Removing the space when hiding the column - jasper-reports

Question

I am using JasperReports 4.5.0 to generate the reports. I am generating the reports in different formats like html, csv, pdf, xls, doc. In one of my report I have 6 columns say col1, col2, col3, col4, col5, col6. But based on the condition I want to hide the col4. For this I am using the printWhenExpression. Now it is hiding the column based on the condition but the problem is the space occupied by that column is remaining same.
How can I remove this empty space in between the col3 and col5?
The below code is for understanding how i am using it.
<staticText>
<reportElement x="500" y="0" width="0" height="20" isRemoveLineWhenBlank="true" isPrintWhenDetailOverflows="true">
<printWhenExpression><![CDATA[$P{routeType}==Boolean.FALSE]]></printWhenExpression>
</reportElement>
<box>
<topPen lineWidth="0.25"/>
<leftPen lineWidth="0.25"/>
<bottomPen lineWidth="0.25"/>
</box>
<textElement textAlignment="Center" verticalAlignment="Middle">
<font size="12" isBold="true"/>
</textElement>
<text><![CDATA[Col4]]></text>
</staticText>
<textField isBlankWhenNull="true">
<reportElement x="500" y="0" width="0" height="20" isRemoveLineWhenBlank="true" isPrintWhenDetailOverflows="true">
<printWhenExpression><![CDATA[$P{routeType}==Boolean.FALSE]]></printWhenExpression>
</reportElement>
<box>
<leftPen lineWidth="0.25"/>
<bottomPen lineWidth="0.25"/>
</box>
<textElement textAlignment="Center" verticalAlignment="Middle"/>
<textFieldExpression><![CDATA[$F{col4}]]></textFieldExpression>
</textField>
This field will print only if the routeType value is false.Otherwise it should remove the column with empty space also.

Answer 1

You can use JasperReports API or DynamicJasper API
Here is the samples of using DynamicJasper API
You can use "fake" field (textField) for showing data of one column instead of showing two fields (two columns)
You can put another textField (which has the width of two textFields) under the both textFields. Using printWhenExpression property you can show two columns or one.
Here is the working sample.
Here is my report's design (in iReport):
My jrxml file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jasperReport ..>
<parameter name="hideStreetColumn" class="java.lang.Boolean">
<defaultValueExpression><![CDATA[false]]></defaultValueExpression>
</parameter>
<queryString>
<![CDATA[SELECT id, street, city FROM address]]>
</queryString>
<field name="ID" class="java.lang.Integer"/>
<field name="STREET" class="java.lang.String"/>
<field name="CITY" class="java.lang.String"/>
<title>
<band height="79" splitType="Stretch">
<staticText>
<reportElement x="139" y="13" width="279" height="20"/>
<textElement textAlignment="Center" verticalAlignment="Middle">
<font isBold="true" isItalic="true"/>
</textElement>
<text><![CDATA[Sample of hiding column]]></text>
</staticText>
<textField>
<reportElement x="189" y="33" width="211" height="20"/>
<box leftPadding="10"/>
<textElement/>
<textFieldExpression><![CDATA["To hide Street column: " + $P{hideStreetColumn}]]></textFieldExpression>
</textField>
</band>
</title>
<detail>
<band height="20" splitType="Stretch">
<textField>
<reportElement x="100" y="0" width="200" height="20">
<printWhenExpression><![CDATA[$P{hideStreetColumn}]]></printWhenExpression>
</reportElement>
<box leftPadding="10">
<topPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<leftPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<bottomPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<rightPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
</box>
<textElement/>
<textFieldExpression><![CDATA[$F{CITY}]]></textFieldExpression>
</textField>
<textField>
<reportElement x="0" y="0" width="100" height="20"/>
<box leftPadding="10">
<topPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<leftPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<bottomPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<rightPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
</box>
<textElement/>
<textFieldExpression><![CDATA[$F{ID}]]></textFieldExpression>
</textField>
<textField>
<reportElement x="100" y="0" width="100" height="20">
<printWhenExpression><![CDATA[!$P{hideStreetColumn}]]></printWhenExpression>
</reportElement>
<box leftPadding="10">
<topPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<leftPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<bottomPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<rightPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
</box>
<textElement/>
<textFieldExpression><![CDATA[$F{STREET}]]></textFieldExpression>
</textField>
<textField>
<reportElement x="200" y="0" width="100" height="20">
<printWhenExpression><![CDATA[!$P{hideStreetColumn}]]></printWhenExpression>
</reportElement>
<box leftPadding="10">
<topPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<leftPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<bottomPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
<rightPen lineWidth="1.0"/>
</box>
<textElement/>
<textFieldExpression><![CDATA[$F{CITY}]]></textFieldExpression>
</textField>
</band>
</detail>
</jasperReport>
To show all three columns we should set hideStreetColumn parameter to false. The result will be:
To show only two columns (the Street column is hiding) we should set hideStreetColumn parameter to true. The result will be:

Answer 2

You can trick it with two detail bands. One detail band B1 with 6 columns and the second band B2 with 5 columns. Then in the band properties print B1 when printWhenExpression is false and B2 when printWhenExpression is true.