How to: Use Modifiers of BrickGraphics

• Jan 15, 2024
• 3 minutes to read

This example demonstrates how to use report modifiers. To get more information on modifiers, refer to the Document Sections topic. We are going to create a sample report containing Detail, DetailHeader and MarginalHeader sections.

1. Start a new Windows Application project in Visual Studio.NET.
2. Add the PrintingSystem component to a project.

3. Initiate report creation.

   C#

   using DevExpress.XtraPrinting;
   // ...
   
       BrickGraphics graph = printingSystem1.Graph;
   
       // Start the report generation.
       printingSystem1.Begin();
   

   VB.NET

   Imports DevExpress.XtraPrinting
   ' ...
   
       Dim graph As BrickGraphics = printingSystem1.Graph
   
       ' Start the report generation.
       printingSystem1.Begin()
   

4. To create the MarginalHeader section, set the BrickGraphics.Modifier property of the BrickGraphics to MarginalHeader. The following code adds the date, page count and the current page number to the section.

   C#

       // Set the modifier - specify the page area.
       graph.Modifier = BrickModifier.MarginalHeader;
   
       string format = "Page {0} of {1}";
       graph.Font = graph.DefaultFont;
       graph.BackColor = Color.Transparent;
       RectangleF r = new RectangleF(0, 0, 0, graph.Font.Height);
   
       // Create a brick.
       PageInfoBrick brick = graph.DrawPageInfo(PageInfo.NumberOfTotal, 
           format, Color.Black, r, BorderSide.None);
   
       brick.Alignment = BrickAlignment.Far;
       brick.AutoWidth = true;
   
       // Create another brick with different alignment.
       brick = graph.DrawPageInfo(PageInfo.DateTime, "{0:MMMM dd}", 
           Color.Black, r, BorderSide.None);
   

   VB.NET

       ' Set the modifier - specify the page area.
       graph.Modifier = BrickModifier.MarginalHeader
   
       Dim format As String = "Page {0} of {1}"
       graph.Font = graph.DefaultFont
       graph.BackColor = Color.Transparent
       Dim r As RectangleF = New RectangleF(0, 0, 0, graph.Font.Height)
   
       ' Create a brick.
       Dim brick As PageInfoBrick = graph.DrawPageInfo(PageInfo.NumberOfTotal, _
           format, Color.Black, r, BorderSide.None)
   
       brick.Alignment = BrickAlignment.Far
       brick.AutoWidth = True
   
       ' Create another brick with different alignment.
       brick = graph.DrawPageInfo(PageInfo.DateTime, "{0:MMMM dd}", _
           Color.Black, r, BorderSide.None)
   

5. To create a DetailHeader section, set the BrickGraphics.Modifier property of the BrickGraphics to DetailHeader. The following code adds a column caption to the section.

   C#

       // Change the page area - set the modifier.
       printingSystem1.Graph.Modifier = BrickModifier.DetailHeader;
   
       graph.BackColor = Color.Silver;
   
       // Create a brick.
       printingSystem1.Graph.DrawString("Report Items", Color.Black, 
           new RectangleF(0, 0, 200, 20), BorderSide.All);
   

   VB.NET

       ' Change the page area - set the modifier.
       printingSystem1.Graph.Modifier = BrickModifier.DetailHeader
   
       graph.BackColor = Color.Silver
   
       ' Create a brick.
       printingSystem1.Graph.DrawString("Report Items", Color.Black, _ 
           New RectangleF(0, 0, 200, 20), BorderSide.All)
   

6. To create a Detail section, set the BrickGraphics.Modifier property of the BrickGraphics to Detail. The following code adds 100 numbered items to the section.

   C#

       // Change the page area - set the modifier.
       printingSystem1.Graph.Modifier = BrickModifier.Detail;
   
       graph.BackColor = Color.White;
   
       // Create bricks.
       for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
           printingSystem1.Graph.DrawString("Item N" + Convert.ToString(i + 1), 
               Color.Black, new RectangleF(0, 20 * i, 200, 20), BorderSide.All);
   

   VB.NET

       ' Change the page area - set the modifier.
       printingSystem1.Graph.Modifier = BrickModifier.Detail
   
       graph.BackColor = Color.White
   
       ' Create bricks.
       For i As Integer = 0 To 99
           printingSystem1.Graph.DrawString("Item N" & Convert.ToString(i + 1), _
               Color.Black,  New RectangleF(0, 20 * i, 200, 20), BorderSide.All)
       Next i
   

7. Finish report creation by calling the PrintingSystemBase.End method, and show the Preview form to ensure that everything has been done correctly.

   C#

   printingSystem1.End();
       printingSystem1.PreviewFormEx.Show();
   

   VB.NET

   printingSystem1.End()
       printingSystem1.PreviewFormEx.Show()
   

   The resulting report is shown in the following image.