#### How to create a data set

This procedure uses a JDBC data source as an example.

1. Choose Data Explorer.
2. Create a data source, or choose an existing data source.
3. Right-click Data Sets, and choose New Data Set from the context menu.
4. On New Data Set, specify the properties of the data set:

1. In Data Set Name, specify a name for the data set. The data set name must be unique in the report design.
2. In Data Source, use the drop-down list to choose a data source to use for this data set.
3. In Data Set Type, select a data set type. Figure 3-1 shows an example of the definition of a SQL Select Query data set.

Figure 3-1 Defining a data set

5. Choose Next.
6. On Query, specify the data to retrieve from the data source. Depending on the type of data set that you create--SQL Select Query, or SQL Stored Procedure Query--BIRT Report Designer displays different query syntax in the text area. Figure 3-2 shows the syntax that you see when you select the SQL Select Query data set type.

Figure 3-2 Query options for a SQL Select Query data set
7. When you finish defining the query, choose Finish to save the data set. Edit Data Set, shown in Figure 3-3, displays the columns you specified in the query, and provides options for editing the data set.

Figure 3-3 The data set editor