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

• Aug 03, 2020
• 4 minutes to read

This tutorial demonstrates how to bind a report to data that is available only at runtime using the BindingSource component.

Tip

As it is impossible to correctly serialize the binding source content along with the report definition, consider using alternative approaches illustrated in the following tutorials:

• Bind a Report to an Object Data Source
• Bind a Report to a Data Source Schema

Do the following to bind a report to data without a data source at design time:

1. Start Microsoft Visual Studio 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 or 2017, and create a new application under any of the supported platforms or open an existing one.
2. Add a new blank report to it.

3. Add a new class to the application (named Data.cs) with the following code.

   C#

   using System;
   // ...
   
   namespace WindowsApplication1 {
       public class Data {
           public Data() {
           }
           private int _id;
           private string _name;
           private DateTime _date;
           public int Id {
               get { return this._id; }
               set { this._id = value; }
           }
           public string Name {
               get { return this._name; }
               set { this._name = value; }
           }
           public DateTime Date {
               get { return this._date; }
               set { this._date = value; }
           }
       }
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Imports System
   ' ...
   
   Namespace WindowsApplication1
       Public Class Data
           Public Sub New()
           End Sub
           Private _id As Integer
           Private _name As String
           Private _date As DateTime
           Public Property Id() As Integer
               Get
                   Return Me._id
               End Get
               Set(ByVal value As Integer)
                   Me._id = value
               End Set
           End Property
           Public Property Name() As String
               Get
                   Return Me._name
               End Get
               Set(ByVal value As String)
                   Me._name = value
               End Set
           End Property
           Public Property [Date]() As DateTime
               Get
                   Return Me._date
               End Get
               Set(ByVal value As DateTime)
                   Me._date = value
               End Set
           End Property
       End Class
   End Namespace
   

4. From the Data Toolbox tab, drop the BindingSource component onto the report.

   

   After this, the report’s XtraReportBase.DataSource property is automatically set to bindingSource1.

5. The next step is to select the bindingSource1 component and set its DataSource property to the Data type in the Components node of the Report Explorer.

   

   Note

   In web applications, you cannot assign your object to the BindingSource.DataSource property at design time. Instead, perform binding right within the InitializeComponent method using the following code:

   C#

   this.bindingSource1.DataSource = typeof(Reports.MyDataObject);
   

   VB.NET

   Me.bindingSource1.DataSource = GetType(Reports.MyDataObject)
   

   The corresponding code example is available online at How to set up binding for a web report using a collection of custom objects as a data source at design time.

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

   

7. Finally, handle the Form1_Load event to populate and assign the report’s data source.

   C#

   using System;
   using System.Windows.Forms;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
   // ...
   
   private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
       XtraReport1 report = new XtraReport1();
       report.DataSource = CreateData();
   
       ReportPrintTool tool = new ReportPrintTool(report);
       tool.ShowPreview();
   }
   
   private  List<Data> CreateData() {
       List<Data> data = new List<Data>();
   
       Data item1 = new Data();
       item1.Date = DateTime.Now;
       item1.Id = 0;
       item1.Name = "First";
       data.Add(item1);
   
       Data item2 = new Data();
       item2.Date = DateTime.Now;
       item2.Id = 1;
       item2.Name = "Second";
       data.Add(item2);
   
       Data item3 = new Data();
       item3.Date = DateTime.Now;
       item3.Id = 2;
       item3.Name = "Third";
       data.Add(item3);
   
       return data;
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Imports System
   Imports System.Windows.Forms
   Imports System.Collections.Generic
   Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
   ' ...
   
   Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, _ 
   ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
       Dim report As New XtraReport1()
       report.DataSource = CreateData()
   
       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()
       item1.Date = DateTime.Now
       item1.Id = 0
       item1.Name = "First"
       data.Add(item1)
   
       Dim item2 As New Data()
       item2.Date = DateTime.Now
       item2.Id = 1
       item2.Name = "Second"
       data.Add(item2)
   
       Dim item3 As New Data()
       item3.Date = DateTime.Now
       item3.Id = 2
       item3.Name = "Third"
       data.Add(item3)
   
       Return data
   End Function
   

Run the application and view the result.