# Catalogs

A catalog is a report repository. Every report must exist within the context of a catalog. A catalog contains two types of data: a physical file that records data sources and object definitions used by the reports in the catalog, and the report files themselves. These two types of data, the report files and the catalog file, are stored in the same directory.

JReport Designer supports two formats of catalog files. One is the .cat file, which is in binary, and the other is the .cat.xml file, which is in XML format. The .cat format catalog can be manipulated (opened, saved, and edited) only by JReport Designer since it is a proprietary binary file. The XML format catalog has many advantages. It has more readability and controllability. You can modify the catalog freely according to your requirements without using any other special editor. Howerver, the operation of .cat.xml format catalog in JReport Designer is the same as that of .cat format catalog. The difference between these two is the underlying structure in which they are organized. By default, the XML format catalog feature is not enabled. Contact Jinfonet Support (support@jinfonet.com) to upgrade your license key if desired.

JReport Designer comes with four catalogs: JinfonetGourmetJava, SampleComponents, SamepleReports and TutorialReports. The JinfonetGourmetJava catalog is used for the JReport Tutorial manual, and the rest are samples for you to learn JReport Designer.

This chapter describes the following topics and tasks related to catalogs:

- What is in a catalog file?
- Advantages of catalogs
- Creating a catalog
- Saving a catalog
- Opening a catalog
- Exporting catalog security into a security file
- Merging catalogs
- Managing resources in a catalog
- Maintaining catalogs