Dashboards Module Overview

• Sep 15, 2021
• 3 minutes to read

The Dashboards Module allows you to integrate DevExpress Dashboard controls with WinForms and ASP.NET XAF applications.

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 20.2\Components.NET Core Desktop Libraries\eXpressApp Framework\FeatureCenter by default. The ASP.NET Web Forms version of this demo is available online at https://demos.devexpress.com/XAF/FeatureCenter/.

Note

The Dashboards Module supports ASP.NET Core Blazor UI in v21.2 and later. In the current version, it is possible to integrate the JavaScript Dashboard control into your ASP.NET Core Blazor application manually.

Dashboards Module Capabilities

For end-user:	For developer:
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 List View.	Provide 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

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 modules to your application when you create a new XAF solution using the Solution Wizard. To do this, select modules 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:

• WinDashboardViewerViewItem
• WebDashboardViewerViewItem

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.