This section explains about the difference between ActiveReports 2 COM (ActiveX version) and ActiveReports 12.
The following table compares the controls available in Section Report in ActiveX product and .NET product.
| ActiveX product | .NET product |
|---|---|
| Field | TextBox |
| Label | Label |
| CheckBox | CheckBox |
| Image | Picture |
| Line | Line |
| OleObject | OleObject |
| PageBreak | PageBreak |
| RichEdit | RichTextBox |
| Shape | Shape |
| SubReport | SubReport |
| ActiveX control (includes Barcode) | ×（※１） |
| Frame | ×（※２） |
| ADO Data Control | OLEDataSource（※３） |
| XML Data Control | XMLDataSource（※４） |
| RDO Data Control | × |
| DAO Data Control | × |
| － | Chart（※５） |
| － | CrossSectionBox（※６） |
| － | CrossSectionLine（※７） |
| － | ReportInfo（※８） |
※１ It will only get migrated as basic class ARControl.
※２ Control placed inside the Frame will be migrated.
※３ Only Source (SQL) and ConnectionString properties set at design time are migrated.
※４ Only FileURL/RecordSetPattern property set at design time are migrated.
※５ Control that renders 2D/3D graph.
※６ Control that renders a rectangle across multiple sections.
※７ Control that renders a straight line across multiple sections.
※８ A control that renders the execution date and time of report, page number, and total number of pages in a specified format.
|
Property Name |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Control names in Section Report (.NET products) | ActiveX product | .NET product | Remarks |
| GroupHeader | GrpKeepTogether | GroupKeepTogether | The type itself is different |
| Repeat | RepeatStyle | The type itself is different | |
| CheckBox TextBox Label |
WordWrap | WrapMode | The type itself is different |
| TextBox | DataValue | Value | |
| SummaryDistinctField | DistinctField | ||
| CheckBox | Alignment | CheckAlignment | The type itself is different |
| Value | Checked | ||
| Picture | Picture | Image | The type itself is different |
| Shape | Shape | Style | |
| SubReport | Object | Report | |
| Control names in Section Report (.NET product) | Property Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GroupHeader | ColumnGroupKeepTogether | Make groups as one block on the same column |
| Detail | RepeatToFill | Adds an empty line |
| CheckBox TextBox Label |
Padding | Sets the blank space inside a control |
| TextBox Label |
CharacterSpacing | Sets the character pitch(interval) in points units |
| LineSpacing | Sets the line spacing in point units | |
| TextJustify | Sets equal allocation | |
| VerticalText | Optimize character shape for vertical writing | |
| ShrinkToFit | Shrink the character according to the Control size | |
| Picture | Description | Sets the visual explanation of Picture's appearance (valid when exporting Html) |
| Line | AnchorBottom | Draw the end of the ruled line till the adjacent section |
| Shape | RoundingRadius | Sets the roundness of round cornered rectangle in percentage unit |
| SubReport | CloseBorder | When a sub-report spans multiple pages, it sets whether to close it with a ruled line or not |
The above table lists only those properties that are frequently used, although, in addition to the above properties, there are some newly added properties and changed properties in the .NET product.
Also, the properties and methods of OleObject control and RichTextBox (RichEdit) control have been significantly changed. If you are using these controls, refer to "Class Library Reference" and adjust the settings as necessary.
Export function of .NET product is developed to export the reports of .NET product.
Compared with the ActiveX products, various enhancements have been made in the Export function of .NET products along with the changes in properties and events.
For more information, please refer to the content below.
PDF Export
| Subject | ActiveX product | .NET product |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Version | 1.1～1.3 | 1.1～1.7 |
| PDF image quality setting of internal image | JPGQuality property in settings (1～100) | ImageQuality (three levels - Lowest, Medium, and Highest) and ImageResolution (75～2400 dpi) property in settings |
| Non embedding of Japanese font | × (always embedded) | ○ (※1, always embedded in Standard Edition) |
| Bold characters of Japanese font | × (output with normal thickness) | ○ (※1) |
| Foreign letters | × (no output) | ○ (※1) |
| Electronic Signature Time Stamp |
× | ○: Signature property (※1) |
|
GIF and transparent elements of meta images
|
× (present in non-transparent state) | ○ |
| Output of bookmark | ○: OutputTOCAsBookmarks property | ○: ExportBookmarks property |
| Document property | × | ○: Options property (※2) |
| Document display state | △: ShowBookmarksInAcrobat (only display bookmarks are configurable) | ○: PdfDocumentOptions.DisplayMode property (※3) |
| Display window setting | × | ○: PdfDocumentOptions property (※4) |
| UI setting | × | ○: PdfDocumentOptions property (※5) |
| Print only | × | ○: PdfDocumentOptions.OnlyForPrint property |
| Gets the state of progress | ○: OnProgress event | × |
※1 Can be set only for Professional Edition.
