SQL Server Reporting Services for.NET Developers Bret Stateham

About Me Bret Stateham Owner of Net Connex Consulting and Training Services Working with SQL Server since v6.5 Teaching it SQL Server since v7.0 Contact Me: – Blog: blogs.netconnex.com – – Glad to be here! gettag.mobi

Agenda Introduction to SQL Server Reporting Services Overview of development options Reporting Services Extensions Enhancing Reports Integrating Reporting Services with your App

“SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generation software system from Microsoft. It can be used to prepare and deliver a variety of interactive and printed reports. It is administered via a web interface. Reporting services features a web services interface to support the development of custom reporting applications. SSRS competes with Crystal Reports and other business intelligence tools, and is included in Express, Workgroup, Standard, and Enterprise editions of Microsoft SQL Server as an install option…” “SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generation software system from Microsoft. It can be used to prepare and deliver a variety of interactive and printed reports. It is administered via a web interface. Reporting services features a web services interface to support the development of custom reporting applications.” “SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generation software system from Microsoft. It can be used to prepare and deliver a variety of interactive and printed reports. It is administered via a web interface.” “SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generation software system from Microsoft. It can be used to prepare and deliver a variety of interactive and printed reports.” “SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generation software system from Microsoft.” “SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generation software system from Microsoft. It can be used to prepare and deliver a variety of interactive and printed reports. It is administered via a web interface. Reporting services features a web services interface to support the development of custom reporting applications. SSRS competes with Crystal Reports and other business intelligence tools, and is included in Express, Workgroup, Standard, and Enterprise editions of Microsoft SQL Server as an install option…” What is SQL Server Reporting Services?

“Adding value and meaning to data through formatting and layout.” Bret’s Definition of a Report

SSRS 2008 Architecture Overview SQL Server Windows Server Corp Data Other Oracle SQL Users & Admins Running IE Developer Tools ReportServerTempDBReportServer Reporting Services HTTP.SYS /Reports /ReportServer Custom Code RDL Html pdf xls

SSRS 2008 Development Options SQL Server Windows Server Corp Data Other Oracle SQL Users & Admins Running IE Developer Tools ReportServerTempDBReportServer HTTP.SYS /Reports /ReportServer Custom Code RDL Reporting Services RDL Html pdf xls SSRS Extensions: Rendering Delivery Security Data Processing SSRS Extensions: Rendering Delivery Security Data Processing Enhancing Reports: Expressions Embedded Code Custom Assemblies Custom Items Enhancing Reports: Expressions Embedded Code Custom Assemblies Custom Items Integration: ReportViewer URL Access Web Services Integration: ReportViewer URL Access Web Services

Extending Reporting Services Rendering Extensions – Change the output format of a report. – Example: Render to an MP3 file Security Extensions – Change authentication – Example: Forms based authentication Delivery Extensions – Change how reports can be sent from subscriptions – Example: Deliver via FTP Data Processing Extensions – Change how a report gets it’s data – Example: Pull data from a proprietary Analog-to-Digital data acquisition system

No Demo for Extensions Why? Cause I’m lame and didn’t have to to make them Look in books online for some examples

Enhancing Reports Property Expressions Embedded Code Custom Assemblies Custom Report Items

Property Expressions Many properties can be an expression rather than a static value Property expressions written in VB.Net SSRS08 Expression Syntaxes – Language:Visual Basic.Net – Simple: [ProductID] – Complex: =Fields!ProductID.Value – Behind the scenes both are the same thing

Embedded Code Use the “Report Properties” menu Switch to the “Code” tab Write functions in VB.Net to call from property expressions on report items Functions defined become methods of the “Code” object.

Custom Assemblies Reports can reference custom assemblies Assemblies can be created in any language Static methods available via the class name Can create an instance if needed to access instance methods Assemblies need to be deployed to both the report designer and report server

Custom Assembly Deployment For Report Designer Copy Assembly to : – C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies – Edit the RSPreviewPolicy.config if needed For Report Server Copy Assembly to: – C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS10.MSSQLSERVER\Reporting Services\ReportServer\bin – Edit the../rssrvpolicy.config file if needed

Custom Report Items Create your own “controls” to display data in a report Control vendors like Dundas do this for money Allow you to visualize your data in proprietary ways

Enhancing Reports Demo Property Expressions Embedded Code Custom Assemblies

Reporting Services Application Integration Options ReportViewer control URL Access Web Services

The ReportViewer Control Available for both web and windows apps Can work with client reports (.rdlc files) Can also work with server based reports

ReportViewer Control Local Reports (.rdlc) No Report Server needed or used No SQL Server Needed (assuming you have data elsewhere) You must supply the data the report renders This means you can get your data anywhere – Datasets – POCO Collections Wizard and designer can see both Wizard can create Datasets for you but not POCO objects and collections

ReportViewer Control with Server Reports Set Mode to “Remote” Set the Server URL and Report Path Can use the Smart Tag, Properties window or Markup

ReportViewer Control Demos Local Report from POCO Local Report from Dataset Server Report Server Report with Parameters

URL Access Easiest way to direct users to a report Have significant control over the target report URL query string parameters are used – rc: prefix controls the viewer – rs: prefix controls the server Report parameters can be supplied as well Can also post from a form rather than using the URL query string.

URL Access Demos Simple report links Passing parameters Controlling output formats

Web Services Three Reporting Services: – All off of /ReportServer/… – ReportExecution2005.asmx – Used for rendering reports – ReportService2005.asmx – Used for administering reporting services – ReportService2006.asmx – Used for administering reporting services in SharePoint integrated mode

Web Services Demos Accessing Reporting Services Rendering reports

Summary Introduction to SQL Server Reporting Services Overview of development options Reporting Services Extensions Enhancing Reports Integrating Reporting Services with your App

Keep in Touch Contact Info: – Grab a card from me up front – – Blog: blogs.netconnex.com – Thanks! gettag.mobi