I’m selecting a report generator for my .NET winforms app and it’s driving me crazy. I’m not familiar at all with report generators so…
Does anyone knows of a report generator that:
1.- Is easy to deploy in relation to the main app
a. (Least, least, least desirable)
Have a separate scriptable/silent installer
(I can make the app installer call the
report generator installer)b. (I can live with this) Have an
“integrable” installer (An integrated
installer for both the App and the
report generator can be made easily)c. (Most desirable) Clickonce/xcopy
installation possible (no installer at
all!!! yay!!!!).
2.- Is scriptable to some degree:
a. (I can live with this) Is it
possible to change certain properties
(image sources, colors, visibility,
widths, etc.) at runtime?b. (Most
desirable) Is it possible –in addition
to the previous item- to add/remove
elements to the report at runtime?
3.- Self-adjusts when you resize the page:
a. (Least desirable) You have to
manually resize things dynamically
accessing the report structures
(related to 2a)b. (Most desirable) The report and its
elements adjust automatically to the
available canvas/paper size (as HTML
pages do, using percentages)
4.- The size of individual elements in the report grows/shrinks in accordance to the content displayed inside (elements could be grid’s columns):
a. (Least desirable) The element only
grows vertically to accommodate bigger
content (no clipping).b. The size of the elements can be
self-adjusting to content (like a
<div> element). Columns in a grid for
example should grow/shrink according
to content (as in a HTML <table>
element without columns widths)
5.- It should be possible to export a report to at least excel and PDF.
6.- The report viewer should support languages other than English.
I don’t know if my needs are unrealistic, but report generators are not my thing, I’m at a loss here.
Anyone with experience on the field can give me any pointer in the right direction for me to investigate?
We use DevExpress’ XtraReports which works in WinForms, ASP.NET, WPF and Silverlight. It is fully featured and should be capable of most if not all of what you are wanting. Find out more here:
http://devexpress.com/Products/NET/Reporting/