Bind a Report to a List Object at Design Time and Supply Data at Runtime

• May 24, 2024
• 4 minutes to read

This tutorial uses an object data source to bind a report to a List<T> object.

1. Create a new application or open an existing application. For more information, review the following help topic: Get Started with DevExpress Reporting.

2. Add a new blank report to it.

3. Add a new Data.cs file with the following code to the application:

   Data.cs

   using System;
   
       public class Data {
       public int Id { get; set; }
       public string Name { get; set; }
       public DateTime Date { get; set; }
   }
   

   Data.vb

   Imports System
   
       Public Class Data
       Public Property Id() As Integer
       Public Property Name() As String
       Public Property [Date]() As Date
       End Class
   

4. Rebuild the solution.

5. Invoke the Data Source Wizard and follow the Wizard’s steps to bind the report to the Data object.

   

   5.1. Open the report’s smart tag, expand the Data Source property’s drop-down list, and click Add Report Data Source.

   

   5.2. Select Object and click Next.

   

   5.3. Select the assembly and click Next.

   

   5.4. Select the Data object and click Next.

   

   5.5. Select Retrieve the data source schema and click Finish.

   

   5.6. The report’s data source is set to objectDataSource1.

6. Drop data fields from the Field List onto the report.

   

7. Handle the Form1_Load event to populate and assign the report’s data source.

   C#

   using System;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
   
   namespace ReportingListObjectSample {
       public partial class Form1 : DevExpress.XtraEditors.XtraForm {
           public Form1() {
               InitializeComponent();
               this.Load += Form1_Load;
           }
   
           private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
               XtraReport1 report = new XtraReport1();
               var odses = DataSourceManager.GetDataSources<ObjectDataSource>(report);
               foreach (var ods in odses) { 
                   if(ods.DataSource is Type t && t == typeof(Data)){
                       ods.Constructor = null;
                       ods.DataSource = CreateData();
                   }
               }
               ReportPrintTool tool = new ReportPrintTool(report);
               tool.ShowPreview();
           }
   
           private List<Data> CreateData() {
               List<Data> data = new List<Data>();
               Data item1 = new Data {
                   Date = DateTime.Now,
                   Id = 0,
                   Name = "First"
               };
               data.Add(item1);
               Data item2 = new Data {
                   Date = DateTime.Now,
                   Id = 1,
                   Name = "Second"
               };
               data.Add(item2);
               Data item3 = new Data {
                   Date = DateTime.Now,
                   Id = 2,
                   Name = "Third"
               };
               data.Add(item3);
               return data;
           }
       }
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
   Partial Public Class Form1
       Public Sub New()
           InitializeComponent()
       End Sub
       Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object,
   ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
           Dim report As New XtraReport1()
           Dim odses = DataSourceManager.GetDataSources(Of ObjectDataSource)(report)
               For Each ods In odses
                   If TypeOf ods.DataSource Is Type t AndAlso t Is GetType(Data) Then
                       ods.Constructor = Nothing
                       ods.DataSource = CreateData()
                   End If
               Next ods
           Dim Tool As ReportPrintTool = New ReportPrintTool(report)
           Tool.ShowPreview
       End Sub
       Private Function CreateData() As List(Of Data)
           Dim data As New List(Of Data)()
           Dim item1 As New Data With {
               .Date = DateTime.Now,
               .Id = 0,
               .Name = "First"
           }
           data.Add(item1)
           Dim item2 As New Data With {
               .Date = DateTime.Now,
               .Id = 1,
               .Name = "Second"
           }
           data.Add(item2)
           Dim item3 As New Data With {
               .Date = DateTime.Now,
               .Id = 2,
               .Name = "Third"
           }
           data.Add(item3)
           Return data
       End Function
   End Class
   

Run the application and view the result.

Tips and Limitations

A direct assignment of the List<Data> property to the report’s DataSource property at runtime is not recommended because the List<Data> object may be disposed of at some stages of document generation, such as when report parameters are applied.

Use the ObjectDataSource class as the data source and the DataSourceManager class to assign a data source to your report at runtime. Once you bind a report to an object schema, you can access an instance of the ObjectDataSource class and assign the desired data model to that instance. The schema of the assigned model must be equal to the schema of the object to which the report was bound in the Designer.

Note that you can use a model data source object when developing an application, and at runtime replace the model object with a working object.