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When you save an ActiveReport to Report XML (RPX) format, the RPX file contains the layout, but does not contain any of the Visual Basic or C# code that you may have added to the code behind the report. For this reason, ActiveReports provides a Script tab at the bottom of the report design window.

To access the script editor, click the script tab.

You can use scripting to provide VB.NET or C# functionality to reports without compiling .vb or .cs files. This permits reports saved to report RPX format to serve as stand-alone reports. By including scripting when you save the report as an RPX file, you can later load, run, and display it in the viewer control without the designer. This allows you to update distributed reports without recompiling. You can use Visual Basic or C# script.

ActiveReports loads RPX files, including any scripting, in the InitializeComponent() method.

You can add script to the script editor at design time, or use the rpt.Script property to add it at run time and save it to the RPX file.

Since the RPX file can be read with any text editor, use the AddCode or AddNamedItem method to add secure information, such as a connection string, to a project.

Note: The ActiveReports script editor supports IntelliSense that helps the writing of code by making the access to the language elements fast and easy.

Tips for Using Scripting

• Make sure the report class is public. If the report class is not set to public, the script will not be able to recognize the items in your report. The report class is public by default.
• Make sure the control being referenced in the script has its Modifiers property set to Public. If the control's Modifiers property is not set to Public, the control cannot be referenced in script and an error will be raised when the report is run. The Modifiers property has a default value of Private, so you must set this property in the designer.
• Use "this" (as in C# code-behind) or "Me" (as in VB code-behind) to reference the report. Using "rpt" to reference the report is also possible but it is recommended to use the "this" and "Me" keywords.

Note: The basic approach of using the "this/Me" and "rpt" keywords is as follows - use "this/Me" to access the properties and controls added to the sections of the report, whereas use "rpt" within the instance of the ActiveReports class only to access its public properties, public events and public methods.

• Use error handling. When working with scripting, use error handling around the .Run() call. When errors are raised, the returned error should point to the section of script causing the error.
• Remember to save the layout after you make changes to the report. It is easy to forget to save the layout after you have made changes to the report in the designer or script editor.

To select the scripting language to use

1. In design view of the report, click in the grey area below the report to select it.
2. In the Properties window, drop down the ScriptLanguage property and select C# or VB.NET.

To use the Script view of the report

When you select the Script tab, there are two drop-down boxes at the top of the tab:

• Object Drop down the list and select one of the report sections, or the report itself.
• Event If you select a report section as the Object, there are three events: Format, BeforePrint, and AfterPrint. For more information, see the Section Events topic. If you select ActiveReport as the Object, there are seven events. For more information, see the Report Events topic. Select an event to create an event handling method in the scripting language you chose for the report.

Add script to the events in the same way that you add code to events in the code view of the report.

To access controls in script

To add script to a report to access a textbox named TextBox1 in the detail section and assign the text "Hello" to it:

1. On the script tab of the report, drop down the Object list and select Detail1. This populates the Event drop-down list with section events.
2. Drop down the Event list and select Format. This creates script stubs for the event.

   Note: Use the examples with the "this" and "Me" keywords, as they are recommended rather than the ones with "rpt".

   To access a textbox in the detail section in VB.NET script

   Visual Basic.NET script. On the Script tab of the report, paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   Me.TextBox1.Text = "Hello"

   Visual Basic.NET script. On the Script tab of the report, paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   CType(rpt.Sections("Detail1").Controls("TextBox1"), TextBox).Text = "Hello"

   To access a textbox in the detail section in C# script

   C# script. On the Script tab of the report, paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   this.TextBox1.Text = "Hello";

   C# script. On the Script tab of the report, paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   ((TextBox)rpt.Sections["detail1"].Controls["TextBox1"]).Text = "Hello";

To give a script access to functions in a class in your project

Use the AddNamedItem method to allow the script to access functions in a class file within your project. This allows you to keep secure information such as a database connection string or a SQL query string in the code instead of in the RPX file.

1. Add a class to your project named clsMyItem.
2. Add a public function to your class using code like the following:

   To create a public function in Visual Basic.NET

   Visual Basic.NET code. Paste INSIDE the new class.	Copy Code
   Public Function getMyItem() As String getMyItem = "Hello" End Function

   To create a public function in C#

   C# code. Paste INSIDE the new class.	Copy Code
   public string getMyItem() { return "Hello"; }

3. Open the ReportStart event handler (code-behind) and add the following code:

   To access the class in VB.NET

   VB.NET code. Paste before or in the ReportStart event.	Copy Code
   Me.AddNamedItem("myItem", new clsMyItem())

   To access the class in C#

   C# code. Paste before or in the ReportStart event.	Copy Code
   this.AddNamedItem("myItem", new clsMyItem());

   You can also use the AddNamedItem method before the report Run method.

