Is is possible to export directly to Excel or PDF from a code behind file without showing the reportviewer first and without the user having to click the export button. So that only the generating functionality is used?
Yes this functionality is supported and is easy. You can execute it in probably 10 lines of code. You will use the ReportViewer.LocalReport.Render() method and specify that it is a PDF or Excel file you want. You will then receive an array of bytes. From
that you will just buffer it and send it to the client for downloading with the Response methods.
I wanted to post an example of how this can be done as well. The example below is in c# code behind.
private void CreatePDF(string fileName)
{
// Variables
Warning[] warnings;
string[] streamIds;
string mimeType = string.Empty;
string encoding = string.Empty;
string extension = string.Empty;
// Setup the report viewer object and get the array of bytes
ReportViewer viewer = new ReportViewer();
viewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local;
viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = "YourReportHere.rdlc";
byte[] bytes = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", null, out mimeType, out encoding, out extension, out streamIds, out warnings);
// Now that you have all the bytes representing the PDF report, buffer it and send it to the client.
Response.Buffer = true;
Response.Clear();
Response.ContentType = mimeType;
Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" + fileName + "." + extension);
Response.BinaryWrite(bytes); // create the file
Response.Flush(); // send it to the client to download
}
Thanks for your replies, they were very helpful in understanding what method to use.
What I am struggling with now is figuring out how to bind the datasource to the reportviewer using this method. The RDLC report is using a table adapter (XSD) as it's datasource and I have it stored in the App_Code folder. I keep getting an error message
stating A data source instance has not been supplied for the data source "MyDataSourceName"
2: Create a new report datasource against that DataSet
3: Add that datasource to the local report
Step 1: Instantiating your DataSet
// Assumes your xsd file is called MyDataSet
MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere ds = new MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere();
Step 2: Create a new report datasource against that DataSet
// Create a new report datasource item and setup its context
ReportDataSource rds = new ReportDataSource("MyDataSourceName", ds.GetData());
Step 3: Add that datasource to the local report
// Add it to the local report instance
viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rds);
So all in all it should look like this:
private void CreatePDF(string fileName)
{
// Setup DataSet
MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere ds = new MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere();
// Create Report DataSource
ReportDataSource rds = new ReportDataSource("MyDataSourceName", ds.GetData());
// Variables
Warning[] warnings;
string[] streamIds;
string mimeType = string.Empty;
string encoding = string.Empty;
string extension = string.Empty;
// Setup the report viewer object and get the array of bytes
ReportViewer viewer = new ReportViewer();
viewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local;
viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = "YourReportHere.rdlc";
viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rds); // Add datasource here
byte[] bytes = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", null, out mimeType, out encoding, out extension, out streamIds, out warnings);
// Now that you have all the bytes representing the PDF report, buffer it and send it to the client.
Response.Buffer = true;
Response.Clear();
Response.ContentType = mimeType;
Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" + fileName + "." + extension);
Response.BinaryWrite(bytes); // create the file
Response.Flush(); // send it to the client to download
}
Okay that all makes sense. Again, thanks for the response.
Now let's say I wanted to provide a link or button on my aspx page to export the report to PDF using the code you supplied. How would I go about calling that so that the report exports directly to PDF when the link or button is clicked?
That is a complete stand alone function that both creates and then sends it to the client for downloading. The last line "Response.Flush();" actually sends the PDF that was just created in the buffer on the server straight to the client in the form of a
download. So basically all you would do is something like this...
Create a fancy reports page to display the user, and then create a standard asp button that says something like "Get Report". When they click it, have it fire a click event like so:
Really thats all there is too it. It will create the report, then send it to the user as a download all by itself. Easy right?
As a more detailed explanation, When you finally get the array of bytes, that is the Report itself in Raw format. After that you start all the "Response" stuff. That is created a buffer that then writes the binary data into an actually file hence the Response.BinaryWrite()
method. After its finished writing the array of bytes into an actual file, it is completed finished and is ready to be sent to the client for download. Thats where Response.Flush() comes in. It sends it to the client via HTTP.
<div style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" id="_mcePaste">I tried adding a standard ASP button to call the function, but I'm once again getting the A data source instance has not
been supplied for the data source "DirectToExcelData_ACTG_ACTUAL_CASH" error. I converted your code into VB, so maybe something got lost in translation along the way. Here is my code</div> <div></div>
I tried adding a standard ASP button to call the function, but I'm getting the
A data source instance has not been supplied for the data source "MyDataSet_DataTable1" error on button click. So it appears I'm doing something wrong when setting up the dataset and creating the report datasource.
I converted your code into VB, so maybe something got lost in translation along the way. Below is my code. What am I doing wrong?
