.eclipse.swt.custom.BusyIndicator.showWhile(BusyIndicator.java:70) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.close(Workbench.java:1407) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.close(Workbench.java:1380) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.busyClose(WorkbenchWindow.java:1556) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.access$15(WorkbenchWindow.java:1527) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow$10.run(WorkbenchWindow.java:1592) at org.eclipse.swt.custom.BusyIndicator.showWhile(BusyIndicator.java:70) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.close(WorkbenchWindow.java:1589) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow.close(WorkbenchWindow.java:1603) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchWindow$6.close(WorkbenchWindow.java:521) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.WBWRenderer$11.shellClosed(WBWRenderer.java:563) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.TypedListener.handleEvent(TypedListener.java:98) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:84) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.sendEvent(Display.java:4353) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1061) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1085) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1070) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Decorations.closeWidget(Decorations.java:308) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Decorations.WM_CLOSE(Decorations.java:1696) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Control.windowProc(Control.java:4612) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Canvas.windowProc(Canvas.java:339) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Decorations.windowProc(Decorations.java:1626) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Shell.windowProc(Shell.java:2075) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.windowProc(Display.java:5023) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.win32.OS.DefWindowProcW(Native Method) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.win32.OS.DefWindowProc(OS.java:2544) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Shell.callWindowProc(Shell.java:498) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Control.windowProc(Control.java:4705) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Canvas.windowProc(Canvas.java:339) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Decorations.windowProc(Decorations.java:1626) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Shell.windowProc(Shell.java:2075) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.windowProc(Display.java:5023) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.win32.OS.DefWindowProcW(Native Method) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.win32.OS.DefWindowProc(OS.java:2544) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Shell.callWindowProc(Shell.java:498) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Control.windowProc(Control.java:4705) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Canvas.windowProc(Canvas.java:339) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Decorations.windowProc(Decorations.java:1626) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Shell.windowProc(Shell.java:2075) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.windowProc(Display.java:5023) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.win32.OS.DispatchMessageW(Native Method) at org.eclipse.swt.internal.win32.OS.DispatchMessage(OS.java:2549) at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:3759) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$9.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1151) at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:332) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1032) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.E4Workbench.createAndRunUI(E4Workbench.java:148) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench$5.run(Workbench.java:636) at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:332) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.createAndRunWorkbench(Workbench.java:579) at org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI.createAndRunWorkbench(PlatformUI.java:150) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.ide.application.IDEApplication.start(IDEApplication.java:135) at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.app.EclipseAppHandle.run(EclipseAppHandle.java:196) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:134) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:104) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:380) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:235) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:648) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:603) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1465)

Answer 1

Please download the file birt-report-designer-all-in-one-4.8.0-20180626-win32.win32.x86_64.zip from https://download.eclipse.org/birt/downloads/build.php?build=R-R1-4.8.0-201806261756 Unpack the zip file From the folder plugin copy all the org.eclipse.jetty.* files the dropin Eclipse folder. Restart Eclipse. It worked for me (Eclipse 2019-09), although I still have some problems in preview

Answer 2

I just downloaded that build, made a report and selected RUN > View Report > In Web Viewer and it opened in Chrome on my Windows 7 machine.

You can select which browser to use for report preview with these steps:

1. In Window > Preferences > Report Design > Preview verify that Always use external browser is enabled.
2. In Window > Preferences > General > Web Browser select Use external browser.
3. In External web browsers, select a browser or create a link to the browser you want to use.

You might also want to try creating a new project if you were using an old project folder since there are some default settings there that might have been set incorrectly.