This example demonstrates how to conditionally change a control's appearance at runtime. For this, it is necessary to create an instance of the FormattingRule class, specify its FormattingRule.Condition and FormattingRule.Formatting properties and add this object to a report's sheet of formatting rules (XtraReport.FormattingRuleSheet) and to the collection of formatting rules of a control or a band, to which it should be applied (XRControl.FormattingRules). Note that the same task can be also solved at design time, as described in the Conditionally Changing a Control's Appearance topic.

Tip

Online Example: How to conditionally change control appearance

C#
VB.NET

using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Printing;
using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
// ...

private void XtraReport1_BeforePrint(object sender, PrintEventArgs e) {
    // Create a new rule and add it to a report.
    FormattingRule rule = new FormattingRule();
    this.FormattingRuleSheet.Add(rule);

    // Specify the rule's properties.
    rule.DataSource = this.DataSource;
    rule.DataMember = this.DataMember;
    rule.Condition = "[UnitPrice] >= 30";
    rule.Formatting.BackColor = Color.WhiteSmoke;
    rule.Formatting.ForeColor = Color.IndianRed;
    rule.Formatting.Font = new Font("Arial", 10, FontStyle.Bold);

    // Apply this rule to the detail band.
    this.Detail.FormattingRules.Add(rule);
}

Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Drawing.Printing
Imports DevExpress.XtraReports.UI
' ...

Private Sub XtraReport1_BeforePrint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As PrintEventArgs) _
Handles MyBase.BeforePrint
    ' Create a new rule and add it to a report.
    Dim rule As New FormattingRule()
    Me.FormattingRuleSheet.Add(rule)

    ' Specify the rule's properties.
    rule.DataSource = Me.DataSource
    rule.DataMember = Me.DataMember
    rule.Condition = "[UnitPrice] >= 30"
    rule.Formatting.BackColor = Color.WhiteSmoke
    rule.Formatting.ForeColor = Color.IndianRed
    rule.Formatting.Font = New Font("Arial", 10, FontStyle.Bold)

    ' Apply this rule to the detail band.
    Me.Detail.FormattingRules.Add(rule)
End Sub