Step 1: prepare yourself :)
The first step to show a report on a windows application is to figure out the url and path of the report!
Sql Reporting Services has 2 virtual directories:
- /Reports: renders the reports to the user in a user-friendly web page
- /ReportServer: executes the report
When your boss asks you to display a report in a winform application, he(she) will likely send you a url in the following forms:
The urls above don't translate to properties that you need in a winform (or webform)...
To "consume" a report from a winform, you can't use the url above, you need another url. Actually, you need two things:
- The Report Server Url
- The Path of the report
In the following two(2) steps, we'll see how to figure out how to discover that information.
Step 2: The Report Server Url
Ask your administrator, or find it for yourself! The Reporting Server url is hidden in the report!
- Open the report in a browser (ie)
- Right click on the report's header (ex: on the report's title) -> View Source
- Locate the meta tag "Report Server", the "Content" attribute will contain the Report Server value: ex
- <META Name="Report Server" CONTENT="HTTP://ReportingServices/reportserver">
{ReportServerUrl} = "HTTP://ReportingServices/reportserver"
Step 3: The Report Path
The Report Path is something you have to "build" manually.
- Open the ServerUrl in the browser (ie), a page with a list of folders will be shown
- Copy the text of the folder into notepad or something like that. (referred bellow as {MyFolder})
- Navigate to the folder, a page with a list of reports will be shown
- Copy the text of the report into notepad: (referred bellow as {MyReportName})
The ReportPath will be the following: /{MyFolder}/{MyReportName}
ex: {ReportPath} = "/TMF Reports/TMF1200 - Project Status"
Step 4: The ReportViewer in the Winform
Now, you're ready to add the report on the winform.
- Open the winform in Visual Studio
- Add a ReportViewer on the designer (Toolbox > Data > ReportViewer)
- Set the following properties:
Run the application.
Pat
Note To Microsoft
It would nice if it was easier to discover reports from within Visual Studio. A wizard where a dev could enter any of the following:
Thanks, Pat