ReportViewer Web Server Control

20 August, 2009
ReportViewer Web Server Control,by Wim Roegiers

20 August, 2009
ReportViewer Web Server Control, by Wim Roegiers
Definition
The ReportViewer controls are used to host reports that you create in Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.
There are two versions of the control:
ReportViewer Web server control for ASP.NET pages, and
ReportViewer Windows Forms control that you can use with Windows Forms applications.
Visual Studio determines which version to use based on the type of project you are using to embed the control. If you are embedding the ReportViewer control on an ASP.NET project, for example, you get the Web server control automatically.

20 August, 2009
Twoversions
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services comes with two Report Viewer controls :
ASP.NET Web Forms Report Viewer
Windows Forms Report Viewer

20 August, 2009
ReportViewer

20 August, 2009
Two processing modes
Each of the Report Viewer controls has the ability to work in two different modes:
Server mode: the Report Viewer control uses a Server report with the .rdl extension.
Client mode: the Report Viewer control uses a Client report with the .rdlc extension.

20 August, 2009
Client vs server reports
Client report designer lacks any tabs
Data for a client report lives outside of the report file elsewhere in the project ( example : a method that returns IEnumerable<T> )
The client report requires a Report Viewer control in order to be rendered
A client report functions independently of SQL Server Reporting Services and does not require Reporting Services

20 August, 2009
Tip
You can convert server (.rdl) reports to and from client (.rdlc) reports.
For details on how, open the Visual Studio Help Search window and search for “Converting RDL and RDLC Files”.

20 August, 2009
Advantages
Can print te report
Can Export to PDF & Excel
Can zoom in & out
No sql server needed, one dependency less
Connect directly to ( already existing ) data mechanisms in your project

20 August, 2009
Disadvantages
Without hacking the control only works/renders well in Internet Explorer -> Thats why i only use it to debug & to export to pdf in the background.
It does not work together with updatepanels

20 August, 2009
Look into Code ( Suppliers’ Net )
Show control
Show Report Designer in VS
Show ReportDataSource binding (IsoReportgenerator)
Show Parameters (IsoReportgenerator)
...

20 August, 2009
Resources
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms251771(VS.80).aspx

20 August, 2009