Dashboards Module

• Aug 23, 2024
• 4 minutes to read

The Dashboards Module integrates DevExpress Dashboard controls into ASP.NET Core Blazor, Windows Forms, and ASP.NET Web Forms XAF applications.

You can find a Dashboards Module demo in the Dashboards section of the Feature Center application. The default location of the application is %PUBLIC%\Documents\DevExpress Demos 24.1\Components\XAF\FeatureCenter.NETFramework.XPO.

Dashboards Module Capabilities

For users	For developers
Create dashboards at runtime and persist them. Dashboards are stored with other business objects in the application database. View and modify existing dashboards in the Dashboards List View. You can use the Dashboards navigation item to invoke this View.	Create predefined dashboards that are available to users after an application’s deployment. Create navigation items associated with individual dashboards. Customize the dashboard’s control options and behavior.

Note

The DashboardView and Dashboard Module are different XAF concepts. Dashboard Views display multiple XAF Views in a single Frame - they do not use DevExpress Dashboard controls.

Dashboards Module Components

Modules

Platform	Module	NuGet package
Platform-agnostic	DashboardsModule	DevExpress.ExpressApp.Dashboards
WinForms	DashboardsWindowsFormsModule	DevExpress.ExpressApp.Dashboards.Win
ASP.NET Web Forms	DashboardsAspNetModule	DevExpress.ExpressApp.Dashboards.Web
ASP.NET Core Blazor	DashboardsBlazorModule	DevExpress.ExpressApp.Dashboards.Blazor

Integrated DevExpress Controls

ASP.NET Core Blazor

DxDashboard

Windows Forms

DashboardDesigner
DashboardViewer

ASP.NET Web Forms

ASPxDashboard

Note

You cannot localize the ASPxDashboard control in the Model Editor because it does not have a corresponding Localizer Object. For more information, refer to the following help topic: Dashboard | Localization.

View Items

The Dashboards Module uses the following View Items to host dashboard controls in ASP.NET Core Blazor, Windows Forms, and ASP.NET Web Forms XAF applications:

• BlazorDashboardViewerViewItem
• WinDashboardViewerViewItem
• WebDashboardViewerViewItem

Application Model Extensions

The Dashboards Module extends the Application Model with the IModelDashboardNavigationItem node and adds the IModelClassDashboardsVisibility.IsVisibleInDashboards property to the IModelClass node.

Dashboard Data Type

The Module uses the following built-in business objects (entities) that implement the IDashboardData interface to store dashboards:

• DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.DashboardData (in XPO-based applications)
• DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.EF.DashboardData (in EF Core-based applications)

You can also use a custom dashboard data type. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Inherit from DashboardData or implement the IDashboardData interface.
2. Add the required properties and register the custom type in DbContext.

3. Specify the custom type in the following properties:

   • Dashboards.Blazor.DashboardsOptions.DashboardDataType property in the YourSolutionName\Blazor.Server\Startup.cs file
   • Dashboards.Win.DashboardsOptions.DashboardDataType property in the YourSolutionName\Win\Startup.cs file

Tip

To display the DashboardData object’s Detail View, use the technique listed in the following help topic: Ways to Show a View.

Add the Dashboards Module to Your Application

Use either of the following techniques to add the Dashboards Module:

• You can add modules to your application when you use the Solution Wizard to create a new XAF solution. Select modules in the Choose Additional Modules step.

• In .NET applications, you can call the AddDashboards(IModuleBuilder<IWinApplicationBuilder>, Action<DashboardsOptions>) / AddDashboards(IModuleBuilder<IBlazorApplicationBuilder>, Action<DashboardsOptions>) method in your WinForms / ASP.NET Core Blazor application builder.

• If you do not use an application builder, you can add these Modules to the ModuleBase.RequiredModuleTypes collection of the platform-specific Module.
• In .NET Framework applications, you can also use the Module Designer and Application Designer to add a module to your project.

Tip

Make sure that you installed the appropriate platform-specific NuGet package.

The following additional steps may be required:

Entity Framework Core-Based Application

1. Navigate to the MySolution.Module\BusinessObjects\MySolutionDbContext.cs file and include the DashboardData entity in the data model:

   using DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.EF;
   // ...
   public class MySolutionEFCoreDbContext : DbContext {
       // ...
       public DbSet<DashboardData> DashboardData { get; set; }
       // ...
   }
   

2. Navigate to the MySolution.Blazor.Server\Startup.cs file (ASP.NET Core Blazor) or the MySolution.Win\Startup.cs file (Windows Forms) and specify the DashboardDataType explicitly:

   // ...
   builder.Modules
       .AddDashboards(options => {
           options.DashboardDataType = typeof(DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.EF.DashboardData);
       })
   

ASP.NET Core Blazor Application Without Application Builder

1. Open the following file: MySolution.Blazor.Server\Startup.cs.

2. In the Startup.ConfigureServices method, call the AddXafDashboards method to register Dashboards Module services.

3. In the Startup.Configure method, call the MapXafDashboards method to configure endpoints for the Dashboards Module.

   using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Dashboards.Blazor;
   // ...
   public class Startup {
       // ...
       public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services){
           //...
           services.AddXafDashboards();
       }
       public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IWebHostEnvironment env) {
           // ...
           app.UseEndpoints(endpoints => {
               endpoints.MapXafDashboards();
               // ...
           }
       }
   }
   

Troubleshooting

For more information on how to resolve problems that can occur when you use the Dashboards Module, refer to the following topic: Dashboards Module Troubleshooting Guide.