[ANN/OT] xreporter 1.0 release - XML/XSLT-based database reporting

[Steven Noels <stevenn@outerthought.org>]

Hi all,

we just released the 1.0 version of xReporter, our open source, 
XML-based Apache Avalon/Cocoon-based database reporting framework, 
available from http://xreporter.cocoondev.org/

xReporter consists of 2 main components:

   * an Avalon Phoenix-based query server, which is configured through
XML-based report definitions, and is accessible across an XML/HTTP interface
   * a Cocoon front-end generating configurable HTML, PDF, Excel and CSV
renditions of your database reports, thanks to the wonders of FOP, POI
and some custom Cocoon drudgery

      Architectural diagram:
    > http://xreporter.cocoondev.org/en/my-images/architecture.png <

xReporter allows you to quickly set up a database reporting website by 
editing a couple of XML configuration files.

Most compelling features:

   - multiple datasources & report definitions
   - user/role-based report authorization, container-based authentication
   - column filtering & sorting, query by example
   - no programming required to define complex, multistep database reports
     - optionally using temporary tables
     - expression language & field validation
     - possibility to access non-SQL, 'Web Services' datasources
   - fully customizable look & feel using CSS and XSLT
   - flow control using XML and a ReST HTTP interface

xReporter is released under an Apache-style license, and we welcome
contributions and patches as we try to grow this into a community-owned
project. Currently, there is anonymous read-only cvs access and a
downloadable tarball. There's a limited, live demo available on the
project website, too.

We would like to sincerely thank the Apache Avalon & Cocoon community 
for the creation of some wonderful toys to play with.

</Steven>
-- 
Steven Noels                            http://outerthought.org/
Outerthought - Open Source, Java & XML Competence Support Center
Read my weblog at            http://blogs.cocoondev.org/stevenn/
stevenn at outerthought.org                stevenn at apache.org