Cross-Platform Reporting

• Dec 16, 2019
• 3 minutes to read

This document describes the functionality available for console or web server applications that do not provide any GUI and which you can use without referencing any platform-specific libraries.

Direct Printing

You can use the PrintToolBase.Print method to implement printing in a console or web server application that does not provide any GUI, for example:

C#

using DevExpress.XtraPrinting;
using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
using System.Drawing.Printing;
// ...

static void Main(string[] args) {
    var settings = new PrinterSettings();
    var printer = settings.PrinterName;

    var report = new XtraReport1();
    report.PrinterName = printer;
    report.CreateDocument();
    PrintToolBase tool = new PrintToolBase(report.PrintingSystem);
    tool.Print();
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraPrinting
Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
Imports System.Drawing.Printing
' ...

Private Shared Sub Main(args As String())
    Dim settings = New PrinterSettings()
    Dim printer = settings.PrinterName

    Dim report = New XtraReport1()
    report.PrinterName = printer
    report.CreateDocument()
    Dim tool As New PrintToolBase(report.PrintingSystem)
    tool.Print()
End Sub

Tip

The PrintToolBase class does not reference any WinForms or other platform-specific components.

Direct Export

You can use the XtraReport class methods to implement exporting in a console or web server application that does not provide any GUI, for example:

C#

using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using System.IO;
// ...

public ActionResult ExportPdf() {
    XtraReport report = new Reports.SampleReport();
    MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream();
    report.ExportToPdf(ms);
    return File(ms.ToArray(), "application/pdf");
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
Imports System.Web.Mvc
Imports System.IO
' ...

Public Function ExportPdf() As ActionResult
    Dim report As XtraReport = New Reports.SampleReport()
    Dim ms As New MemoryStream()
    report.ExportToPdf(ms)
    Return File(ms.ToArray(), "application/pdf")
End Function

Tip

You do not need to reference any WinForms or other platform-specific components to use these methods in your application.

Libraries Required for Report Printing and Exporting

The following libraries are required to print or export a report.

Required Assembly	Description
DevExpress.Data.v18.2.dll	Implements the most basic functionality common to all DevExpress controls.
DevExpress.Printing.v18.2.Core.dll	Contains classes that implement the basic functionality for DevExpress printing libraries.
DevExpress.XtraReports.v18.2.dll	Contains the XtraReport class.

Optional Assembly	Description
DevExpress.Charts.v18.2.Core.dll	Required only if a report contains at least one XRChart control.
DevExpress.CodeParser.v18.2.dll	Required to process report scripts.
DevExpress.DataAccess.v18.2.dll	Required only if a report is bound to an SQL or Entity Framework data source.
DevExpress.Office.v18.2.Core.dll	Required for report export to DOCX, or when a report contains at least one XRRichText control.
DevExpress.Pdf.v18.2.Core.dll	Required only for report export to PDF.
DevExpress.PivotGrid.v18.2.Core.dll	Required only if a report contains at least one XRPivotGrid control.
DevExpress.RichEdit.v18.2.Core.dll	Required for report export to DOCX, or when a report contains at least one XRRichText control.
DevExpress.RichEdit.v18.2.Export.dll	Required for report export to DOCX.
DevExpress.Sparkline.v18.2.Core.dll	Required only if a report contains at least one XRSparkline control.
DevExpress.Xpo.v18.2.dll	Required only if a report is bound to an SQL or Entity Framework data source.
DevExpress.XtraCharts.v18.2.dll	Required only if a report contains at least one XRChart control.