※2 Five items - Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, and Application can be set.
※3 Four types - None, Outlines, Thumbs, and FullScreen can be set.
※4 CenterWindow, FitWindow, and DisplayTitle can be set.
※5 Display permission of Menu bar (HideMenubar), Toolbar (HideToolbar), and UI Window (HideWindowUI) can be set.
Excel Export
Excel export (XlsExport class)
| Subject | ActiveX product | .NET product | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Save File | File version | Excel 95/97 | Excel 95/97/2007 (OpenXML) |
| Layout | Space between cell and borders to prevent overlapping of cells | ○：BorderSpace Property | × |
| Column appearance in the output | ○：DoubleBoundaries Property | × | |
| Generate page break automatically | ○：GenPageBreaks property | △: (always output the page break) | |
| Display space between the report elements and the report margin | ○：ShowMarginSpace property | × | |
| Print scale | ○：SizeToFit property | × | |
| Remove vertical space | ○：TrimEmptySpace property | ○：RemoveVerticalSpace property | |
| Version | ○：Version property | ○：FileFormat property | |
| Display grid line | × (display fixing) | ○：DisplayGridLines property | |
| Merge cells | × | ○：UseCellMerging property | |
| Color palette | × (always keep palette in workbook） | ○：UseDefaultPalette property | |
| Printing | Paper size | × (dependent on excel default settings) | ○：PageSettings.PaperSize property |
| Page orientation | × (dependent on excel default settings) | ○：PageSettings.Orientation property | |
| Security | Read password | × | ○：Security.Password property |
| Write password | × | ○：Security.WritePassword property | |
| Save as read only | × | ○：Security.ReadOnlyRecommended property | |
| Username responsible to password protect an Excel sheet | × | ○：Security.ProtectedBy property | |
| State of progress | ○：OnProgress event | × |
Excel export (SpreadBuilder API)
| Subject | ActiveX product | .NET product | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation method | control in SpreadBuilder object | control in Workbook object | |
| Save File | File version | Excel 95/97 | Excel 95/97/2007（OpenXML） |
| prior error check | ○：GetSaveCaps method | ×（processing due to Exception） | |
| Layout | Cell merge/unmerge | × | ○: Merge/UnMerge method |
| Display grid line | × (always display) | ○: DisplayGridLines property | |
| Line striking through a text | × | ○: FontStrikeOut property | |
| Format setting by range specification | × | ○: Use DDCells class | |
| Color palette | × (always keep palette in workbook) | ○: UseDefaultPalette property | |
| Printing | Page setup | Setting available in DDSheet object | Use settings in PageSetup class |
| Black and white print | × | ○: BlackAndWhite property | |
| Print without graphics | × | ○: Draft property | |
| Scale print to fit page | ○：SizeToFit property | ○: FitToPage property | |
| Vertical scale page count | × (set to one page) | ○: FitToPagesTall property | |
| Horizontal scale page count | × (set to one page) | ○: FitToPagesWide property | |
| Scale factor | × (set to 100%) | ○: Zoom property | |
| Paper size | × (depends on excel default settings) | ○: PaperSize property | |
| First page number | × (automatic) | ○: FirstPageNumber property | |
| Header height | × | ○: HeaderMargin property | |
| Footer height | × | ○: FooterMargin property | |
| Page orientation |
× (set from 'left to right' ) |
○: Order property | |
| Print setting of cell notes | × (set to 'none') | △: PrintNotes property ※only 'screen display image' can be set |
|
| Security | Read password | × | ○: Password property |
| Write password | × | ○: WritePassword property | |
| Save as read only | × | ○: ReadOnlyRecommended property | |
| Username responsible to password protect an Excel sheet | × | ○: ProtectedBy property | |
| Workbook protection password | × | ○: ProtectWorkbookPassword property |
TIFF export
| Subject | ActiveX product | .NET product | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression scheme | Decided by the method to use | Setting available in CompressionScheme property | |
| Compression format | none | × | ○：”None” |
| Lzw | × | ○：”Lzw” | |
| Rle (PackBits) | ○：Export/ExportTIFF method | ○：”Rle” (however, default is black and white) | |
| CCITT Group3 | ○：FaxExportCITT3 method | ○：”Ccitt3” | |
| CCITT Group4 | ○：FaxExport method | ○：”Ccitt4” | |
| Dithering | ○：only FaxExport or FaxExportCITT3 methods can be used (※1) | ○：Dither property (※2) | |
| Resolution | ○：only ExportTIFF method can be used | ○：DpiX, DpiY property | |
| State of progress | ○：OnProgress event | × |
※1 The white threshold can be set within the range of 0～765.
