Printing and Exporting

• Jun 17, 2022
• 8 minutes to read

Print or Export a Dashboard in the UI

To print or export the entire dashboard, click the Export To button in the dashboard title area and choose the format.

Print Preview

The button invokes a Print Preview dialog that allows you to specify print options and print the dashboard:

Export to PDF

Invokes a dialog that allows end-users to export a dashboard to a PDF file. The following options are available:

• Page Layout - Specifies the page orientation used to export a dashboard. You can select between Portrait, Landscape, and Auto. Note that in the Auto mode, page orientation is selected automatically depending on the horizontal and vertical sizes of a dashboard.
• Size - Specifies the standard paper size (for instance, Letter or A4).
• Show Title - Specifies whether to apply the dashboard title to the exported document title.
• Title - Specifies the title of the exported document.
• Scale Mode - Specifies the mode for scaling when exporting a dashboard.

  Note

  Note that this option is in effect when Page Layout is set to a value different from Auto.

• Scale Factor - Specifies the scale factor (in fractions of 1) by which a dashboard is scaled.

  Note

  This option is in effect if Scale Mode is set to Use Scale Factor.

• Auto Fit Page Count - Specifies the number of horizontal/vertical pages that span the total width/height of a dashboard.

  Note

  This option is in effect if Scale Mode is set to Auto Fit to Page Width.

• Include Filters - Allows you to include master filter values to the exported document.
• Include Parameters - Allows you to include parameter values to the exported document.
• Position - Specifies the position of the master filter and parameter values in the exported document. You can select between Below and Separate Page.

Specify the required options in this dialog and click Export to export the dashboard. To reset changes to the default values, click the Reset button.

Export to Image

Invokes a dialog that allows end-users to export a dashboard to an image in the specified format. The following options are available:

• Image Format - Specifies the image format in which the dashboard is exported. The following formats are available: PNG, JPEG, and GIF.
• Show Title - Specifies whether to apply the dashboard title to the exported document title.
• Title - Specifies the title of the exported document.
• Resolution (dpi) - Specifies the resolution (in dpi) used to export a dashboard.
• Include Filters - Allows you to include master filter values to the exported document.
• Include Parameters - Allows you to include parameter values to the exported document.

Specify the required options in this dialog and click Export to export the dashboard. To reset changes to the default values, click the Reset button.

Export to Excel

Invokes a dialog that allows end-users to export a dashboard’s data to the Excel file. The following options are available:

• Excel Format - Specifies the Excel workbook format in which the dashboard’s data is exported. You can select between XLSX and XLS.
• Include Filters - Allows you to include master filter values to the exported document.
• Include Parameters - Allows you to include parameter values to the exported document.
• Position - Specifies the position of the master filter and parameter values in the exported document. You can select between Below and Separate Sheet.

Specify the required options in this dialog and click Export to export the dashboard. To reset changes to the default values, click the Reset button.

Print or Export a Dashboard Item in the UI

To print or export a dashboard item, click the Export To button in its caption and choose the format.

Export to PDF

Invokes a dialog that allows end-users to export a dashboard to a PDF file with specific options.

Export to Image

Invokes a dialog that allows end-users to export a dashboard to an image in the specified format.

Export to Excel

Invokes a dialog that allows end-users to export a dashboard item’s data to the Excel workbook or CSV file.

To learn more about printing/exporting specifics of different dashboard items, see the Printing and Exporting topic for the required dashboard item.

Print or Export a Dashboard Item and a Dashboard in Code

The DashboardControl control exposes an API that allows you to customize default export options, export dashboard and dashboard items, and so on.

ShowPrintPreview()

Invokes the Print Preview, which shows the print preview of the dashboard.

ShowDashboardItemPrintPreview(String)

Invokes the Print Preview, which shows the print preview of the dashboard item.

PdfExportOptions

Provides access to options related to exporting a dashboard/dashboard item to PDF format.

ImageExportOptions

Provides access to options related to exporting a dashboard/dashboard item to an image.

ExcelExportOptions

Provides access to options related to exporting a dashboard item to Excel format.

ExportToPdf

Exports a dashboard to the specified stream in PDF format using the specified PDF-specific options.

ExportToImage

Exports a dashboard to the specified stream in Image format using the specified image-specific options.

ExportToExcel

Exports dashboard data to the specified stream in Excel format.

ExportDashboardItemToPdf

Exports the dashboard item to the specified stream in PDF format using the specified PDF-specific options.

ExportDashboardItemToImage

Exports the dashboard item to the specified stream in Image format using the specified image options.

ExportDashboardItemToExcel

Exports the dashboard item to the specified stream in Excel format using specified export options.

BeforeExportDocument

Allows you to hide specific dashboard items when printing or exporting the entire dashboard.

CustomExport

Occurs before you save the exported document to the PDF and Image formats and allows you to customize the exported document.

CustomizeExportDocument

Allows you to customize the stream containing the resulting document (such as PDF, Image, or Excel).

Non-Visual Export

You can use the non-visual DashboardExporter component to implement server-side export of a dashboard or dashboard items without referencing dashboard UI controls ( DashboardDesigner, DashboardViewer, ASPxDashboard, and so on) or DashboardConfigurator.

