Hyperlinks can be used in ActiveReports to simulate drill-down reporting.

This walkthrough illustrates how to set up hyperlinks in a report to simulate drill-down reporting.

This walkthrough is split up into the following activities:

Adding three ActiveReports to a Visual Studio project
Connecting each report to a data source
Adding controls to each report to display the data
Adding three Windows Forms with viewer controls to the project
Adding code to frmViewMain and frmViewDrillDown1
Adding code to frmViewMain and frmViewDrillDown2
Adding the code needed to set hyperlink properties
Viewing the report

To complete the walkthrough, you must have access to the Northwind database.
A copy is located at C:\Program Files\Data Dynamics\ActiveReports for .NET 3.0\Data\NWIND.MDB.

When you have finished this walkthrough, you will have a main report that looks similar to the following.

Adding three ActiveReports to a Visual Studio project

To add three ActiveReports to a Visual Studio project

Open a new project in Visual Studio.
From the Project menu, select Add New Item.
Select ActiveReports 3.0 File and rename the file rptMain.
Click Open.
Change the BackColor property of the detail section to Thistle.
From the Project menu, select Add New Item.
Select ActiveReports 3.0 File and rename the file rptDrillDown1.
Click Open.
Change the BackColor property of the detail section to RosyBrown.
From the Project menu, select Add New Item.
Select ActiveReports 3.0 File and rename the file rptDrillDown2.
Change the BackColor property of the detail section to LightSteelBlue.
Click Open.

Connecting rptMain to a data source

To connect the report to a data source

Click the gray report DataSource icon in the Detail section to open the report DataSource dialog.
Select the "OLE DB" tab.
Click Build.
Select Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider and click Next.
Click the ellipsis to browse for the access path to the Northwind database. Click Open once you have selected the appropriate access path.
Click OK to continue.
In the Query field, type "Select * from customers order by customerID".
Click OK to return to the report design surface.

Connecting rptDrillDown1 to a data source

To connect the report to a data source

Click the gray report DataSource icon in the Detail section to open the report DataSource dialog.
Select the "OLE DB" tab.
Click Build.
Select Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider and click Next.
Click the ellipsis to browse for the access path to the Northwind database. Click Open once you have selected the appropriate access path.
Click OK to continue.
In the Query field, type "Select * from orders where customerID = '<%customerID%>' order by orderdate".
Click OK to return to the report design surface.
Set the report's ShowParameterUI property to False to avoid displaying a UI requesting parameters.

Connecting rptDrillDown2 to a data source

To connect the report to a data source

Click the gray report DataSource icon in the Detail section to open the report DataSource dialog.
Select the "OLE DB" tab.
Click Build.
Select Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider and click Next.
Click the ellipsis button to browse for the access path to the Northwind database. Click Open once you have selected the appropriate access path.
Click OK to continue.

Setting a default value for the parameter in this query allows you to see fields in the Report Explorer instead of an error message.
Click OK to return to the report design surface.
Set the report's ShowParameterUI property to False to avoid displaying a UI requesting parameters.

Adding controls to display the data

To add controls to the reports

Add the following controls to rptMain, setting their properties as indicated:

Control	Section	Location	Name	DataField	Text	Miscellaneous
Label	PageHeader	0, 0	lblCustomer		Customer	ForeColor = Purple; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	1.188, 0	lblCompanyName		Company Name	ForeColor = Purple; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	3.563, 0	lblContactName		Contact Name	ForeColor = Purple; Font = 12pt
TextBox	Detail	0, 0	txtCustomerID	CustomerID	Customer ID	ForeColor = Blue; Underline = True
TextBox	Detail	1.183, 0	txtCompanyName	CompanyName	Company Name	ForeColor = Black
TextBox	Detail	3.563, 0	txtContactName	ContactName	Contact Name	ForeColor = Black

Add the following controls to rptDrillDown1, setting their properties as indicated:

Control	Section	Location	Name	DataField	Text	Miscellaneous
Label	PageHeader	0,0	lblCustomerID		Customer ID	ForeColor = Maroon; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	1.188, 0	lblOrderID		Order ID	ForeColor = Maroon; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	2.438, 0	lblEmployeeID		Employee ID	ForeColor = Maroon; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	3.625, 0	lblOrderDate		Order Date	ForeColor = Maroon; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	4.813, 0	lblShippedDate		Shipped Date	ForeColor = Maroon; Font = 12pt
TextBox	Detail	0, 0	txtCustomerID	CustomerID	Customer ID	ForeColor = Black
TextBox	Detail	1.188, 0	txtOrderID	OrderID	Order ID	ForeColor = Blue; Underline = True
TextBox	Detail	2.438, 0	txtEmployeeID	EmployeeID	Employee ID	ForeColor = Black
TextBox	Detail	3.625, 0	txtOrderDate	OrderDate	Order Date	ForeColor = Black
TextBox	Detail	4.813, 0	txtShippedDate	ShippedDate	Shipped Date	ForeColor = Black