※2 Valid only for “Rle”, ”Ccitt3”, ”Ccitt4”. Also, this property is of Boolean type.
HTML export
| Subject | ActiveX product | .NET product | |
|---|---|---|---|
| File output | Image save location | ○：AuxOutputPath property | × (always same path as HTML in output) |
| Whether to embed CSS style inside the html file | ○：CreateCSSFile property |
× StyleStream property |
|
| Output file name | FileNamePrefix property setting | Specified by argument of Export method | |
| File output location | HTMLOutputPath property setting | Specified by argument of Export method | |
| JPEG compression ratio | ○: JPEGQuality property | × | |
| Output in MHT format | ○: MHTOutput property | × | |
| Output setting for multiple pages | MultiPageOutput property setting | MultiPage property setting | |
| Output of bookmarks | ○: TableOfContents property (※1) | ○: BookmarkStyle property (※2) | |
| Layout | Insert code just before HEAD tag | ○: HeadExtraInnerText property | × |
| HTML version setting | ○: HTMLVersion property | ○: OutputType property | |
| Remove vertical space | × | ○: RemoveVerticalSpace property | |
| Add HTML just before page output | ○: ExportPageStart event | × | |
| Add HTML just after page output | ○: ExportPageEnd event | × | |
| State of progress | ○: OnProgress event | × |
※1 Either of these properties can be set - None, <DL>tag format, DHTML format, or XML format.
※2 Either of these properties can be set - None, HTML.
Text export
| Subject | ActiveX product | .NET product |
|---|---|---|
| Encoding | △: Unicode property (※1) | ○: Encoding property |
| Obtaining state of progress | ○: OnProgress event | × |
※1 Unicode format and ASCII format configurable only from either of them.
RTF export
| Subject | ActiveX product | .NET product |
|---|---|---|
| Obtaining state of progress | ○: OnProgress event | × |
The barcodes and their properties available in .NET product are different from that available in ActiveX product. While in ActiveX product, the barcode is rendered as an ActiveX control, in the .NET product, the Barcode is available as a control. For full list of barcodes available in ActiveReports, see Barcode topic.
| ActiveX product | .NET product | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| CODE39 | Code39, Ansi39 | ※1 |
| CODE39(Full ASCII) | Code39x, Ansi39x | |
| CODE49 | Code49 | |
| CODE93 | Code_93 | Only Uppercase of letters,%, $, *, ., +, -, Space, number can be set. |
| Code93x | whole letter of ASCII letter set can be set | |
| CODE128 | Code_128auto | ※2 |
| Code_128_A | CODE-A fixed format | |
| Code_128_B | CODE-B fixed format | |
| Code_128_C | CODE-C fixed format | |
| JAN8 | EAN_8 | |
| JAN13 | EAN_13 | |
| EAN128 | UCCEAN128 | ※2, 3, 4 |
| EAN128FNC1 | ※2, 3, 4 | |
| ITF | Code25intlv | ※5, 6 |
| POSTNET5, 9, 11 | PostNet | without depending on data number of digits, symbol can be generated |
| UPC/A | UPC_A | |
| UPC/E | UPC_E0, UPC_E1 | ※7 |
| UPC/E Addon2, Addon5 | UPC_E0, UPC_E1 | |
| NW-7(CODABAR) | Codabar | |
| Customer Barcode | JapanesePostal |
※1 Code39 (Code39x) and Ansi39 (Ansi39x) have the same bar code configuration specifications, but the default width ratio of narrow bar and wide bar is different. The former is 1: 2, whereas the latter is 1: 3.
