Bug 142104 Cannot place data set field on master page
Bugzilla 122419 says this is fixed. I am using RC2, and I can't insert a data set field in the master page header or footer.
UI/org.eclipse.birt.report.designer.ui/src/org/eclipse/birt/report/designer/internal/ui/dnd/InsertInLayoutUtil.java
Assert.isTrue( object == dataSetColumn || object == null );
			getGroupContainer( container ).setDataSet( getDataSetHandle( dataSetColumn ) );
			getGroupHandle( container ).setKeyExpr( DEUtil.getColumnExpression( dataSetColumn.getColumnName( ) ) );
		}
		protected DataSetHandle getDataSetHandle( ResultSetColumnHandle model )
		{
			return (DataSetHandle) model.getElementHandle( );
		}
		protected GroupHandle getGroupHandle( Object target )
		{
			DesignElementHandle handle = null;
			if ( target instanceof CellHandle )
			{
				handle = ( (CellHandle) target ).getContainer( ).getContainer( );
			}
			else if ( target instanceof ListBandProxy )
			{
				handle = ( (ListBandProxy) target ).getElemtHandle( );
			}
			if ( handle instanceof GroupHandle )
			{
				return (GroupHandle) handle;
			}
			return null;
		}
		protected ReportItemHandle getGroupContainer( Object target )
		{
			GroupHandle group = getGroupHandle( target );
			if ( group != null
					&& group.getContainer( ) instanceof ReportItemHandle )