How to: Bind a Report to Multiple List Data Sources (Runtime Sample)

• Nov 16, 2018
• 3 minutes to read

This tutorial describes the steps used to create a Snap application that is connected to multiple data sources simultaneously. In this tutorial, the application is bound to two independent System.Collections.Generic.List<T> data sources at runtime.

Follow these steps to create a Snap application and connect it to data.

• Connect to Data
• View the Result

Connect to Data

1. Start Microsoft Visual Studio 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 or 2019, and create a new Windows Forms application, or open an existing one.
2. Drop the SnapControl from the DX19.1: Reporting Toolbox tab on the application’s main form.

3. To connect the application to data, handle the Load event of the application’s main form and write the following code in the event handler.

   C#

   
   using System;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using System.Data;
   using System.Data.OleDb;
   using System.Windows.Forms;
   using DevExpress.Snap.Core.API;
   // ...
   
   class Cars {
       public int ID { get; set; }
       public string Trademark { get; set; }
       public string Model { get; set; }
   }
   
   class Company {
       public int ID { get; set; }
       public string CompanyName { get; set; }
       public string Address { get; set; }
   }
   
   private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
   
       List<Cars> e1List = new List<Cars>();
       e1List.Add(new Cars() { ID = 1, Trademark = "Mercedes-Benz", Model = "SL500 Roadster" });
       e1List.Add(new Cars() { ID = 2, Trademark = "BMW", Model = "530i" });
   
       List<Company> e2List = new List<Company>();
       e2List.Add(new Company() { ID = 1, CompanyName = "Doe Enterprises", Address = "123 Home Lane" });
       e2List.Add(new Company() { ID = 2, CompanyName = "Hill Corporation", Address = "45 Hill St." });
   
       snapControl1.Document.BeginUpdateDataSource();
       this.snapControl1.Document.DataSources.Add(new DataSourceInfo("Cars", e1List));
       this.snapControl1.Document.DataSources.Add(new DataSourceInfo("Company", e2List));
       snapControl1.Document.EndUpdateDataSource();
   
   }
   

   VB.NET

   
   Imports System
   Imports System.Collections.Generic
   Imports System.Data
   Imports System.Data.OleDb
   Imports System.Windows.Forms
   Imports DevExpress.Snap.Core.API
   ' ...
   
   Friend Class Cars
       Private privateID As Integer
       Public Property ID() As Integer
           Get
               Return privateID
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As Integer)
               privateID = value
           End Set
       End Property
       Private privateTrademark As String
       Public Property Trademark() As String
           Get
               Return privateTrademark
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As String)
               privateTrademark = value
           End Set
       End Property
       Private privateModel As String
       Public Property Model() As String
           Get
               Return privateModel
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As String)
               privateModel = value
           End Set
       End Property
   End Class
   
   Friend Class Company
       Private privateID As Integer
       Public Property ID() As Integer
           Get
               Return privateID
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As Integer)
               privateID = value
           End Set
       End Property
       Private privateCompanyName As String
       Public Property CompanyName() As String
           Get
               Return privateCompanyName
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As String)
               privateCompanyName = value
           End Set
       End Property
       Private privateAddress As String
       Public Property Address() As String
           Get
               Return privateAddress
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As String)
               privateAddress = value
           End Set
       End Property
   End Class
   
   Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
       Dim e1List As New List(Of Cars)()
       e1List.Add(New Cars() With {.ID = 1, .Trademark = "Mercedes-Benz", .Model = "SL500 Roadster"})
       e1List.Add(New Cars() With {.ID = 2, .Trademark = "BMW", .Model = "530i"})
   
       Dim e2List As New List(Of Company)()
       e2List.Add(New Company() With {.ID = 1, .CompanyName = "Doe Enterprises", .Address = "123 Home Lane"})
       e2List.Add(New Company() With {.ID = 2, .CompanyName = "Hill Corporation", .Address = "45 Hill St."})
   
       SnapControl1.Document.BeginUpdateDataSource()
       Me.SnapControl1.Document.DataSources.Add(New DataSourceInfo("Cars", e1List))
       Me.SnapControl1.Document.DataSources.Add(New DataSourceInfo("Company", e2List))
       SnapControl1.Document.EndUpdateDataSource()
   
   End Sub
   

View the Result

The Snap application is now ready. Run it to create your report.

To design the report layout, drop fields from the Data Explorer onto the report editing surface.