How to: Add a Custom Column to the Reports List

Oct 20, 2023
7 minutes to read

This topic describes how to customize the persistent class used to store reports to associate additional information with report objects. For instance, if you add the Category property, an additional column will be added to the Reports List View, and end users will be able to group, sort, or filter by categories.

WinForms
ReportsV2_WizParamsRuntime

ASP.NET Web Forms
ReportsV2_WizParamsRuntime_Web

Blazor
ReportsV2_WizParamsRuntime_Blazor

In this topic, it is assumed that you have an XAF application that uses the Reports V2 Module, and you have created one or more reports (see Reports V2 Module Overview).

Inherit ReportDataV2

Entity Framework Core

If you use Entity Framework Core, create the MyReportDataV2 entity derived from DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.EF.ReportDataV2. Then, add your custom entity to the DbContext.

File: MySolution.Module\BusinessObjects\MyReportDataV2.cs

public class MyReportDataV2 : DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.EF.ReportDataV2 {
    public virtual string Category { get;set; }
}

public class MySolutionDbContext : DbContext {
    // ...
    public DbSet<ReportDataV2> ReportDataV2 { get; set; }
    public DbSet<MyReportDataV2> MyReportDataV2 { get; set; }
}

XPO

If you use XPO, create the MyReportDataV2 persistent class derived from DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.ReportDataV2.

File: MySolution.Module\BusinessObjects\MyReportDataV2.cs

C#
VB.NET

public class MyReportDataV2 : DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.ReportDataV2 {
    public MyReportDataV2(Session session) : base(session) { }
    private string category;
    public string Category {
        get { return category; }
        set { SetPropertyValue(nameof(Category), ref category, value); }
     }
}

Public Class MyReportDataV2
    Inherits DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.ReportDataV2
    Public Sub New(ByVal session As Session)
        MyBase.New(session)
    End Sub
    Private _category As String
    Public Property Category() As String
        Get
            Return _category
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            SetPropertyValue(NameOf(Category), _category, value)
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Specify ReportsModuleV2.ReportDataType

With Application Builder

In applications that use the Application Builder, assign the type of your custom report data class to the ReportsOptions.ReportDataType property as shown below:

File: MySolution.Blazor.Server\Startup.cs

builder.Modules
    .AddReports(options => {
        options.ReportDataType = typeof(MyReportDataV2);
    })

Without Application Builder

In applications that do not use the Application Builder, you can specify the ReportDataType setting as follows.

File: WinApplication.Designer.cs (WinApplication.Designer.vb), _BlazorApplication.Designer.cs

C#
VB.NET

partial class MainDemoWinApplication {
    // ...
    private void InitializeComponent() {
        // ...
        // reportsModuleV21
        // 
        this.reportsModuleV21.ReportDataType = typeof(MyReportDataV2);
        // ...
    }
}

Partial Friend Class MainDemoWinApplication
    ' ...
    Private Sub InitializeComponent()
        ' ...
        ' reportsModuleV21
        ' 
        Me.reportsModuleV21.ReportDataType = GetType(MyReportDataV2)
        ' ...
    End Sub
End Class

In .NET Framework projects, you can alternatively open the Application Designer for the WinApplication.cs (WinApplication.vb) and WebApplication.cs (WebApplication.vb) files and set the ReportsModuleV2.ReportDataType property value to MyReportDataV2.

ReportsV2_ReportDataType

Add the New Property to the Report Wizard

Note

This feature is not supported in ASP.NET Core Blazor. See the Limitations section for more information.

You can also omit this section if you do not want the additional property to be initialized by a user. Instead, you can customize the ReportsStorage class to update the property value in code.

To make the newly introduced property visible in the Report Wizard, do the following.

In the platform-agnostic module project, inherit from the NewXafReportWizardParameters class and declare the Category string property.

