The General page of the Report Data Source dialog is where you can set the Name, Type and Connection string of a new data source, or choose to use a shared data source reference.

• In the Name field, you can enter a name for the data source. This name must be unique within the report. By default, the name is set to DataSource1.
• In the Shared Reference checkbox, you can select a shared data source reference. See Connect to a Data Source for further information. Once you have chosen the Shared Reference option, the Reference field to select a Shared Data Source becomes available.
• If the Shared Reference checkbox is clear, you can select a data source type from the Type dropdown field. ActiveReports supports the following providers:
  • Microsoft SQL Client Provider
  • DataSet Provider
  • Microsoft ODBC Provider
  • Microsoft OleDB Provider
  • Object Provider
  • Oracle Client Provider
  • XML Provider
• You can also select to execute datasets that use this data source in a single transaction by checking the Use Single Transaction checkbox.
• If you select SQL, OleDB, or Oracle as the data source Type value, the Connection Properties, Connection String and Advanced Settings pages appear under the Connection section. In other data source types, only the Connection String page appears.

  Connection Properties

  The Connection Properties page gives access to properties specific to the following data types.

  SQL

  • Server name: This field requires you to enter a server name.
  • Log on to server: Through this field, you can select whether to use Windows authentication or server authentication which requires a user name and password
  • Connect to a database: Through this field, you can select whether to enter a database name or attach a database file.
  • Below this field you can also check the Save My Password option for future reference.

  OleDB

  • OLE DB Provider: This field requires you to select one among the list of OLE DB Providers provided in the drop down list.
  • Enter a server or file name: This field requires you to enter a server or a file name along with its location.
  • Log on to server: Through this field you can select whether to use Windows NT integrated security or use a specific user name and password.

  Oracle

  • Server name: This field requires you to enter a server name.
  • Log on to server: This field requires you to enter a user name and a password for server authentication.
  • Below this field you can also check the Save My Password option for future reference.

  Connection String

  Enter a connection string in the provided text box, or use the Connection Properties page to create one for SQL, OleDB, or Oracle data types.

  Following is the sample connection string to access the Northwind database in the C directory:

  Sample connection string	Copy Code
  provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;data source=c:\nwind.mdb;

  	Copy Code

The Credentials page gives you the following four options for the level of security you need for the data in your report.

Use Windows Authentication

Select this option when you know that any users with a valid Windows account are cleared for access to the data, and you do not want to prompt them for a user name and password.

Use a specific user name and password

Select this option when you want to allow only a single user name and password to access the data in the report.

Prompt for credentials

Select this option when there is a subset of users who can access the data. The Prompt string textbox allows you to customize the text requesting a user name and password from users.

No credentials

Select this option only if the data in the report is for general public consumption.