Register Predefined Data Sources (ASP.NET Web Forms)

• Apr 01, 2024
• 5 minutes to read

This document describes how to make data sources available in the Web Report Designer. These predefined data sources are displayed when the user invokes the Data Source Wizard:

To do this, create the data sources at runtime and add them to the ASPxReportDesigner.DataSources collection.

View Example: Reporting for Web Forms - How to Register Data Sources for Use in the Web Report Designer

Default.aspx.cs

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace WebApplication1 {
    public partial class Default : System.Web.UI.Page
    {
        protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

            DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.SqlDataSource sqlDataSource = GenerateSqlDataSource();
            DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectDataSource objDataSource = GenerateObjectDataSource();
            DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFDataSource efDataSource = GenerateEFDataSource();
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelDataSource excelDataSource = GenerateExcelDataSource();
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource jsonDataSource = GenerateJsonDataSource();

            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(sqlDataSource.Name, sqlDataSource);
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(objDataSource.Name, objDataSource);
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(efDataSource.Name, efDataSource);
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(excelDataSource.Name, excelDataSource);
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(jsonDataSource.Name, jsonDataSource);

            ASPxReportDesigner1.OpenReport("XtraReportTest");
        }

        private DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource GenerateJsonDataSource()
        {
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource jsonDataSource = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource();
            jsonDataSource.Name = "CustomJsonDataSource";
            var uri = new System.Uri("~/App_Data/nwind.json", System.UriKind.Relative);
            jsonDataSource.JsonSource = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.UriJsonSource(uri);
            jsonDataSource.Fill();
            return jsonDataSource;
        }

        private DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelDataSource GenerateExcelDataSource()
        {
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelDataSource excelDS = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelDataSource();

            excelDS.FileName = Server.MapPath("App_Data/Categories.xlsx");
            excelDS.Name = "CustomExcelDataSource";

            DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelWorksheetSettings excelWorksheetSettings1 = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelWorksheetSettings() { CellRange = null, WorksheetName = "Sheet" };
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelSourceOptions excelSourceOptions1 = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelSourceOptions(excelWorksheetSettings1) { SkipEmptyRows = true, SkipHiddenColumns = true, SkipHiddenRows = true, UseFirstRowAsHeader = true };

            excelDS.SourceOptions = excelSourceOptions1;

            DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo fieldInfo1 = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo() { Name = "CategoryID", Type = typeof(double) };
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo fieldInfo2 = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo() { Name = "CategoryName", Type = typeof(string) };
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo fieldInfo3 = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo() { Name = "Description", Type = typeof(string) };

            excelDS.Schema.AddRange(new DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo[] {
                        fieldInfo1,
                        fieldInfo2,
                        fieldInfo3
            });
            excelDS.RebuildResultSchema();
            return excelDS;
        }
        private DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFDataSource GenerateEFDataSource()
        {
            DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFDataSource efds = new DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFDataSource();
            efds.Name = "CustomEntityFrameworkDataSource";
            efds.ConnectionParameters = new DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFConnectionParameters();
            efds.ConnectionParameters.ConnectionStringName = "NorthwindEntitiesConnString";
            efds.ConnectionParameters.Source = typeof(Models.NorthwindEntities);
            return efds;
        }
        private DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.SqlDataSource GenerateSqlDataSource()
        {
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.SqlDataSource ds = 
                new DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.SqlDataSource("localhost_Northwind_Connection");
            ds.Name = "CustomSqlDataSource";
            // Create an SQL query to access the Products table.
            DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.CustomSqlQuery query = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.CustomSqlQuery();
            query.Name = "customQuery1";
            query.Sql = "SELECT * FROM Products";

            ds.Queries.Add(query);
            ds.RebuildResultSchema();
            return ds;
        }
        private DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectDataSource GenerateObjectDataSource()
        {
            DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectDataSource objds = new DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectDataSource();
            objds.BeginInit();
            objds.Name = "CustomObjectDataSource";
            objds.DataSource = typeof(ItemList);
            objds.Constructor = new DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectConstructorInfo();
            objds.EndInit();
            return objds;
        }
    }
    #region Object Data Source
    public class ItemList : List<Item>
    {
        public ItemList()
        {
            for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
            {
                Add(new Item() { Name = i.ToString() });
            }
        }
    }
    public class Item
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
    }
    #endregion
}

Default.aspx.vb

Imports DevExpress.DataAccess.ConnectionParameters
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Namespace WebApplication1
    Partial Public Class [Default]
        Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

        Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

            Dim sqlDataSource As DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.SqlDataSource = GenerateSqlDataSource()
            Dim objDataSource As DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectDataSource = GenerateObjectDataSource()
            Dim efDataSource As DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFDataSource = GenerateEFDataSource()
            Dim excelDataSource As DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelDataSource = GenerateExcelDataSource()
            Dim jsonDataSource As DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource = GenerateJsonDataSource()

            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(sqlDataSource.Name, sqlDataSource)
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(objDataSource.Name, objDataSource)
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(efDataSource.Name, efDataSource)
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(excelDataSource.Name, excelDataSource)
            ASPxReportDesigner1.DataSources.Add(jsonDataSource.Name, jsonDataSource)

            ASPxReportDesigner1.OpenReport("XtraReportTest")
        End Sub

        Private Function GenerateJsonDataSource() As DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource
            Dim jsonDataSource As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource()
            jsonDataSource.Name = "CustomJsonDataSource"
            Dim sourceUri As New Uri("~/App_Data/nwind.json", System.UriKind.Relative)
            jsonDataSource.JsonSource = New DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.UriJsonSource(sourceUri)
            jsonDataSource.Fill()
            Return jsonDataSource
        End Function

        Private Function GenerateExcelDataSource() As DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelDataSource
            Dim excelDS As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelDataSource()

            excelDS.FileName = Server.MapPath("App_Data/Categories.xlsx")
            excelDS.Name = "CustomExcelDataSource"

            Dim excelWorksheetSettings1 As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelWorksheetSettings() With {.CellRange = Nothing, .WorksheetName = "Sheet"}
            Dim excelSourceOptions1 As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.ExcelSourceOptions(excelWorksheetSettings1) With {.SkipEmptyRows = True, .SkipHiddenColumns = True, .SkipHiddenRows = True, .UseFirstRowAsHeader = True}

            excelDS.SourceOptions = excelSourceOptions1

            Dim fieldInfo1 As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo() With {.Name = "CategoryID", .Type = GetType(Double)}
            Dim fieldInfo2 As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo() With {.Name = "CategoryName", .Type = GetType(String)}
            Dim fieldInfo3 As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo() With {.Name = "Description", .Type = GetType(String)}

            excelDS.Schema.AddRange(New DevExpress.DataAccess.Excel.FieldInfo() { fieldInfo1, fieldInfo2, fieldInfo3 })
            excelDS.RebuildResultSchema()
            Return excelDS
        End Function
        Private Function GenerateEFDataSource() As DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFDataSource
            Dim efds As New DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFDataSource()
            efds.Name = "CustomEntityFrameworkDataSource"
            efds.ConnectionParameters = New DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework.EFConnectionParameters()
            efds.ConnectionParameters.ConnectionStringName = "NorthwindEntitiesConnString"
            efds.ConnectionParameters.Source = GetType(Models.NorthwindEntities)
            Return efds
        End Function
        Private Function GenerateSqlDataSource() As DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.SqlDataSource
            Dim ds As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.SqlDataSource("localhost_Northwind_Connection")
            ds.Name = "CustomSqlDataSource"

            Dim query As New DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql.CustomSqlQuery()
            query.Name = "customQuery1"
            query.Sql = "SELECT * FROM Products"

            ds.Queries.Add(query)
            ds.RebuildResultSchema()
            Return ds
        End Function
        Private Function GenerateObjectDataSource() As DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectDataSource
            Dim objds As New DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectDataSource()
            objds.BeginInit()
            objds.Name = "CustomObjectDataSource"
            objds.DataSource = GetType(ItemList)
            objds.Constructor = New DevExpress.DataAccess.ObjectBinding.ObjectConstructorInfo()
            objds.EndInit()
            Return objds
        End Function
    End Class
    #Region "Object Data Source"
    Public Class ItemList
        Inherits List(Of Item)

        Public Sub New()
            For i As Integer = 0 To 9
                Add(New Item() With {.Name = i.ToString()})
            Next i
        End Sub
    End Class
    Public Class Item
        Public Property Name() As String
    End Class
    #End Region
End Namespace

Note

The JSON Data Source uses the open source Newtonsoft.Json library to supply JSON data at runtime for .NET Framework platforms. Install the Newtonsoft.Json package if your application does not reference this library. For .NET 6+ platforms, JsonDataSource uses System.Text.Json. Set the DevExpress.DataAccess.Native.Json.JsonLoaderHelper.ProcessingLibrary property to NewtonsoftJson to use the Newtonsoft.Json library instead.

In the End-User Designer, when a user adds a data source to a report, a clone of the data source object is assigned to the report’s DataSource property. This is required to properly serialize the data source settings along with the report layout data when the report is saved.