Add the following controls to rptDrillDown2, setting their properties as indicated:

Control	Section	Location	Name	DataField	Text	Miscellaneous
Label	PageHeader	0, 0	lblOrderID		Order ID	ForeColor = Navy; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	1.188, 0	lblProductID		Product ID	ForeColor = Navy; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	2.375, 0	lblUnitPrice		Unit Price	ForeColor = Navy; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	3.563, 0	lblQuantity		Quantity	ForeColor = Navy; Font = 12pt
Label	PageHeader	4.75, 0	lblDiscount		Discount	ForeColor = Navy; Font = 12pt
TextBox	Detail	0, 0	txtOrderID	OrderID	Order ID	ForeColor = Black
TextBox	Detail	1.188, 0	txtProductID	ProductID	Product ID	ForeColor = Black
TextBox	Detail	2.375, 0	txtUnitPrice	UnitPrice	Unit Price	OutputFormat = Currency
TextBox	Detail	3.563, 0	txtQuantity	Quantity	Quantity	ForeColor = Black
TextBox	Detail	4.75, 0	txtDiscount	Discount	Discount	OutputFormat = Currency

Adding three Windows Forms with viewer controls to your project

To add three Windows Forms with viewer controls to your project

Change the name of the default Windows Form to frmViewMain.
Place an ActiveReports viewer control on frmViewMain and set its Dock property to Fill.
From the Project menu, select Add Windows Form.
Change the name of the Windows Form to frmViewDrillDown1.
Click Open.
Place an ActiveReports viewer control on frmViewDrillDown1 and set its Dock property to Fill.
From the Project menu, select Add Windows Form.
Change the name of the Windows Form to frmViewDrillDown2.
Click Open.
Place an ActiveReports viewer control on frmViewDrillDown2 and set its Dock property to Fill.

Adding code to frmViewMain

To write the code in Visual Basic

Right-click on frmViewMain to display the code view for the report. At the top left of the code view for frmViewMain, click the drop-down arrow and select Viewer1. At the top right of the code window, click the drop-down arrow and select Hyperlink. This creates an event-handling method for frmViewMain's Viewer1_Hyperlink event.

To write the code in C#

Click in the Viewer section of frmViewMain to select the viewer. Click on the events icon in the Properties window to display available events for the viewer. Double-click Hyperlink. This creates an event-handling method for frmViewMain's Viewer1_Hyperlink event.

The following example shows what the code for the method looks like.

'Visual Basic
Private Sub Viewer1_HyperLink(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DataDynamics.ActiveReports _ 
    .Viewer.HyperLinkEventArgs) Handles Viewer1.HyperLink 
   Dim rpt2 As New rptDrillDown1() 
   Dim frm2 As New frmViewDrillDown1() 
   rpt2.Parameters("customerID").Value = e.HyperLink.ToString 
   rpt2.Run() 
   frm2.My_Viewer.Document = rpt2.Document 
   frm2.ShowDialog(Me)  
End Sub 

//C# 
private void viewer1_HyperLink(object sender, DataDynamics.ActiveReports.Viewer 
   .HyperLinkEventArgs e) 
{ 
   rptDrillDown1 rpt2 = new rptDrillDown1(); 
   frmViewDrillDown1 frm2 = new frmViewDrillDown1(); 
   rpt2.Parameters["customerID"].Value = e.HyperLink.ToString();
   rpt2.Run(); 
   frm2.viewer1.Document = rpt2.Document; 
   frm2.ShowDialog(this); 
}

Adding code to frmViewDrillDown1

To write the code in Visual Basic

Double-click at the top of frmViewDrillDown1 to display the code view for the report. At the top left of the code view for frmViewDrillDown1, click the drop-down arrow and select Viewer1. At the top right of the code window, click the drop-down arrow and select Hyperlink. This creates an event-handling method for frmViewDrillDown1's Viewer1_Hyperlink event.

To write the code in C#

Click in the Viewer section of frmViewDrillDown1 to select the viewer. Click on the events icon in the Properties window to display available events for the viewer. Double-click Hyperlink. This creates an event-handling method for frmViewDrillDown's Viewer1_Hyperlink event.

The following example shows what the code for the method looks like.

