Is it possible to generate reports dynamically using Jasper Reports without generating a jasper for each report?

Question

I have to generate reports based on various parameters which would be provided dynamically. In certain contexts, the parameters may be null. For example, from the table

Answer 1

The sample of using the JasperReport API for generating report dynamically:

    //JasperDesign
    JasperDesign jasperDesign = new JasperDesign();
    jasperDesign.setName("The dynamically generated report");
    jasperDesign.setPageWidth(595);
    jasperDesign.setPageHeight(842);
    jasperDesign.setColumnWidth(515);
    jasperDesign.setColumnSpacing(0);
    jasperDesign.setLeftMargin(40);
    jasperDesign.setRightMargin(40);
    jasperDesign.setTopMargin(50);
    jasperDesign.setBottomMargin(50);

    //Query
    JRDesignQuery query = new JRDesignQuery();
    query.setText("SELECT * FROM Address $P!{OrderByClause}");
    jasperDesign.setQuery(query);

    //Fields
    JRDesignField field = new JRDesignField();
    field.setName("Id");
    field.setValueClass(java.lang.Integer.class);
    jasperDesign.addField(field);

    field = new JRDesignField();
    field.setName("FirstName");
    field.setValueClass(java.lang.String.class);
    jasperDesign.addField(field);

    field = new JRDesignField();
    field.setName("LastName");
    field.setValueClass(java.lang.String.class);
    jasperDesign.addField(field);

    //some code

    //Detail
    band = new JRDesignBand();
    band.setHeight(40);

    JRDesignStaticText staticText = new JRDesignStaticText();
    staticText.setX(0);
    staticText.setY(0);
    staticText.setWidth(60);
    staticText.setHeight(20);
    staticText.setMode(ModeEnum.OPAQUE);
    staticText.setHorizontalAlignment(HorizontalAlignEnum.LEFT);
    staticText.setStyle(boldStyle);
    staticText.setText("ID: ");
    staticText.getLineBox().getLeftPen().setLineWidth(1);
    staticText.getLineBox().getTopPen().setLineWidth(1);
    staticText.getLineBox().setLeftPadding(10);
    band.addElement(staticText);

    textField = new JRDesignTextField();
    textField.setX(60);
    textField.setY(0);
    textField.setWidth(200);
    textField.setHeight(20);
    textField.setHorizontalAlignment(HorizontalAlignEnum.LEFT);
    textField.setStyle(normalStyle);
    expression = new JRDesignExpression();
    expression.setValueClass(java.lang.Integer.class);
    expression.setText("$F{Id}");
    textField.setExpression(expression);
    textField.getLineBox().getTopPen().setLineWidth(1);
    textField.getLineBox().getRightPen().setLineWidth(1);
    textField.getLineBox().setLeftPadding(10);
    band.addElement(textField);

    staticText = new JRDesignStaticText();
    staticText.setX(0);
    staticText.setY(20);
    staticText.setWidth(60);
    staticText.setHeight(20);
    staticText.setMode(ModeEnum.OPAQUE);
    staticText.setHorizontalAlignment(HorizontalAlignEnum.LEFT);
    staticText.setStyle(boldStyle);
    staticText.setText("Name: ");
    staticText.getLineBox().getLeftPen().setLineWidth(1);
    staticText.getLineBox().getBottomPen().setLineWidth(1);
    staticText.getLineBox().setLeftPadding(10);
    band.addElement(staticText);

    textField = new JRDesignTextField();
    textField.setStretchWithOverflow(true);
    textField.setX(60);
    textField.setY(20);
    textField.setWidth(200);
    textField.setHeight(20);
    textField.setPositionType(PositionTypeEnum.FLOAT);
    textField.setStyle(normalStyle);
    expression = new JRDesignExpression();
    expression.setValueClass(java.lang.String.class);
    expression.setText("$F{FirstName} + \" \" + $F{LastName}");
    textField.setExpression(expression);
    textField.getLineBox().getRightPen().setLineWidth(1);
    textField.getLineBox().getBottomPen().setLineWidth(1);
    textField.getLineBox().setLeftPadding(10);
    band.addElement(textField);

    ((JRDesignSection) jasperDesign.getDetailSection()).addBand(band);

You can find more samples in %JasperReportsFolder%/demo/samples folder from the JasperReports distribution package.

Answer 2

You should try Dynamic jasper. This is exactly the type of use case the dynamic jasper is designed for. You can use same template to generate reports with different columns.

For more info : http://dynamicjasper.com/