Provide Authentication to Access JSON Data (Runtime Sample)

• May 05, 2024
• 6 minutes to read

This topic demonstrates two ways to provide a report’s JSON data source with authentication parameters at runtime.

• Save Authentication Parameters to the Configuration File
  A JsonDataSource object obtains settings from the configuration file. As a result, only the connection name is serialized to the report’s definition. The JsonDataSource‘s JsonSource property is left unset.

• Save Authentication Parameters to the Report’s Definition
  A JsonDataSource object uses a UriJsonSource object assigned to the JsonSource property to specify connection settings. As a result, authentication parameters are serialized to the report’s definition.

Note

These approaches are available in v19.1+. Refer to the Migrate from v18.2 section for information on how to migrate from the approach v18.2.

Tip

Online Example: How to Provide Authentication to Access JSON Data

Save Authentication Parameters to the Configuration File

Extend the application’s connection string with authentication parameters. Use this connection string to create a JsonDataSource object.

1. Specify a configuration string in your application’s configuration file.

   The following connection string illustrates how to specify basic authentication parameters, token-based authentication parameters and query parameters.

   XML

   <configuration>
       <connectionStrings>
           <add name="JsonConnection" connectionString="Uri=http://northwind.servicestack.net/customers.json;
             UserName=user;Password=pwd;
             header:MyAuthHeader1=secretToken1;header:MyAuthHeader2=secretToken2;
             query:id=123456;query:name=MyName"
           providerName="JsonSourceProvider" />
       </connectionStrings>
       <!-- ... -->
   </configuration>
   

2. Create a JsonDataSource object.

   C#

   public static JsonDataSource CreateReportDataSourceFromConnectionString() {
       JsonDataSource jsonDataSource = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource() {
           // The application's configuration file should include the "JsonConnection" connection string
           ConnectionName = "JsonConnection"
       };
       return jsonDataSource;
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Public Shared Function CreateReportDataSourceFromConnectionString() As JsonDataSource
    Dim jsonDataSource As JsonDataSource = New DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource() With {.ConnectionName = "JsonConnection"}
    Return jsonDataSource
   End Function
   

3. Assign the JsonDataSource object to your report.

   C#

   private void CreateReportDataSourceFromConnectionStringButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {
       // XtraReport1 does not have assigned data sources
       var report = new XtraReport1(); 
   
       // Create JsonDataSource from the specified connection string
       var jsonDataSource = CreateReportDataSourceFromConnectionString();
       // Retrieve data to populate the Report Designer's Field List
       jsonDataSource.Fill();
   
       report.DataSource = jsonDataSource;
       report.DataMember = "Customers";
   
       new DevExpress.XtraReports.UI.ReportDesignTool(report).ShowDesigner();
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Private Sub CreateReportDataSourceFromConnectionStringButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    ' XtraReport1 does not have assigned data sources
    Dim report = New XtraReport1()
   
    ' Create JsonDataSource from the specified connection string
    Dim jsonDataSource = CreateReportDataSourceFromConnectionString()
    ' Retrieve data to populate the Report Designer's Field List
    jsonDataSource.Fill()
   
    report.DataSource = jsonDataSource
    report.DataMember = "Customers"
   
    Call (New DevExpress.XtraReports.UI.ReportDesignTool(report)).ShowDesigner()
   End Sub
   

Save Authentication Parameters to the Report’s Definition

Use the UriJsonSource object to specify authentication parameters. Assign this object to the JsonDataSource’s JsonSource property.

1. Create a UriJsonSource object and specify authentication parameters in it.

   • The UriJsonSource.AuthenticationInfo property provides access to basic HTTP authentication credentials (the Username and Password).
   • The UriJsonSource.HeaderParameters property stores a collection of HTTP header parameters. The code sample below uses header parameters to store authentication tokens.
   • The UriJsonSource.QueryParameters property stores a collection of HTTP query parameters. The code sample below uses query parameters to pass custom authentication information to the JSON web service endpoint.
   C#

   public static JsonDataSource CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCode() {
   // ...
       // Create a new UriJsonSource object and configure authentication data in it
       var jsonSource = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.UriJsonSource();
       jsonSource.Uri = new Uri(@"http://northwind.servicestack.net/customers.json");
   
   
       jsonSource.AuthenticationInfo.Username = "user";
       jsonSource.AuthenticationInfo.Password = "pwd";
   
       jsonSource.HeaderParameters.Add(new HeaderParameter("MyAuthHeader1", "secretToken1"));
       jsonSource.HeaderParameters.Add(new HeaderParameter("MyAuthHeader2", "secretToken2"));
   
       jsonSource.QueryParameters.Add(new QueryParameter("id", "123456"));
       jsonSource.QueryParameters.Add(new QueryParameter("name", "MyName"));
       // ...
   }
   

   VB.NET

        Public Shared Function CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCode() As JsonDataSource
   ' ...
            ' Create a new UriJsonSource object and configure authentication data in it
            Dim jsonSource = New DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.UriJsonSource()
            jsonSource.Uri = New Uri("http://northwind.servicestack.net/customers.json")
   
   
            jsonSource.AuthenticationInfo.Username = "user"
            jsonSource.AuthenticationInfo.Password = "pwd"
   
            jsonSource.HeaderParameters.Add(New HeaderParameter("MyAuthHeader1", "secretToken1"))
            jsonSource.HeaderParameters.Add(New HeaderParameter("MyAuthHeader2", "secretToken2"))
   
            jsonSource.QueryParameters.Add(New QueryParameter("id", "123456"))
            jsonSource.QueryParameters.Add(New QueryParameter("name", "MyName"))
   ' ...
        End Function
   

