## Chapter 2 Connecting to a Data Source

Enterprise reports must access data. Enterprise data is frequently stored in a variety of systems in disparate formats. BIRT Report Designer provides wizards for setting up access to the following types of data sources:

- JDBC data sources
The most common type of data source that BIRT reports use is a JDBC-enabled database. BIRT reports can access these data sources using SQL queries and stored procedures.
- Text files
Text files that BIRT reports use as data sources are typically created by older business systems and applications that create logs.
- XML data
BIRT reports can use XML data, either as a stream or a document.

The sample database, Classic Models, which many BIRT examples use, is included in the default installation as an embedded Derby database.

This chapter discusses how to make BIRT data sources using an interactive wizard. It does not discuss data sources that require scripting or programming, such as scripted data sources that use JavaScript or custom data drivers that use the Open Data Access (ODA) framework. You can find more information about ODA on the Eclipse web site in the Data Tools project at the following URL:

    http://www.eclipse.org/datatools/project_connectivity/