'Visual Basic
Private Sub Viewer1_HyperLink(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DataDynamics _
   .ActiveReports.Viewer.HyperLinkEventArgs) Handles Viewer1.HyperLink
   Dim rpt3 As New rptDrillDown2()
   Dim frm3 As New frmViewDrillDown2()
   rpt3.Parameters("orderID").Value = e.HyperLink.ToString
   rpt3.Run()
   frm3.My_Viewer.Document = rpt3.Document
   frm3.ShowDialog(Me)
End Sub

//C#
private void viewer1_HyperLink(object sender, DataDynamics.ActiveReports.Viewer
   .HyperLinkEventArgs e)
{
   rptDrillDown2 rpt3 = new rptDrillDown2();
   frmViewDrillDown2 frm3 = new frmViewDrillDown2();
   rpt3.Parameters["orderID"].Value = e.HyperLink.ToString();
   rpt3.Run();
   frm3.My_Viewer.Document = rpt3.Document;
   frm3.ShowDialog(this);
}

Adding code to frmViewDrillDown

To write the code in Visual Basic

Double-click at the top of frmViewDrillDown1 to display the code view for the report. At the top left of the code view for frmViewDrillDown1, click the drop-down arrow and select Viewer1. At the top right of the code window, click the drop-down arrow and select Hyperlink. This creates an event-handling method for frmViewDrillDown1's Viewer1_Hyperlink event.

To write the code in C#

The following example shows what the code for the method looks like.

'Visual Basic
'Create a property to return the ActiveReports viewer
Friend ReadOnly Property My_Viewer() As DataDynamics.ActiveReports.Viewer.Viewer
   Get
    Return Me.Viewer1
   End Get
End Property

//C#
//Create a property to return the ActiveReports viewer.
internal DataDynamics.ActiveReports.Viewer.Viewer My_Viewer
{
   get
   {
     return this.viewer1;
   }
}

Adding the code needed to set the hyperlink property for rptMain

To write the code in Visual Basic

Right-click in any section of the design window of rptMain, and click on View Code to display the code view for the report. At the top left of the code view for rptMain, click the drop-down arrow and select Detail. At the top right of the code window, click the drop-down arrow and select BeforePrint. This creates an event-handling method for rptMain's Detail_BeforePrint event.

To write the code in C#

Click in the Detail section of rptMain to select the section. Click on the events icon in the Properties window to display available events for the section. Double-click BeforePrint. This creates an event-handling method for rptMain's Detail_BeforePrint event.

The following example shows what the code for the method looks like.

'Visual Basic
Private Sub Detail1_BeforePrint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
   Handles Detail1.BeforePrint
   Me.txtCustomerID.HyperLink = Me.txtCustomerID.Text
End Sub

//C#
private void detail_BeforePrint(object sender, System.EventArgs eArgs)
{
   this.txtCustomerID.HyperLink = this.txtCustomerID.Text;
}

Adding the code needed to set the hyperlink property for rptDrillDown1

To write the code in Visual Basic

Right-click in any section of the design window of rptDrillDown1, and click on View Code to display the code view for the report. At the top left of the code view for rptDrillDown1, click the drop-down arrow and select Detail. At the top right of the code window, click the drop-down arrow and select BeforePrint. This creates an event-handling method for rptDrillDown1's Detail_BeforePrint event.

To write the code in C#

Click in the Detail section of rptDrillDown1 to select the section. Click on the events icon in the Properties window to display available events for the section. Double-click BeforePrint. This creates an event-handling method for rptDrillDown1's Detail_BeforePrint event.
The following example shows what the code for the method looks like.
```
'Visual Basic
Private Sub Detail1_BeforePrint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
   Handles Detail1.BeforePrint
   Me.txtOrderID.HyperLink = Me.txtOrderID.Text
End Sub
```
```
//C#
private void detail_BeforePrint(object sender, System.EventArgs eArgs)
{
   this.txtOrderID.HyperLink = txtOrderID.Text;
}
```

Viewing the report

To view the report

Add the code needed to set the viewer document of frmViewMain equal to the document for rptMain. See Using the ActiveReports Windows Form Viewer for help.
Click the hyperlink in frmViewMain to drill-down to the next report level.

You can quickly view your report at design time by clicking the Preview tab at the bottom of the designer.

ActiveReports for .NET 3 Online Help	Request technical support
Walkthrough: Hyperlinks and Simulated Drill-Down Reporting
See Also

Adding three ActiveReports to a Visual Studio project

Connecting rptMain to a data source

Connecting rptDrillDown1 to a data source

Connecting rptDrillDown2 to a data source

Adding controls to display the data

Adding three Windows Forms with viewer controls to your project

Adding code to frmViewMain

Adding code to frmViewDrillDown1

Adding code to frmViewDrillDown

Adding the code needed to set the hyperlink property for rptMain

Adding the code needed to set the hyperlink property for rptDrillDown1

Viewing the report

See Also