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls
Imports Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Data
Imports System.IO
Partial Class Reports_DirectToPDF
Inherits System.Web.UI.Page
Private Function CreatePDF(ByVal FileName As String) As String
' Setup DataSet
Dim ds As New MyDataSetTableAdapters.DataTable1TableAdapter()
' Create Report DataSource
Dim rds As New ReportDataSource("DataTable1", ds.GetData())
' Variables
Dim warnings As Warning() = Nothing
Dim streamids As String() = Nothing
Dim mimeType As String = Nothing
Dim encoding As String = Nothing
Dim extension As String = Nothing
' Setup the report viewer object and get the array of bytes
Dim viewer As New ReportViewer()
viewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local
viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = "reports\report1.rdlc"
viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rds)
Dim bytes As Byte() = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", Nothing, mimeType, encoding, extension, streamids, _
warnings)
' Now that you have all the bytes representing the PDF report, buffer it and send it to the client.
Response.Buffer = True
Response.Clear()
Response.ContentType = mimeType
Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", ("attachment; filename=" & FileName & ".") + extension)
Response.BinaryWrite(bytes)
' create the file
' send it to the client to download
Response.Flush()
Return FileName
End Function
Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
CreatePDF("TestFile")
End Sub
End Class
The error is coming from the datasource obviously. It looks like your not passing in the correct data source name the report elements are tryin to bind to.
You are trying to bind it to "DataTable1" but it looks its trying to bind to MyDataSet_DataTable1 if you copy and pasted that. The best way to find out is to fire up visual studio. Do the following:
1: Open your website
2: Right Click on your RDLC file and click Open With...
3: Select XML Editor and click Ok
4: Look for the <DataSets> tag, and then look for the <DataSet Name="........"> element inside of it.
5: Copy the name
6: Paste that name into your code where it currently says "DataTable1"
smcgrath1977
Member
7 Points
25 Posts
RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 10, 2010 06:55 PM|LINK
Is is possible to export directly to Excel or PDF from a code behind file without showing the reportviewer first and without the user having to click the export button. So that only the generating functionality is used?
I am using VB and LocalReport processing.
N_EvilScott
Star
8311 Points
1492 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 10, 2010 07:59 PM|LINK
Yes this functionality is supported and is easy. You can execute it in probably 10 lines of code. You will use the ReportViewer.LocalReport.Render() method and specify that it is a PDF or Excel file you want. You will then receive an array of bytes. From that you will just buffer it and send it to the client for downloading with the Response methods.
N_EvilScott
Star
8311 Points
1492 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 10, 2010 09:30 PM|LINK
I wanted to post an example of how this can be done as well. The example below is in c# code behind.
private void CreatePDF(string fileName) { // Variables Warning[] warnings; string[] streamIds; string mimeType = string.Empty; string encoding = string.Empty; string extension = string.Empty; // Setup the report viewer object and get the array of bytes ReportViewer viewer = new ReportViewer(); viewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local; viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = "YourReportHere.rdlc"; byte[] bytes = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", null, out mimeType, out encoding, out extension, out streamIds, out warnings); // Now that you have all the bytes representing the PDF report, buffer it and send it to the client. Response.Buffer = true; Response.Clear(); Response.ContentType = mimeType; Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" + fileName + "." + extension); Response.BinaryWrite(bytes); // create the file Response.Flush(); // send it to the client to download }smcgrath1977
Member
7 Points
25 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 11, 2010 02:29 PM|LINK
Thanks for your replies, they were very helpful in understanding what method to use.
What I am struggling with now is figuring out how to bind the datasource to the reportviewer using this method. The RDLC report is using a table adapter (XSD) as it's datasource and I have it stored in the App_Code folder. I keep getting an error message stating A data source instance has not been supplied for the data source "MyDataSourceName"
N_EvilScott
Star
8311 Points
1492 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 11, 2010 04:49 PM|LINK
This also is very simple. It's done in 3 steps:
1: Instantiate your DataSet in code behind
2: Create a new report datasource against that DataSet
3: Add that datasource to the local report
Step 1: Instantiating your DataSet
// Assumes your xsd file is called MyDataSet
MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere ds = new MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere();
Step 2: Create a new report datasource against that DataSet
// Create a new report datasource item and setup its context
ReportDataSource rds = new ReportDataSource("MyDataSourceName", ds.GetData());
Step 3: Add that datasource to the local report
// Add it to the local report instance
viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rds);
So all in all it should look like this:
private void CreatePDF(string fileName) { // Setup DataSet MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere ds = new MyDataSetTableAdapters.YourTableAdapterHere(); // Create Report DataSource ReportDataSource rds = new ReportDataSource("MyDataSourceName", ds.GetData()); // Variables Warning[] warnings; string[] streamIds; string mimeType = string.Empty; string encoding = string.Empty; string extension = string.Empty; // Setup the report viewer object and get the array of bytes ReportViewer viewer = new ReportViewer(); viewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local; viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = "YourReportHere.rdlc"; viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rds); // Add datasource here byte[] bytes = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", null, out mimeType, out encoding, out extension, out streamIds, out warnings); // Now that you have all the bytes representing the PDF report, buffer it and send it to the client. Response.Buffer = true; Response.Clear(); Response.ContentType = mimeType; Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" + fileName + "." + extension); Response.BinaryWrite(bytes); // create the file Response.Flush(); // send it to the client to download }smcgrath1977
Member
7 Points
25 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 11, 2010 05:25 PM|LINK
Okay that all makes sense. Again, thanks for the response.
