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Create Dashboards in the Web Dashboard Control

  • 3 minutes to read

This lesson shows how to create a dashboard in the Web Dashboard Designer application prepared in one of the Get Started tutorials.

Step 1. Create a Dashboard

At the startup, your web application does not display any dashboard:

WebDesigner-NoDashboard

Click Create in the designer’s surface.

In the invoked New page, click the Create Data Source… button:

WebDesignerGettingStarted_CreateDataSource

Select Database in the invoked Dashboard Data Source Wizard.

web-designer-get-started-select-database-type

On the next page, select the data connection (for example, nwindConnection).

WebDesignerGettingStarted_DataSourceWizard_SelectConnection

Click Run Query Builder… on the next page.

WebDesignerGettingStarted_DataSourceWizard_RunQueryBuilder

In the invoked Query Builder, drag the SalesPerson view from Available Tables and Views on the right and drop it onto the empty surface. Enable the check box in the header.

WebDesignerGettingStarted_QueryBuilder_SelectSalesPerson

Click OK to save a query. The Data Source wizard now displays the generated query.

WebDesignerGettingStarted_DataSourceWizard_Finish_dx

Click Finish to close the Query Builder.

Click Create to create a dashboard with the newly created data source.

WebDesignerGettingStarted_CreateDashboard_dx

Step 2. Create Dashboard Items

To add a dashboard item to a dashboard, click the corresponding button in the Toolbox.

Add a Chart Item

Click the Chart button to add a chart.

WebDesigner-DashboardItem-Chart

Select the created Chart and click the link on its surface to bind it to data.

WebDesigner-Chart-ProvidingData

In the opened Binding menu, select the Add Values placeholder. Click the UnitPrice field to add it to the Values section. In the same way, add the CategoryName field to the Arguments section and the OrderDate field to the Series section.

WebDesignerGettingStarted_BindChart_New

Add a Gauge Item

Click the Gauges button in the Toolbox to add gauges.

WebDesigner-DashboardItem-Gauge

Select the created Gauge and click the link on its surface to bind it to data.

WebDesigner-Gauge-ProvidingData

In the opened Binding menu, select the Add Gauge placeholder. Click the UnitPrice field to add it to the Gauges section. In the same way, add the Country field to the Series section.

WebDesignerGettingStarted_BindGauge_New

Add a Card Item

Click the Card button in the Toolbox to add cards.

WebDesigner-DashboardItem-Card

Select the created Card and click the link on its surface to bind it to data.

WebDesigner-Card-ProvidingData

In the opened Binding menu, select the Add Card placeholder. Click the UnitPrice field to add it to the Cards section. In the same way, add the CategoryName field to the Series section.

WebDesignerGettingStarted_BindCard_New

Step 3. Save the Dashboard

Open the dashboard menu and click Save. The dashboard XML file is saved to the previously created storage (App_Data).

WebDesigner-SaveDashboard

Resulted Dashboard

The dashboard is now ready. The ready-to-use dashboard should look like this:

WebDesigner-DashboardResult

Next Steps

You can add new dashboard items, rearrange and resize them, set fixed dimensions (height and width) for a dashboard, configure interactivity between items, and so much more. Refer to the following section to find more information about creating dashboards: Create Dashboards on the Web.

After you finish to design a dashboard, you can switch your application to Viewer mode.