PDF reports with embedded maps
Printing is always one of the more difficult parts in a web mapping application. There are solutions like the MapFish Print module or the built-in QGIS WYSIWYG PDF printing. But very often users do not want only a map on their print output, but collected information stored in a database with images, etc. - and a matching map. This is the domain of database reporting tools like JasperReports. They provide desktop tools for designing complex reports with texts, graphics, images, tables, etc. and server software for web applications. But how to include a matching map - a map with application parameters like the bounding box or a list of active layers, etc.?
Sourcepole is releasing the missing link between high-quality map printing and database reports, an extension for JasperReports/iReport. This extension makes it easy to embed maps served with the standardized Web Map Service (WMS) protocol.
With this extension installed as plugin for iReport Designer, you have all the reporting features of JapserReports plus a new toolbox component for embedding maps.
This allows you to create multi-page reports with embedded maps using parameters from your web mapping application and complex Jasper expressions.
Source and documentation of the WMS map extension for Jasper Reports is available on Github and binaries as Github downloads
Many thanks to Mika from Panter for implementing the Java stuff and the Canton of Zurich for sponsoring this useful piece of Open Source software.