File: MySolution.Module\CustomReportWizardParameters.cs

C#
VB.NET

using DevExpress.ExpressApp.DC;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2.Win;
using DevExpress.XtraReports.UI;
// ...
[DomainComponent]
public class CustomReportWizardParameters : NewReportWizardParameters {
    public CustomReportWizardParameters(XtraReport report, Type reportDataType) : 
        base(report, reportDataType) { }
    public string Category { get; set; }
    public override void AssignData(IReportDataV2Writable reportData) {
        base.AssignData(reportData);
        if (reportData is MyReportDataV2) {
            ((MyReportDataV2)reportData).Category = Category;
        }
    }
}

<DomainComponent> _
Public Class CustomReportWizardParameters
    Inherits NewReportWizardParameters

    Public Sub New(ByVal report As XtraReport, ByVal reportDataType As Type)
        MyBase.New(report, reportDataType)
    End Sub
    Public Property Category() As String
    Public Overrides Sub AssignData(ByVal reportData As IReportDataV2Writable)
        MyBase.AssignData(reportData)
        If TypeOf reportData Is MyReportDataV2 Then
            CType(reportData, MyReportDataV2).Category = Category
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

In the WinForms module project, implement a View Controller. If your solution does not contain this project, add the Controller to the WinForms application project. Override the OnActivated method, access the standard WinReportServiceController and subscribe to its WinReportServiceController.NewXafReportWizardShowing event. In the event handler, pass an instance of the CustomReportWizardParameters class to the Report Wizard.

File: MySolution.Win\Controllers.ReportWizardModifyController.cs

C#
VB.NET

using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2.Win;
// ...
public class ReportWizardModifyController : ViewController {
    WinReportServiceController reportServiceController;
    public ReportWizardModifyController() { }
    protected override void OnActivated() {
        base.OnActivated();
        reportServiceController = Frame.GetController<WinReportServiceController>();
        if (reportServiceController != null) {
            reportServiceController.NewXafReportWizardShowing +=
                reportServiceController_NewXafReportWizardShowing;
        }
    }
    protected override void OnDeactivated() {
        reportServiceController.NewXafReportWizardShowing -=
            reportServiceController_NewXafReportWizardShowing;
        reportServiceController = null;
        base.OnDeactivated();
    }
    void reportServiceController_NewXafReportWizardShowing(object sender,
        NewXafReportWizardShowingEventArgs e) {
        if (!e.ReportDataType.Equals(typeof(MyReportDataV2))) return;
        CustomReportWizardParameters newReportParamsObject = new
            CustomReportWizardParameters(e.WizardParameters.Report, e.WizardParameters.ReportDataType);
        newReportParamsObject.Category = "Default";
        e.WizardParameters = newReportParamsObject;
    }
}

File: MySolution.Win\Controllers.ReportWizardModifyController.cs

Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2.Win
' ...
Public Class ReportWizardModifyController
    Inherits ViewController

    Private reportServiceController As WinReportServiceController
    Public Sub New()
    End Sub
    Protected Overrides Sub OnActivated()
        MyBase.OnActivated()
        reportServiceController = Frame.GetController(Of WinReportServiceController)()
        If reportServiceController IsNot Nothing Then
            reportServiceController.NewXafReportWizardShowing += reportServiceController_NewXafReportWizardShowing
        End If
    End Sub
    Protected Overrides Sub OnDeactivated()
        RemoveHandler reportServiceController.NewXafReportWizardShowing, AddressOf reportServiceController_NewXafReportWizardShowing
        reportServiceController = Nothing
        MyBase.OnDeactivated()
    End Sub
    Private Sub reportServiceController_NewXafReportWizardShowing(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As NewXafReportWizardShowingEventArgs)
        If Not e.ReportDataType.Equals(GetType(MyReportDataV2)) Then
            Return
        End If
        Dim newReportParamsObject As New CustomReportWizardParameters(e.WizardParameters.Report, e.WizardParameters.ReportDataType)
        newReportParamsObject.Category = "Default"
        e.WizardParameters = newReportParamsObject
    End Sub
End Class

In the ASP.NET Web Forms module project, implement one more View Controller. Analogously, override the OnActivated method, access the standard WebReportServiceController and subscribe to its WebReportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing event. In the event handler, pass an instance of the CustomReportWizardParameters class to the Report Wizard.