To integrate the DashboardExporter into a service, register the DevExpress NuGet feed as a package source and install the DevExpress.Dashboard.Core package. See the DashboardExporter class description for details.

View Example: Non-Visual Export Component

View Example: How to Email a Dashboard

Custom Export

The Dashboard Control raises the DashboardControl.CustomExport event before saving the exported document to the PDF and Image formats. Use this event to obtain the printable control(s) and customize the exported document.

The following table illustrates dashboard items and their corresponding printable XRControls:

Dashboard Item	XRControl
ChartDashboardItem	XRChart
ScatterChartDashboardItem	XRChart
PieDashboardItem	XRChart
RangeFilterDashboardItem (When CustomExportBaseEventArgs.ExportMode is SingleItem)	XRChart
GaugeDashboardItem	XRGaugeDashboardItem
TextBoxDashboardItem	XRTextBox

The following example shows how to customize dashboard items in the exported document when you handle the DashboardDesigner.CustomExport / DashboardViewer.CustomExport / DashboardControl.CustomExport events. You can use the CustomExportEventArgs.GetPrintableControls method to obtain the printable controls.

C#

using DevExpress.DashboardCommon;
using DevExpress.DashboardExport;
using DevExpress.DashboardWin;
using DevExpress.XtraCharts;
using DevExpress.XtraGauges.Core.Drawing;
using DevExpress.XtraGauges.Win.Base;
using DevExpress.XtraGauges.Win.Gauges.Circular;
using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;

private void DashboardControl_CustomExport(object sender, CustomExportEventArgs e) {
    foreach(var printControl in e.GetPrintableControls()) {
        if(printControl.Value is XRGaugeDashboardItem) {
            var gaugeItemName = printControl.Key;
            DashboardControl control = (DashboardControl)sender;
            var gaugeDashboardItem = control.Dashboard.Items[gaugeItemName] as GaugeDashboardItem;
            foreach(var dashGaugeElement in gaugeDashboardItem.Gauges) {
                foreach(var gaugePanel in e.GetGaugeContext(gaugeItemName).GetPrintableGauges(dashGaugeElement).Cast<XRDashboardGauge>()) {
                    if(gaugePanel != null) {
                        gaugePanel.MainSeriesLabel.ForeColor = Color.Red;
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        if(printControl.Value is XRChart) {
            var chartItemName = printControl.Key;
            DashboardControl control = (DashboardControl)sender;
            var chartDashboardItem = control.Dashboard.Items[chartItemName] as ChartDashboardItem;
            foreach(var pane in chartDashboardItem.Panes) {
                if(pane.Series.Count > 0) {
                    foreach(var dashSeries in pane.Series) {
                        if(dashSeries != null) {
                            var controlSeries = e.GetChartContext(chartItemName).GetControlSeries(dashSeries);
                            if(controlSeries != null) {
                                foreach(var ser in controlSeries) {
                                    LineSeriesView view = ser.View as LineSeriesView;
                                    if(view != null) {
                                        view.LineStyle.DashStyle = DashStyle.DashDot;
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.DashboardCommon
Imports DevExpress.DashboardExport
Imports DevExpress.DashboardWin
Imports DevExpress.XtraCharts
Imports DevExpress.XtraGauges.Core.Drawing
Imports DevExpress.XtraGauges.Win.Base
Imports DevExpress.XtraGauges.Win.Gauges.Circular
Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI

Private Sub DashboardControl_CustomExport(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As CustomExportEventArgs)
    For Each printControl In e.GetPrintableControls()
        If TypeOf printControl.Value Is XRDashboardPanel Then
            Dim gaugeItemName = printControl.Key
            Dim designer As DashboardDesigner = CType(sender, DashboardDesigner)
            Dim gaugeDashboardItem = TryCast(designer.Dashboard.Items(gaugeItemName), GaugeDashboardItem)
            For Each dashGaugeElement In gaugeDashboardItem.Gauges
                For Each gaugePanel In e.GetGaugeContext(gaugeItemName).GetPrintableGauges(dashGaugeElement).Cast(Of XRDashboardGaugePanel)()
                    If gaugePanel IsNot Nothing Then
                        gaugePanel.MainSeriesLabel.ForeColor = Color.Red
                    End If
                Next gaugePanel
            Next dashGaugeElement
        End If


        If TypeOf printControl.Value Is XRChart Then
            Dim chartItemName = printControl.Key

            Dim designer As DashboardDesigner = CType(sender, DashboardDesigner)
            Dim chartDashboardItem = TryCast(designer.Dashboard.Items(chartItemName), ChartDashboardItem)

            For Each pane In chartDashboardItem.Panes
                If pane.Series.Count > 0 Then
                    For Each dashSeries In pane.Series
                        If dashSeries IsNot Nothing Then
                            Dim controlSeries = e.GetChartContext(chartItemName).GetControlSeries(dashSeries)
                            If controlSeries IsNot Nothing Then
                                For Each ser In controlSeries
                                    Dim view As LineSeriesView = TryCast(ser.View, LineSeriesView)
                                    If view IsNot Nothing Then
                                        view.LineStyle.DashStyle = DashStyle.DashDot
                                    End If
                                Next ser
                            End If
                        End If
                    Next dashSeries
                End If
            Next pane
        End If
    Next printControl
End Sub