Reporting - New API, Documentation Updates and Tips & Tricks (January 2021)

This Tips & Tricks post includes links to a few interesting technical support tickets and info on product/documentation updates. We hope this information will be helpful to those of you considering DevExpress Reports for an upcoming project. As always, should you have any questions, feel free to post your comments below.

New API - BrickSelector and DataSourceManager Classes

In our upcoming update (v20.2.5), we will introduce classes designed to simplify the use of report document bricks and report data sources at runtime:

• BrickSelector - allows you to access visual “bricks” from a report document based on brick type, its tag, or text. You’ll be able to call class methods and work with bricks using a single line of code instead of iterating through numerous document bricks.
• DataSourceManager - retrieves data sources from a report and/or report controls with their own data source (such as Chart and Cross Tab). Class methods include a includeSubReports flag. As such, you’ll be able to obtain info on all document data sources via a single method call.

Documentation Updates

We have revised and updated the following documentation topics (topics related to the creation of custom report controls):

• Windows Forms - Add a Custom Control to the End-User Report Designer Toolbox
• WPF - Add a Custom Control to the End-User Report Designer Toolbox
• ASP.NET Core - Create and Register a Custom Control in the Report Designer Toolbox
• Create a Custom Progress Bar Control

We have also updated the following documentation topics:

• Export Reports - Export to DOCX
• Use Report Controls - Gauge
• Use Report Controls - Gauge Customization Example
• Open a Report in an ASP.NET Core Application

End-User Documentation Updates

We updated the End-User Documentation section for the DevExpress Report Designer and Document Viewer controls. This portion of our help file now includes v20.2 related features/descriptions. Remember, you can freely distribute the End-User Documentation section of our help file with your solution.

F1 - A Quick Way to Get API Help

Did you know you can place the cursor on a DevExpress class, method, or property in Visual Studio and hit F1 to jump to relevant help topics in your web browser? For instance, you can focus on the JsonDataSource's FillAsync method and press F1. Many help topics include code examples that you can paste and run in your application. This feature is part of the DevExpress product installation and does not require additional configuration (like installing offline help).

Interesting Support Tickets

Reporting – Multiple Supported Platforms (WinForms, WPF, ASP.NET, .NET Core)

• Change font style in Expression Editor (T956797)
• Cross Tab Report - How to conditionally format Grand Total values (T954876)

Reporting for Blazor

• DxDocumentViewer in Blazor giving me HTTP400 for DXXRDV (T953926)

Reporting for ASP.NET Core

• Report Designer - An equivalent to the SaveCallbackRouteValues property to implement a custom saving routiune on the server-side (T956379)

Reporting for ASP.NET Web Forms

• ASPxReportDesigner - How to hide the entire Field List (T961563)
• How to open an XtraReport in PDF when users click a button in a WebForm (T957934)

Reporting for Windows Forms

• How to extend XtraReport ExpressionEditor FormatString method to disconnected ExpressionEvaluator (T958868)

Reporting for WPF

• End-User Report Designer: How to set ActiveDocument with MVVM (T954117)
• End-User Report Designer closes entire application when the last tab with report template is closed (T954109)
• How to bind the TextEdit's Text properties to properties in a ViewModel class (T953833)

Knowledge Base Updates

• SqlDataSource - Best Practices for Managing Connection Settings in Report Layouts (T940374)
• SqlDataSource - How to Change Connection Parameters at Runtime (T291969)
• Updated Example - Web Reporting - How to Create Drill-Through Reports
• New Example - Web Reporting - How to Display a Report by Clicking a DevExtreme Data Grid Row

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