ActiveReports 13
End User Designer
ActiveReports 13 > ActiveReports User Guide > Samples and Walkthroughs > Samples > Designer Pro > End User Designer

The EndUserDesigner Sample demonstrates how to set up a custom end-user report designer using the Designer, ReportExplorer, Layer List, ToolBox, ReportsLibrary, and GroupEditor controls. This Sample is part of the ActiveReports Professional Edition.

Sample Location

Visual Basic.NET

<User Folder>\Documents\GrapeCity Samples\ActiveReports 13\DesignerPro\EndUserDesigner\VB.NET

C#

<User Folder>\Documents\GrapeCity Samples\ActiveReports 13\DesignerPro\EndUserDesigner\C#

Run-Time Features

When you run the sample, the End User Designer appears in the Viewer control. This report designer provides the functionality of the ActiveReports Designer and supports three types of report layouts: Page ReportRDL Report, and Section Report.

The End User Designer lets you create report layouts and edit them at design time or runtime. The Designer includes the Property Window with extensive properties for each element of the report, the Toolbox is filled with report controls, the Report Explorer with a tree view of report controls, the Reports Library displaying report parts (group of controls) in a report, and a Group Editor displaying row and column groups for Tablix data region. Page reports and RDL reports provide the Layer List in a tabbed window with the Report Explorer. The Layer List window displays a list of layers in the report along with their visibility and lock options.
See Report Parts, Layers, and Tablix for more information. For information on menu items, see ActiveReports Designer.

The project consists of following forms:

ExportForm

This is the form with the Export dialog for Page report, Rdl report  and Section report.

A user sees the Export dialog under the Preview tab in the File menu > Export. This dialog allows to select the export type and to browse for the file location in local folders where the report is exported. See Exporting for details on the type of export formats supported in Section report, Page report, and RDL report.

Control Name Description
ComboBox cmbExportFormat The Export Format combo box that allows to select options for the report export type.
Button btnOK The OK button in the lower part of the ExportForm.
Button btnCancel The Cancel button in the lower part of the ExportForm.
PropertyGrid exportPropertyGrid Provides interface for export options of each export type.
SaveFileDialog exportSaveFileDialog The Save File dialog that allows to specify the file name for saving an exported report file.
Label lblExport The Export label in the header of the ExportForm.
Label lblExportFormat The Export Format label of the Export Format combo box.
Label lblExportOptions The Export Options label of the Export property grid.
Label lblSelectExportTxt The Select Export text that describes the purpose of the ExportForm.
SplitContainer exportSettings
SplitContainer
Represents a movable bar that divides the display area of the ExportForm into two resizable panels - the ExportForm header panel and the ExportForm panel with the Export Format combo box and the Property Grid.
SplitContainer exportHeader
SplitContainer
Represents a movable bar that divides the Export Format section consisting of the Export Format combo box with the Export Format label and the Property Grid of ExportForm.

Right-click the ExportForm in the Solution Explorer and select View Code to see the code implementation for the Export form.

EndUserDesigner form

This is the form with a basic end-user report designer that contains the following elements. These elements are dragged from the Visual Studio toolbox onto the form.

Control Name Description
Designer reportDesigner The Designer control that allows you to create and modify a report.
ReportExplorer reportExplorer Gives you a visual overview of the report elements in the form of a tree view where each node represents a report element.
TabControl reportExplorerTabControl Represents a movable bar that divides the display area of the designer into two tabs - the Report Explorer and the Layer List
PropertyGrid reportPropertyGrid Provides an interface for each element of the report.
Toolbox reportToolbox Displays all of the controls specific to the type of report that has focus.
LayerList layerList Represents a list of Layers in the report along with their visibility and lock options.
SplitContainer mainContainer Represents a movable bar that divides the display area of the Designer into two resizable panels.
SplitContainer designerExplorerPropertyGridContainer Represents a movable bar that divides the display area of the designer into two resizable panels -the toolbox and the toolstrip. 
SplitContainer bodyContainer Represents a movable bar that divides the display area of the Viewer into two resizable panels.
SplitContainer explorerPropertyGridContainer Represents a movable bar that divides the display area of the designer into two resizable panels - the report explorer and the property grid.
ToolStripContainer toolStripContainer Provides a central panel on top of the Designer to hold the Toolstrip element with the menu items.
ReportsLibrary reportsLibrary Displays all reports and included report parts.
GroupEditor groupEditor Shows the row and column groups in a Tablix data region.

Right-click the EndUserDesigner form in the Solution Explorer and select View Code to see the code implementation for the End User Designer.

See Also