The basics of
SharpShooter Reports.WPF
Report Template
Passing Parameters
Registering Data Sources
Registering SubReports
Rendering
Editing Templates
It is recommended to
use PerpetuumSoft.Reporting.WPF.ReportSource as a report data source in the WPF
Viewer. PerpetuumSoft.Reporting.WPF.ReportSource (unlike ReportSlot) contains properties
which allow registering DataSources, SubReports and set parameters in one component
without using any additional components such as ReportManager.
Report Template
A report template is set via the
Source parameter. It is possible to use 3 variants to set a template:
Source contains a template which is serialized into
XML. This variant is convenient when reports are stored into a data base.
Source will include the changed template after you edit the template in run
time.
Source contains the reference to the Assembly
resource. Only Relative URI is supported. Since the report is embedded into
assembly during the compilation, it is impossible to change the template in run
time. If you try to invoke DesignTemplate for such template, you get the InvalidOperationException exception.
Source contains the reference to a file. This is the
simplest way to store the changed templates. The templates are stored in files
on disks. You can use both absolute and relative path to access to them.
Passing Parameters
ReportSource contains a
collection of named Parameters objects. This collection allows the setting of
reports parameters. Note, that initially the collection is empty, i.e. you
should add parameters to the collection (not to set parameters via indexer).
You can use any object of .NET Framework as parameters.
Note, that, as a rule, you refer
to the parameters NOT from UI THREAD. You should keep this in mind when you
develop an application. Besides that there are some limitations on the use of the
DependencyObject’s parameters.
Registering Data Sources
ReportSource contains a collection
of named DataSources objects for setting a data source. Thus, to add a new data
source, you should add an object to the DataSource Collection. You can use any
object of .NET Framework as data sources.
Note, that, as a rule, the
component refers to the data sources NOT from UI THREAD. You should keep this
in mind when you develop an application. Besides that there are some
limitations on the use of the DependencyObject’s parameters.
Registering SubReports
SubReports are represented
by the objects of the SubReportSource type. These objects (like ReportSource) contain
a template, but don’t contain separate DataSources, Parameters and Subreports
collections. These collections are taken from ReportSource which SubReportSource
belongs to. Thus, to add the SubReport template you should create the
SubReportSource object, set Source in it and register SubReportSource in the
SubReports collection of ReportSource. You should also register all the needed
parameters, data sources and nested subreports in ReportSource, which you added
SubReportSource to.
Note that
SubReportSource must be added to the Report.Source.SubReports collection when you invoke SubReportSource.DesignTemplate. If this condition is
not fulfilled then you get the InvalidOperationException exception.
One more essential
point in SubReportSource use is that one SubReportSource can’t be simultaneously
added to several SubReports collections of different ReportSources. (But in
case, if you remove SubReportSource from the collection, you can add it to the
collection of the other ReportSource). If you try to add SubReportSource to
several collections, you get the InvalidOperationException exception.
Rendering
You can render ReportSource as
follows:
Set ReportSource as a Source for ReportViewer. Invoke
the ReportViewer.RenderDocument() method. The
report will be rendered asynchronously and ReportViewer will display the
message about rendering process.
If you invoke the ReportSource.RenderDocument() method, the report will be rendered synchronously.
If you invoke the ReportSource.Prepare() method, the report will be rendered asynchronously. If
you set ReportSource as Source of ReportViewer, ReportViewer will display the
message about rendering process. If Source was changed before the rendering,
then the message won’t be displayed.
Note that if
ReportSource is set as ReportViewer.Source then at successful report rendering
ReportViewer will display a report. Otherwise you get an error message.
Editing Templates
The most convenient way to edit a
template is to edit this template in run time (i.e. by invoking editor from
your application, registering real data sources). The designer displays real
data structures and in preview you get your real report. Be advised that if a
template is loaded from the application resource, then it is impossible to edit
the template. But you can change the way of storage to file method for the
development time, and change it back for the release.
Note that after you edited the
template and closed the designer with saving of changes in the report, the
report is not rendered automatically. To refresh the report you should execute
rendering by one of the methods.