Opening Report Window in ADF Faces

Such requirement as opening report window can be assumed as easy one. But, when I have received request for solution, it was not so easy to find it :). On OTN Discussion Forum there are questions on this topic, but no clear answers. Opening report window in ADF Faces is important requirement, because quite often Oracle Reports are needed to be opened from Web application.

Requirement description:

1. In JSPX page we have a table or form where parameters can be entered
2. On the same page we have a button. When it is pressed, entered parameters are passed to backing bean method, where based on provided parameters URL string is generated
3. Generated URL is opened in Web Browser new tab or window

Main question here - how to open new tab or window when button is pressed. To implement solution for this requirement, at first I have tried to use JavaScript with binded dynamic parameter for URL generated in backing bean. This solution wasn't suitable, because JavaScript is always executed one step forward comparing to backing bean Java code.

I have found another solution, it is quite simple and is implemented in my sample - ReportWindow.zip. af:commandButton doesn't have Target property, but h:form does. Submit action of af:commandButton component, placed into h:form with Target property set to _blank, is always executed in new tab or window (depends on Web Browser).

Developed sample implements two h:form components - one is used for parameters and second for button:


Second h:form component property Target is set to _blank:


JSPX page backing bean contains some dummy code for URL generating. URL is opened using ExternalContext obtained from FacesContext:


This code is executed when Open Report button is pressed, URL is generated according to submited parameters. Data available in parameters form should be auto submited, in order to be available from second form where Open Report button is implemented:


Generated URL is opened in new tab:


When running sample application, don't forget to add adf-faces-impl.jar and jsf-impl.jar to application's WEB-INF\lib directory.