Now let's say I wanted to provide a link or button on my aspx page to export the report to PDF using the code you supplied. How would I go about calling that so that the report exports directly to PDF when the link or button is clicked?
N_EvilScott
Star
8311 Points
1492 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 11, 2010 05:34 PM|LINK
That is a complete stand alone function that both creates and then sends it to the client for downloading. The last line "Response.Flush();" actually sends the PDF that was just created in the buffer on the server straight to the client in the form of a download. So basically all you would do is something like this...
Create a fancy reports page to display the user, and then create a standard asp button that says something like "Get Report". When they click it, have it fire a click event like so:
protected void YourButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
CreatePDF(YourMeaningfulFileNameHere);
}
Really thats all there is too it. It will create the report, then send it to the user as a download all by itself. Easy right?
As a more detailed explanation, When you finally get the array of bytes, that is the Report itself in Raw format. After that you start all the "Response" stuff. That is created a buffer that then writes the binary data into an actually file hence the Response.BinaryWrite() method. After its finished writing the array of bytes into an actual file, it is completed finished and is ready to be sent to the client for download. Thats where Response.Flush() comes in. It sends it to the client via HTTP.
smcgrath1977
Member
7 Points
25 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 11, 2010 08:31 PM|LINK
I tried adding a standard ASP button to call the function, but I'm getting the A data source instance has not been supplied for the data source "MyDataSet_DataTable1" error on button click. So it appears I'm doing something wrong when setting up the dataset and creating the report datasource.
I converted your code into VB, so maybe something got lost in translation along the way. Below is my code. What am I doing wrong?
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls Imports Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms Imports System.Data.SqlClient Imports System.Data Imports System.IO Partial Class Reports_DirectToPDF Inherits System.Web.UI.Page Private Function CreatePDF(ByVal FileName As String) As String ' Setup DataSet Dim ds As New MyDataSetTableAdapters.DataTable1TableAdapter() ' Create Report DataSource Dim rds As New ReportDataSource("DataTable1", ds.GetData()) ' Variables Dim warnings As Warning() = Nothing Dim streamids As String() = Nothing Dim mimeType As String = Nothing Dim encoding As String = Nothing Dim extension As String = Nothing ' Setup the report viewer object and get the array of bytes Dim viewer As New ReportViewer() viewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = "reports\report1.rdlc" viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rds) Dim bytes As Byte() = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", Nothing, mimeType, encoding, extension, streamids, _ warnings) ' Now that you have all the bytes representing the PDF report, buffer it and send it to the client. Response.Buffer = True Response.Clear() Response.ContentType = mimeType Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", ("attachment; filename=" & FileName & ".") + extension) Response.BinaryWrite(bytes) ' create the file ' send it to the client to download Response.Flush() Return FileName End Function Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click CreatePDF("TestFile") End Sub End Class
<div></div>
N_EvilScott
Star
8311 Points
1492 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 11, 2010 10:30 PM|LINK
The error is coming from the datasource obviously. It looks like your not passing in the correct data source name the report elements are tryin to bind to.
You are trying to bind it to "DataTable1" but it looks its trying to bind to MyDataSet_DataTable1 if you copy and pasted that. The best way to find out is to fire up visual studio. Do the following:
1: Open your website
2: Right Click on your RDLC file and click Open With...
3: Select XML Editor and click Ok
4: Look for the <DataSets> tag, and then look for the <DataSet Name="........"> element inside of it.
5: Copy the name
6: Paste that name into your code where it currently says "DataTable1"
Save it and fire it up and try again.
smcgrath1977
Member
7 Points
25 Posts
Re: RDLC - Export directly to Excel or PDF from codebehind
May 11, 2010 11:35 PM|LINK
Yep, you were right, I had the wrong name for the data source. Everything is working as expected now.
Thanks a lot for your assistance!