Dashboards Module Overview
- 3 minutes to read
The Dashboards Module allows you to integrate DevExpress Dashboard controls with WinForms and ASP.NET XAF applications.
Tip
The Dashboards Module is demonstrated in the Dashboards section of the Feature Center application. The Feature Center demo is installed in %PUBLIC%\Documents\DevExpress Demos 18.1\Components\eXpressApp Framework\FeatureCenter by default. The ASP.NET version of this demo is available online at https://demos.devexpress.com/XAF/FeatureCenter/.
Dashboards Module Capabilities
For end-user: | For developer: |
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Note
Note that the DashboardView Views and Dashboard Module are different XAF concepts. Dashboard Views display several XAF Views in a single Frame - they do not utilize DevExpress Dashboard controls.
DevExpress Controls Used by the Dashboards Module
- DashboardDesigner - used to design dashboards in a WinForms application.
- DashboardViewer - used to view dashboards in a WinForms application.
- ASPxDashboard - used to view and create dashboards in an ASP.NET application.
Note
The ASPxDashboard control cannot be localized in the Model Editor as it does not have a corresponding Localizer Object. See Dashboard | Localization for more information.
Dashboards Module Components
- DashboardsModule - add it to your platform-agnostic module in the Module Designer.
- DashboardsWindowsFormsModule - add it to your WinForms application project in the Application Designer.
- DashboardsAspNetModule - add it to your ASP.NET application project in the Application Designer.
Note
You can add a module in the Solution Wizard when creating a new XAF solution by selecting a module in the Choose Extra Modules step.
- To add an extra module in code, add it to the XafApplication.Modules or ModuleBase.RequiredModuleTypes list (adding a reference to the module assembly is insufficient).
The Dashboards Module provides the following View Items used to host dashboard controls in WinForms and ASP.NET applications:
The Dashboards Module extends the Application Model - introduces the IModelDashboardNavigationItem node and adds the IModelClassDashboardsVisibility.IsVisibleInDashboards property to the IModelClass node.
Dashboard Data Type
Dashboards are persisted using business objects (entities) that implement the IDashboardData interface. If you are using XPO, the DashboardData persistent class implemented in the Business Class Library is used. If you use the Entity Framework, set the DashboardsModule.DashboardDataType property to DashboardData manually and add this type to your DBContext.
You can also use a custom dashboard data type. To do this, inherit DashboardData or implement the IDashboardData interface and pass the implemented type to the DashboardsModule.DashboardDataType property.
Tip
To display a dashboard in code, use an approach listed in the Ways to Show a View topic to show the DashboardData object’s Detail View.