The first thing that we want to do, now that the project is
created, is to add the Bin and App_Code folders to the project.
Figure 2
Now that the Bin and App_Code folders exist in the project,
we need to add a dataset in the App_Code folder. Do this by right clicking on
the App_Code folder and selecting Add New Item. Select DataSet, change the
name, and click Add.
Figure 3
The Table Adaptor Configuration Wizard will be a pop-up that
will ask you to define the data that will be used to populate the dataset.
First, select your database server from the list or create a new connection to
the server then click Next.
Figure 4
You will be asked to save your connection in the web.config
file. I will say yes; it will make adding the next DataSet a little easier.
Then Click Next.
Figure 5
This first example will use the Use SQL Statements option.
As you can see you can create a stored procedure from here or use an existing
one. In my development I use existing stored procedures. They give me more
flexibility and control over the application. For the example though, we will just
"Use SQL Statements." Click Next.
Figure 6
This next page of the wizard will allow you to enter the SQL
Statement with which you want to populate the DataSet. Click Next, Next, then
Finish. No options need changed on the following two screens.
Figure 7
After finishing you will then see the following screen.
Figure 8
Now we will open up the Default.aspx page and add a
ReportViewer control to the page.
Figure 9
A blank report viewer will be added to the page, resize to
fit. I will make this one 800x600.
Figure 10
Now, right click on the project name and Add New Item.
Select Report and change the name. Click Add.
Figure 11
A blank report will be added to the project and a new
control tab will be added with the Toolbox and Server Explorer tabs. This tab
holds the controls for the dataset we just created.
Figure 12
Now that the report is open, add a Table to the report.
Figure 13
Start adding boxes to accommodate the data that we want to
display. Some formatting may need to take place to fit everything into the 800
x 600 format that we have created on the Report Viewer that we placed on
Default.aspx. I have added 5 boxes and dragged and dropped the OrderID,
CompanyName, OrderDate, ShippedDate and ShipAddress into the fields. I have
added formatting to the two date fields and some concatenation to the Address
field. The next few images will show how the formatting was done.
Figure 14
Now that the report has been created we need to link it to
the ReportViewer on Default.aspx. Click on the 
to open up the ReportViewer Tasks box
and select the report from the drop down list. This will add an
ObjectDataSource to the page.
Figure 15
Rename the ObjectDataSource (odsExample1) and click on the again to choose
the data source to use with the report.
Figure 16
At this point you can run the application! So hit F5 and
watch the magic happen.
Figure 17
Now, granted, this is a simplistic report, there is no
filtering that has taken place, just a mess of a report. The question now
becomes, how do we create a report that will accept parameters and give a little
more meaningful results? That is a good question, and I will show you.
We will use the same project; just add two new pages, a new
report and a new DataSet. I will only highlight the differences between the
two. The two pages that will be added will be a criteria selection page and a
report page. The new DataSet will accept a parameter (CustomerID).
Here is the new query in the Example2 DataSet, notice that I
added a where clause and a parameter @CustomerID.
Figure 18
The report that I created for this one looks identical to
the one in example 1. However, it is now pointing to the new DataSet.
This is the basic, very basic form for the
Example2Select.aspx page. Another feature of the .NET Framework 2.0 that I
find very useful is Cross Page Post Backs. I will explain a little about them
now, since I am using them for the page submissions.
Figure 19
To do a cross page post back, you have to set the
PostBackURL property of the Submit Button. I have set the property to
~/Example2.aspx. When the button is clicked this will send the post back
straight to the page referenced in the PostBackURL property. In order to make
this as easy and as powerful as possible I have also added the following public
read only property to the Example2Select.aspx page:
Listing 2
Public ReadOnly Property CustID() As String
Get
Return tCustID.Text
End Get
End Property
When setting up the page that is being submitted to, the
following code needs placed in the .aspx page markup:
Listing 3
<%@ PreviousPageType VirtualPath="~/Example2Select.aspx" %>
This tag sets up a reference to the page that is posting to
this page, in this case, Example2Select.aspx. The power of this tag will become
clear with the next piece of code that runs before this page is rendered. This
codes job is to reference Example2Select.aspx and get the CustID property that
was entered and then pass it into the odsExample2 ObjectDataSource. The power
in setting the above tag is in how the CustID property is referenced,
PreviousPage.CustID. Without the PreviousPageType being explicitely set,
conversions would have to be done just to get the CustomerID. This allows for
a Strongly Typed Reference to the CustID property.
Listing 4
Protected Sub odsExample2_Selecting(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.ObjectDataSourceSelectingEventArgs) _
Handles odsExample2.Selecting
e.InputParameters("CustomerID") = PreviousPage.CustID
End SubThese are the only real differences in the two processes.
So, with no further ado, the screen shots of the application running with
parameters.
Figure 20
