Bind a Report to an XML File (Runtime Sample)

• Jan 12, 2026
• 3 minutes to read

This example illustrates how to bind a report to XML data stored in a file (Cars.xml in this case).

Do the following to accomplish this task:

• Create a SqlDataSource instance.
• Create a SelectQuery to access data from the required data table.
• Use the SelectQueryFluentBuilder.AddTable method to include the required table in the query.
• Specify columns to include in the table using the SelectQueryFluentBuilder.SelectColumns method.

Form1.vb

Imports System
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports DevExpress.DataAccess.ConnectionParameters
Imports DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql
Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
' ...
        Private Function CreateReport() As XtraReport
            ' Create a new report instance.
            Dim report As New XtraReport()

            ' Create a data source.           
            Dim ds As New SqlDataSource(New XmlFileConnectionParameters("../../Cars.xml"))

            ' Create a query to access fields of the Cars data table.
            Dim query As SelectQuery = SelectQueryFluentBuilder.
                AddTable("Cars").
                SelectColumns("ID", "Trademark", "Model", "Category", "Description").
                Build("MyQuery")
            ds.Queries.Add(query)

            ' Make the data source structure displayed  
            ' in the Field List of an End-User Report Designer. 
            ds.RebuildResultSchema()

            ' Assign the data source to the report.
            report.DataSource = ds
            report.DataMember = "MyQuery"

            ' Add a detail band to the report.
            Dim detailBand As New DetailBand()
            report.Bands.Add(detailBand)

            ' Add a label to the detail band.
            Dim label As XRLabel = New XRLabel With {.WidthF = 300}
            'label.DataBindings.Add("Text", Nothing, "customQuery1.ProductName")
            label.Text = "[MyQuery.Trademark] [MyQuery.Model]"
            label.LeftF = 30
            detailBand.Controls.Add(label)
            detailBand.Height = CInt(label.HeightF)

            ' Create a group header band and add it to the report.
            Dim ghBand As New GroupHeaderBand()
            report.Bands.Add(ghBand)

            ' Create a grouping criteria. 
            ghBand.GroupFields.Add(New GroupField("Category"))

            ' Display the grouping criteria in the group header.
            Dim labelGroup As New XRLabel()
            labelGroup.Text = "[MyQuery.Category]"
            ghBand.Controls.Add(labelGroup)
            ghBand.Height = CInt(labelGroup.HeightF)

            Return report
        End Function

        Private Sub button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles button1.Click
            ' Show the report's print preview.
            Dim printTool As New ReportPrintTool(CreateReport())
            printTool.ShowPreview()
        End Sub

        Private Sub button2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
            ' Open the report in an End-User Report Designer. 
            Dim designTool As New ReportDesignTool(CreateReport())
            designTool.ShowRibbonDesignerDialog()
        End Sub

Form1.cs

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using DevExpress.DataAccess.ConnectionParameters;
using DevExpress.DataAccess.Sql;
using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
// ...
XtraReport CreateReport() {
    // Create a new report instance.
    XtraReport report = new XtraReport();

    // Create a data source.           
    SqlDataSource ds = new SqlDataSource(new XmlFileConnectionParameters("../../Cars.xml"));

    // Create a query to access fields of the Cars data table.
    SelectQuery query = SelectQueryFluentBuilder
        .AddTable("Cars")
        .SelectColumns("ID", "Trademark", "Model", "Category", "Description")
        .Build("MyQuery");
    ds.Queries.Add(query);

    // Make the data source structure displayed  
    // in the Field List of an End-User Report Designer. 
    ds.RebuildResultSchema();

    // Assign the data source to the report.
    report.DataSource = ds;
    report.DataMember = "MyQuery";

    // Add a detail band to the report.
    DetailBand detailBand = new DetailBand();
    report.Bands.Add(detailBand);

    // Add a label to the detail band.
    XRLabel label = new XRLabel { WidthF = 300 };
    label.Text = "[MyQuery.Trademark] [MyQuery.Model]";
    label.LeftF = 30;
    detailBand.Controls.Add(label);
    detailBand.Height = (int)label.HeightF;

    // Create a group header band and add it to the report.
    GroupHeaderBand ghBand = new GroupHeaderBand();
    report.Bands.Add(ghBand);

    // Create a grouping criteria. 
    ghBand.GroupFields.Add(new GroupField("Category"));

    // Display the grouping criteria in the group header.
    XRLabel labelGroup = new XRLabel();
    labelGroup.Text = "[MyQuery.Category]";
    ghBand.Controls.Add(labelGroup);
    ghBand.Height = (int)labelGroup.HeightF;

    return report;
}

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {
    // Show the report's print preview.
    ReportPrintTool printTool = new ReportPrintTool(CreateReport());
    printTool.ShowPreview();
}

private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {
    // Open the report in an End-User Report Designer. 
    ReportDesignTool designTool = new ReportDesignTool(CreateReport());
    designTool.ShowRibbonDesignerDialog();
}

Note

Use the XtraReportBase.XmlDataPath property to bind reports to XML documents that do not contain an embedded schema definition in XSD format.