2. Create a JsonDataSource object and assign the UriJsonSource object to it.

   C#

   public static JsonDataSource CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCode() {
   // ...
       // Create a JsonDataSource object and assign the UriJsonSource object to it
       var jsonDataSource = new DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource() {
           JsonSource = jsonSource
       };
   
       return jsonDataSource;
       // ...
   }
   

   VB.NET

        Public Shared Function CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCode() As JsonDataSource
   ' ...
            ' Create a JsonDataSource object and assign the UriJsonSource object to it
            Dim jsonDataSource = New DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource() With {.JsonSource = jsonSource}
   
            Return jsonDataSource
   ' ...
        End Function
   

3. Assign the JsonDataSource object to your report.

   C#

   private void CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCodeButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {
       // XtraReport1 does not have assigned data sources
       var report = new XtraReport1();
   
       // Create JsonDataSource in code
       JsonDataSource jsonDataSource = CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCode();
       // Retrieve data to populate the Report Designer's Field List
       jsonDataSource.Fill();
   
       report.DataSource = jsonDataSource;
       report.DataMember = "Customers";
   
       new DevExpress.XtraReports.UI.ReportDesignTool(report).ShowDesigner();
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Private Sub CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCodeButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    ' XtraReport1 does not have assigned data sources
    Dim report = New XtraReport1()
   
    ' Create JsonDataSource in code
    Dim jsonDataSource As JsonDataSource = CreateReportDataSourceWithAuthenticationInCode()
    ' Retrieve data to populate the Report Designer's Field List
    jsonDataSource.Fill()
   
    report.DataSource = jsonDataSource
    report.DataMember = "Customers"
   
    Call (New DevExpress.XtraReports.UI.ReportDesignTool(report)).ShowDesigner()
   End Sub
   

Migrate from v18.2

The following table illustrates the different approaches you use to provide JSON authentication in v18.2 and v19.1+:

v18.2	v19.1+
Implement a custom UriJsonSource class to provide authentication parameters	The UriJsonSource class includes the AuthenticationInfo, HeaderParameters and QueryParameters properties.
Implement a custom wizard page based on the Specify JSON Data Location page to provide authentication parameter editors. Register this page.	The Data Source Wizard includes two extra pages: Configure Web Service Endpoint Request and Save the Connection String.

To migrate reports from v18.2 to v19.1+, call the method demonstrated in the code below. This method converts a specified report definition as if you use the Save Authentication Parameters to the Configuration File approach.

C#

public static class JsonDatasourceAuthorization_Example {
    public static string ConvertReportWithMyUriJsonSourceTo191(string repxContent, out List<string> connectionString) {
        var report = new XtraReport();
        using(var ms = new MemoryStream(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(repxContent))) {
            report.LoadLayoutFromXml(ms);
        }

        connectionString = new List<string>();

        int i = 0;
        foreach(var component in report.ComponentStorage) {
            var jsonDS = (component as DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource);
            var jsonSource = (jsonDS?.JsonSource as MyUriJsonSource);
            if(jsonSource != null) {
                i++;
                jsonDS.ConnectionName = string.Format("newJsonConnection_{0}{1}", report.Name, i.ToString());

                var builder = new DbConnectionStringBuilder();
                builder.Add("Uri", jsonSource.Uri.OriginalString);
                builder.Add("UserName", jsonSource.UserName);
                builder.Add("Password", jsonSource.Password);

                connectionString.Add(string.Format("<add name=\"{0}\" connectionString=\"{1}\" providerName=\"JsonSourceProvider\" />",
                    jsonDS.ConnectionName, builder.ConnectionString));

                jsonDS.JsonSource = null;
            }
        }
        using(var ms = new MemoryStream()) {
            report.SaveLayoutToXml(ms);
            ms.Position = 0;
            StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(ms);
            return reader.ReadToEnd();
        }
    }
}

VB.NET

Public NotInheritable Class JsonDatasourceAuthorization_Example

    Private Sub New()
    End Sub

    Public Shared Function ConvertReportWithMyUriJsonSourceTo191(ByVal repxContent As String, <System.Runtime.InteropServices.Out()> ByRef connectionString As List(Of String)) As String
        Dim report = New XtraReport()
        Using ms = New MemoryStream(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(repxContent))
            report.LoadLayoutFromXml(ms)
        End Using

        connectionString = New List(Of String)()

        Dim i As Integer = 0
        For Each component In report.ComponentStorage
            Dim jsonDS = (TryCast(component, DevExpress.DataAccess.Json.JsonDataSource))
            Dim jsonSource = (TryCast(jsonDS?.JsonSource, MyUriJsonSource))
            If jsonSource IsNot Nothing Then
                i += 1
                jsonDS.ConnectionName = String.Format("newJsonConnection_{0}{1}", report.Name, i.ToString())

                Dim builder = New DbConnectionStringBuilder()
                builder.Add("Uri", jsonSource.Uri.OriginalString)
                builder.Add("UserName", jsonSource.UserName)
                builder.Add("Password", jsonSource.Password)

                connectionString.Add(String.Format("<add name=""{0}"" connectionString=""{1}"" providerName=""JsonSourceProvider"" />", jsonDS.ConnectionName, builder.ConnectionString))

                jsonDS.JsonSource = Nothing
            End If
        Next component
        Using ms = New MemoryStream()
            report.SaveLayoutToXml(ms)
            ms.Position = 0
            Dim reader As New StreamReader(ms)
            Return reader.ReadToEnd()
        End Using
    End Function
End Class