File: MySolution.Web.Module\Controllers.ReportWizardModifyController.cs

C#
VB.NET

using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2.Web;
// ...
public class ReportWizardModifyController : ViewController {
    WebReportServiceController reportServiceController;
    public ReportWizardModifyController() { }
    protected override void OnActivated() {
        base.OnActivated();
        reportServiceController = Frame.GetController<WebReportServiceController>();
        if (reportServiceController != null) {
            reportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing +=
                reportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing;
        }
    }
    protected override void OnDeactivated() {
        reportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing -=
            reportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing;
        reportServiceController = null;
        base.OnDeactivated();
    }
    void reportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing(object sender,
        WebNewReportWizardShowingEventArgs e) {
        if (!e.ReportDataType.Equals(typeof(MyReportDataV2))) return;
        CustomReportWizardParameters newReportParamsObject = new
            CustomReportWizardParameters(e.WizardParameters.Report, e.WizardParameters.ReportDataType);
        newReportParamsObject.Category = "Default";
        e.WizardParameters = newReportParamsObject;
    }
}

Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2.Web
' ...
Public Class ReportWizardModifyController
    Inherits ViewController

    Private reportServiceController As WebReportServiceController
    Public Sub New()
    End Sub
    Protected Overrides Sub OnActivated()
        MyBase.OnActivated()
        reportServiceController = Frame.GetController(Of WebReportServiceController)()
        If reportServiceController IsNot Nothing Then
            reportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing += reportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing
        End If
    End Sub
    Protected Overrides Sub OnDeactivated()
        RemoveHandler reportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing, AddressOf reportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing
        reportServiceController = Nothing
        MyBase.OnDeactivated()
    End Sub
    Private Sub reportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As WebNewReportWizardShowingEventArgs)
        If Not e.ReportDataType.Equals(GetType(MyReportDataV2)) Then
            Return
        End If
        Dim newReportParamsObject As New CustomReportWizardParameters(e.WizardParameters.Report, e.WizardParameters.ReportDataType)
        newReportParamsObject.Category = "Default"
        e.WizardParameters = newReportParamsObject
    End Sub
End Class

In the ASP.NET Core Blazor module project, implement one more View Controller. If your solution does not contain this project, add the Controller to the application project. Similarly, override the OnActivated method, access the standard DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2.Blazor.BlazorReportServiceController, and subscribe to its BlazorReportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing event. In the event handler, pass an instance of the CustomReportWizardParameters class to the Report Wizard.

File: MySolution.Blazor.Server\Controllers.ReportWizardModifyController.cs

using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.ReportsV2.Blazor;
// ...
public class ReportWizardModifyController : ViewController {
    BlazorReportServiceController reportServiceController;
    public ReportWizardModifyController() { }
    protected override void OnActivated() {
        base.OnActivated();
        reportServiceController = Frame.GetController<BlazorReportServiceController>();
        if(reportServiceController != null) {
            reportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing += ReportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing;
        }
    }
    private void ReportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing(object sender, BlazorNewReportWizardShowingEventArgs e) {
        if(!e.ReportDataType.Equals(typeof(MyReportDataV2)))
            return;
        CustomReportWizardParameters newReportParamsObject = 
        new CustomReportWizardParameters(e.WizardParameters.Report, e.WizardParameters.ReportDataType);
        newReportParamsObject.Category = "Default";
        e.WizardParameters = newReportParamsObject;
    }
    protected override void OnDeactivated() {
        reportServiceController.NewReportWizardShowing -= ReportServiceController_NewReportWizardShowing;
        reportServiceController = null;
        base.OnDeactivated();
    }
}

After you complete these steps, the following Detail Views are added to the Application Model:

MyReportData_DetailView
CustomReportWizardParameters_DetailView

To place the new Category item at the desired position, start the Model Editor and adjust these Detail View layouts.

ReportsV2_WizParams

For a detailed explanation of how to customize a Detail View’s layout, refer to the View Items Layout Customization help topic.

Limitations

XAF does not support the capability to display and edit custom report properties in the New Report Wizard under the ASP.NET Core Blazor platform. An end user can use the Report ListView’s Edit action to specify a custom property value:

Edit Custom Report Properties

Controls

Tools

Controls and Extensions

Tools

Maintenance Mode

Controls

Tools

Controls and Extensions

Tools

Maintenance Mode

Inherit ReportDataV2

Entity Framework Core

XPO

Specify ReportsModuleV2.ReportDataType

With Application Builder

Without Application Builder

Add the New Property to the Report Wizard

Limitations