Quick Guide to Report Designer Customization

• Aug 18, 2023
• 3 minutes to read

This document describes how to access an End-User Report Designer’s UI elements.

Accessing a Report Designer’s Form

The following Report Designer forms are available:

Form	Main Properties	GUI Reference
XRDesignForm Corresponds to the standard Report Designer form. Use the ReportDesignTool‘s ReportDesignTool.DesignForm property to access this form’s settings.	• XRDesignForm.ActiveDesignPanel • XRDesignForm.DesignBarManager • XRDesignForm.DesignDockManager • XRDesignForm.DesignMdiController	End-User Report Designer with a Standard Toolbar
XRDesignRibbonForm Corresponds to the ribbon-based Report Designer form. Use the ReportDesignTool‘s ReportDesignTool.DesignRibbonForm property to access this form’s settings.	• XRDesignRibbonForm.ActiveDesignPanel • XRDesignRibbonForm.DesignDockManager • XRDesignRibbonForm.DesignMdiController • XRDesignRibbonForm.DesignRibbonController • XRDesignRibbonForm.RibbonControl • XRDesignRibbonForm.RibbonStatusBar	End-User Report Designer with a Ribbon Toolbar

Both these forms implement the IDesignForm interface:

C#

using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
using DevExpress.XtraReports.UserDesigner;
// ...

private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e) {
    // Create a Design Tool with an assigned report instance.
    ReportDesignTool designTool = new ReportDesignTool(new XtraReport1());

    // Access the standard or ribbon-based Designer form and its MDI Controller.
    // IDesignForm designForm = designTool.DesignForm;
    IDesignForm designForm = designTool.DesignRibbonForm;
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UserDesigner
' ...

Private Sub button1_Click(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs)
    ' Create a Design Tool with an assigned report instance.
    Dim designTool As New ReportDesignTool(New XtraReport1())

    ' Access the standard or ribbon-based Designer form and its MDI Controller.
    ' Dim designForm As IDesignForm = designTool.DesignForm
    Dim designForm As IDesignForm = designTool.DesignRibbonForm
End Sub

Tip

The Design Form classes are not used independently. Use the see StandardReportDesigner and RibbonReportDesigner components to create a custom Report Designer form.

Accessing a Report Designer’s Elements

Note

You need a WinForms subscription to manipulate the UI elements listed in this document section.

The Reporting subscription allows you to use the ReportDesignTool for accessing a Report Designer form’s settings.

An End-User Report Designer adds the following components to your application (depending on which Report Designer version you use):

Common Components	Description	Access Point
XRDesignMdiController (named “reportDesigner1” by default)	Provides the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) to a Report Designer and enables opening multiple reports in each of its Design Panels (XRDesignPanel class’s instances).	Returned by the following properties: • XRDesignForm.DesignMdiController • XRDesignRibbonForm.DesignMdiController
XRDesignDockManager	Contains various dock panels.	Returned by the following properties: • XRDesignForm.DesignDockManager • XRDesignRibbonForm.DesignDockManager
RibbonReportDesigner	Description	Access Point
XRDesignRibbonController	Creates ribbon pages in a Report Designer’s toolbar.	Returned by the XRDesignRibbonForm.DesignRibbonController property.
ApplicationMenu	Provides a Microsoft Office 2007-inspired main menu for the ribbon UI.	Accessed directly by its instance.
StandardReportDesigner	Description	Access Point
XRDesignBarManager	Provides menus and bars containing various user commands.	Returned by the XRDesignForm.DesignBarManager property.