※2 Start character setting of CODE128 is different for ActiveX product and .NET product.
※3 In CODE128 format, there is no function to arbitrarily switch code sets.
※4 In CODE128 (EAN128) format, there is no function to insert FNC2 to FNC4 in arbitrary place.
※5 Check digit is not calculated automatically. For .NET products, you need to set a value with check digit added.
※6 Bearer bar is not supported.
※7 UPC_E0 is compressed zero type of UPC symbol and can only set only numbers. UPC_E1 is generally used in retail shops price labels and it supports six numeric characters.
The properties that do not exist in .NET product but affect generated barcode are listed as follows:
| Property name | Description |
|---|---|
| BarRatio | Set bar ratio. We can set relative width ratio of fine module to thick module in the range of 1:2 to 1:3 using NWRatio property. |
| LongModuleSize | Set thick module width. |
| TargetDpiX | Set the resolution of screen in the horizontal direction. |
| TargetDpiY | Set the resolution of screen in the vertical direction. |
The ActiveReport object (the base of ActiveX product report), included not just the engine and the report layout information, but also the viewer function. The .NET product provides SectionReport class (the base class of section report) and the viewer function, and the Viewer class is reconfigured.
Also, In ActiveX product the generated page information was stored in the Pages class but in .NET product it has been reconfigured to the Document class and PagesCollection class. Along with these configuration updates, some methods and events have also been modified. The following table lists the important changes:
| ActiveX product | .NET product | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Property name | ||
| AllowSplitters | Viewer | AllowSplitter | |
| documentName | SectionDocument | Name | |
| PageBorder | × | × | ※1 |
| Pages | SectionDocument | Pages | ※2 |
| Printer | SectionDocument | Printer | |
| RulerVisible | × | × | Ruler does not exist. |
| ShowMessages | × | × | ※3 |
| ScriptDebuggerEnabled | SectionReport | EnableScriptDebugging | |
| Status | SectionReport | State | |
| TOC | SectionDocument | Bookmarks | |
| TOCEnabled | TOCPanel (Viewer.Sidebar) | Enabled | |
| TOCVisible | TOCPanel (Viewer.Sidebar) | Visible | ※4 |
| TOCWidth | Sidebar(Viewer) | Width | |
| Toolbar | Viewer | Toolbar | |
| ToolbarVisible | ToolStrip (Viewer.Toolbar) | Visible | |
| Zoom | Viewer | Zoom |
※1 Draw border in CrossSectionBox control and other controls.
※2 In ActiveX product, it is the collection of Canvas objects but in .NET product, it is the collection of Document.Page.
※3 If an exception is thrown due to an error in the .NET product, use Try and Catch Statement.
※4 Use the ToggleVisibility method of the Viewer.Sidebar object to display headings.
| ActiveX product | .NET product | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Method name | Remarks | |
| Export | (each export filter) | Export | |
| PageSetup | × | × | ※1 |
| PrintReport | SectionDocument PageDocument Viewer |
||
| Refresh | × | × | ※2 |
※1 Implemented using PageSetupDialog Class.
※2 Reset the report document using Document property and LoadDocument method.
| ActiveX product | .NET product | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Event name | Remarks | |
| Error | × | × | ※1 |
| FindProgress | Viewer | Find | |
| HyperLink | Viewer | HyperLink | |
| PromptDialogClosed | SectionReport | ParameterUIClosed | |
| TOCClick | Viewer | TableOfContentsClick | |
| TOCSelChange | Viewer | TableOfContentsSelectedIndexChanged | |
| ToolbarClick | × | × | ※2 |
※1 If an exception is thrown due to an error in the .NET product, use Try and Catch Statement.
※2 Implement using Viewer.Toolbar.ToolStrip class. For more information please see Customize the Viewer Control.