Bind Page/RDLX Report to SQL, OLEDB, and ODBC Data Providers

Using a database as a data source is one of the most common scenarios when you work with reports. This topic explains how to bind your ActiveReports report to a SQL, OLEDB or ODBC data source.

The example below uses a SQL database as a data source.

private PageReport LoadReport()
{       
    string path = ""; // Your path to the report
    PageReport report = new PageReport(new FileInfo(path));
    report.Document.LocateCredentials += OnLocateCredentials;
   
    string dataProviderName = "SQL"; // Or use "OLEDB" or "ODBC" if you need it
   
    DataSource dataSource = report.Report.DataSources[0]; // Your data source
    if(dataSource.ConnectionProperties.DataProvider == dataProviderName)
    {
        dataSource.ConnectionProperties.ConnectString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["YourConnectionString"].ConnectionString;
    }
   
    return report;
}
private void OnLocateCredentials(object sender, LocateCredentialsEventArgs args)
{
    args.Password = ""; // Your password if you need it
    args.UserName = ""; // Your username if you need it
}

Use the following strings to connect to different data providers:

• SQL - Use this if you connect using the MS SQL Server. An example of a connection string:

  Data Source=[sourceName];Initial Catalog=[dbName];Integrated Security=True;Connect Timeout=30;Encrypt=False;
  

• OLEDB - Use this if you connect using the OLEDB driver. An example of a connection string:

  Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=[dbname];
  

• ODBC - se this if you connect using the ODBC driver. An example of a connection string:

  DRIVER=SQLite3 ODBC Driver;Database=[dbname]; LongNames=0; Timeout=1000; NoTXN=0; SyncPragma=NORMAL; StepAPI=0;
  

type=note

Note: When you are using an ODBC/OLEDB data provider, make sure that the required driver is installed on your computer. Otherwise, you cannot use this data provider.

When working with a data provider, you may need to process user credentials to work with the target source. The LocateCredentials event is used for this purpose.

report.Document.LocateCredentials += OnLocateCredentials;

Assign a handler that specifies the password and username when they are requested.

private void OnLocateCredentials(object sender, LocateCredentialsEventArgs args)
{
    args.Password = ""; // Your password if you need it
    args.UserName = ""; // Your username if you need it
}

The event handler receives an argument of the LocateCredentialsEventArgs type that contains data, related to this event. The following LocateCredentialsEventArgs properties provide information, specific to this event.

• Password - Gets ot sets the password of the credentials to be located.
• PromptText - Gets ot sets the password of the credentials to be located.
• ReportPath - Gets the text of prompt of the locate credentials request.
• UserName - Gets ot sets the user name of the credentials to be located.

type=note

Note: We assume that the report has defined data fields and datasets, which can be done in various ways, e.g., in the Web or Windows Forms Designer.