4. On the script tab of the report, drop down the Object list and select Detail1. This populates the Event drop-down list with section events.
5. Drop down the Event list and select Format. This creates script stubs for the event.
6. Add script to the event to typecast a control on the report and populate it using the named item.

   Note: Use the examples with the "this" and "Me" keywords, as they are recommended rather than the ones with "rpt".

   To typecast the control in VB.NET script

   VB.NET script. Paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   Me.textBox1.Text = myItem.getMyItem()

   VB.NET script. Paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   CType(rpt.Sections("Detail1").Controls("TextBox1"), TextBox).Text = myItem.getMyItem()

   To typecast the control in C# script

   C# script. Paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   this.textBox1.Text = myItem.getMyItem();

   C# script. Paste INSIDE the Detail Format event.	Copy Code
   ((TextBox)rpt.Sections["detail1"].Controls["TextBox1"]).Text = myItem.getMyItem()

To access assemblies

Use the AddScriptReference method to gain access to .NET or other assemblies. This is only necessary if you need a reference, such as System.Data.dll, that is not initialized in the project before the script runs.

To access an assembly in Visual Basic.NET

Private Sub runReport() 
      Dim rpt as new ActiveReport1() 
      rpt.AddScriptReference("System.Data.dll") 
      rpt.Run() 
      Me.Viewer1.Document = rpt.Document 
End Sub

To access an assembly in C#

private void runReport() 
{ 
      ActiveReport1 rpt = new ActiveReport1(); 
      rpt.AddScriptReference("System.Data.dll"); 
      rpt.Run(); 
      this.viewer1.Document = rpt.Document; 
}

To add code to a report's script from a Windows Form

Use the AddCode method to inject code into the script.

The AddCode method allows you to add actual code segments to the script at run time. This is useful for allowing secure information, such as a database connection string or SQL query string, to be used inside the script without saving it into the RPX file.

To add code in Visual Basic.NET

Public Function addThisCode() As String 
   Dim sCode As String = "Public Function ShowACMessage() As String" + Environment.NewLine + "ShowACMessage = ""my Added Code""" + Environment.NewLine + "End Function"
   addThisCode = sCode 
End Function 

rpt.AddCode(addThisCode)

To add code in C#

public string addThisCode() 
{ 
   string sCode = "public string ShowACMessage()"{return \"my Added Code\";}"; 
   return sCode; 
} 

rpt.AddCode(addThisCode());

Note: Use the examples with the "this" and "Me" keywords, as they are recommended rather than the ones with "rpt".

To write the script in Visual Basic.NET

Me.TextBox1.Text = ShowACMessage()

CType(rpt.Sections("Detail1").Controls("TextBox1"), TextBox).Text = ShowACMessage()

To write the script in C#

this.TextBox1.Text = ShowACMessage();

((TextBox)rpt.Sections["Detail1"].Controls["TextBox1"]).Text = ShowACMessage();

To create classes inside the script to call methods

If the script requires method calls, you can construct a class inside the script.

Note: Use the examples with the "this" and "Me" keywords, as they are recommended rather than the ones with "rpt".

To create a class inside the script in VB.NET script

Public Class MyFuncs
   Public  Sub New()
   End Sub
   Public Function ShowMyString() As String
      Return "This is my string"
   End Function
End Class

Dim f As MyFuncs =  New MyFuncs()
Me.TextBox1.Text = f.ShowMyString

Dim f As MyFuncs =  New MyFuncs() 
CType(rpt.Sections("Detail").Controls("TextBox1"), TextBox).Text = f.ShowMyString

To create a class inside the script in C#

public class MyFuncs
{
   public MyFuncs()
   {
   }
   public string ShowMyString()
   {
      return "This is my string";
   }
}

MyFuncs f = new MyFuncs();
this.TextBox1.Text = f.ShowMyString();

MyFuncs f = new MyFuncs();
((TextBox)rpt.Sections["Detail1"].Controls["TextBox1"]).Text = f.ShowMyString();