Quick Guide to Report Designer Customization

• Nov 10, 2025
• 3 minutes to read

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

Important

Customization options described in this help topic are available to owners of DevExpress WinForms, DXperience, and Universal subscriptions (subscriptions that include DevExpress WinForms UI Controls). The DevExpress Reporting Subscription does not support UI customization in Report Viewer or End-User Report Designer. You can use ReportPrintTool and ReportDesignTool classes to display Print Preview and End-User Report Designer in their default configurations.

Refer to the following help topic for information on subscription options: Installation - Subscriptions that Include Reporting Components.

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

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.