Make a Custom Control Available Only for a Specific Report

• Aug 10, 2018
• 2 minutes to read

This example illustrates how to add a custom control to an End-User Report Designer’s toolbox by handling the XtraReport.DesignerLoaded event and accessing the toolbox service.

Tip

This code adds the XRZipCode control to the toolbox. It is hidden by default because most countries do not use it.

See Using Custom and Third-Party Controls to learn how to create custom report controls and add them to a Report Designer’s toolbox.

C#

using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
using DevExpress.XtraReports.UserDesigner;
using System.Drawing.Design;
// ...

private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e) {
    // Create a report instance.
    XtraReport1 report = new XtraReport1();

    // Create a Design Tool and assign the report to it.
    ReportDesignTool designTool = new ReportDesignTool(report);

    // Handle the DesignerLoaded event of the report.
    report.DesignerLoaded += report_DesignerLoaded;

    // Load a Report Designer in a dialog window.
    // designTool.ShowDesignerDialog();
    designTool.ShowRibbonDesignerDialog();
}

void report_DesignerLoaded(object sender, DesignerLoadedEventArgs e) {
    // Access the Toolbox service.
    IToolboxService toolboxService = 
        (IToolboxService)e.DesignerHost.GetService(typeof(IToolboxService));

    // Add a custom control to the default category.
    toolboxService.AddToolboxItem(new ToolboxItem(typeof(XRZipCode)));

    // Add a custom control to a new category.
    // toolboxService.AddToolboxItem(new ToolboxItem(typeof(XRZipCode)), "New Category");
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UserDesigner
Imports System.Drawing.Design
' ...

Private Sub button1_Click(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs)
    ' Create a report instance.
    Dim report As New XtraReport1()

    ' Create a Design Tool and assign the report to it.
    Dim designTool As New ReportDesignTool(report)

    ' Handle the DesignerLoaded event of the report.
    AddHandler report.DesignerLoaded, AddressOf report_DesignerLoaded

    ' Load a Report Designer in a dialog window.
    ' designTool.ShowDesignerDialog()
    designTool.ShowRibbonDesignerDialog()
End Sub

Private Sub report_DesignerLoaded(sender As Object, e As DesignerLoadedEventArgs)
    ' Access the Toolbox service.
    Dim toolboxService As IToolboxService = _ 
        DirectCast(e.DesignerHost.GetService(GetType(IToolboxService)), IToolboxService)

    ' Add a custom control to the default category.
    toolboxService.AddToolboxItem(New ToolboxItem(GetType(XRZipCode)))

    ' Add a custom control to a new category.
    ' toolboxService.AddToolboxItem(New ToolboxItem(GetType(XRZipCode)), "New Category")
End Sub

Tip

The added report control becomes available only for the specified report instance.

See Add a Custom Control to the Report Designer Toolbox to learn how to make added controls available in any report.