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date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 14:35:08 -0700,
group: microsoft.public.sqlserver.reportingsvcs
back
Using custom templates with the wizard
I have created some fairly basic report templates (i.e. RDL files) which
contain corporate logos, etc., but no data source. That way we can use the
same template to create reports from various data sources. They work great if
I don't use the Report Designer wizard. If I do use the wizard, then I can
modify the styletemplates.xml file to change various attributes of the
elements that the wizard creates, but I can't seem to change the actual
elements that the wizard creates on a new report.
For example, I used the wizard to create a new stepped, tabular report using
the "bold" Table Style. As I mentioned, I can tweak styletemplates.xml to
alter the way a table appears, or the title, etc., but I can't control WHICH
objects are created on the report. For example, the "bold" template puts a
"textbox1" object in the body and I don't know where that comes from because
I don't see it mentioned in the default report.rdl which the wizard uses.
It's as if the wizard is going to always put the same objects onto the
report, and I can control their attributes, but I can't control which objects
do or don't appear on the report. Instead, I'm stuck with the out-of-the-box
templates that the wizard uses. (I hope that explanation makes sense.)
Does anyone know how to tell the wizard what objects you want, and where, on
a report?
Thanks!
date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 14:35:08 -0700
author: Keith
RE: Using custom templates with the wizard
Hi Keith,
This is really interesting topic and it is hard to find any documentation on
it. If you can kindly share with us how did you create template and how you
are using it I will appreciate. It will be great if you can point to any
documentation that you have found on this issue. Thanks.
"Keith" wrote:
> I have created some fairly basic report templates (i.e. RDL files) which
> contain corporate logos, etc., but no data source. That way we can use the
> same template to create reports from various data sources. They work great if
> I don't use the Report Designer wizard. If I do use the wizard, then I can
> modify the styletemplates.xml file to change various attributes of the
> elements that the wizard creates, but I can't seem to change the actual
> elements that the wizard creates on a new report.
>
> For example, I used the wizard to create a new stepped, tabular report using
> the "bold" Table Style. As I mentioned, I can tweak styletemplates.xml to
> alter the way a table appears, or the title, etc., but I can't control WHICH
> objects are created on the report. For example, the "bold" template puts a
> "textbox1" object in the body and I don't know where that comes from because
> I don't see it mentioned in the default report.rdl which the wizard uses.
> It's as if the wizard is going to always put the same objects onto the
> report, and I can control their attributes, but I can't control which objects
> do or don't appear on the report. Instead, I'm stuck with the out-of-the-box
> templates that the wizard uses. (I hope that explanation makes sense.)
>
> Does anyone know how to tell the wizard what objects you want, and where, on
> a report?
>
> Thanks!
date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 14:07:01 -0700
author: Pendula
RE: Using custom templates with the wizard
Here's how to create a basic template:
1. Launch Visual Studio .Net and build a report using the Report Project
Wizard. (Don't worry much about the data source or the columns you add to the
report because you'll delete those later.)
2. Add a page header and page footer (via the "Report" menu) then add a
corporate logo and other fields to the header and footer.
3. Save everything and exit Visual Studio.
4. Use an XML or text editor to open the "rdl" file that was created in your
report project folder by the process above.
5. Remove everything between <Body> and </Body> except the <Style /> and
<Height>2.000in</Height> tags.
6. Remove everything between the <DataSources> and </DataSources> tags,
including the tags themselves. Do the same for the <DataSets> and </DataSets>
tags.
7. Save the file.
8. Place a copy of the rdl file into C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\80\Tools\Report Designer\ProjectItems\ReportProject.
8. Launch VS.Net and create a new report project, but this time select the
"Report Project" icon instead of the "Report Project Wizard" icon.
9. Once the project is created, right click on the "Reports" folder in the
Solution Explorer and select "Add" then "Add New Item".
10. You should see your new template under "Templates" in the "Add New Item"
dialog box. Select it and build a new report from it.
For more information, see the book "Hitchhiker's Guide to SQL Server 2000
Reporting Services"
-Keith
"Pendula" wrote:
> Hi Keith,
>
> This is really interesting topic and it is hard to find any documentation on
> it. If you can kindly share with us how did you create template and how you
> are using it I will appreciate. It will be great if you can point to any
> documentation that you have found on this issue. Thanks.
>
>
> "Keith" wrote:
>
> > I have created some fairly basic report templates (i.e. RDL files) which
> > contain corporate logos, etc., but no data source. That way we can use the
> > same template to create reports from various data sources. They work great if
> > I don't use the Report Designer wizard. If I do use the wizard, then I can
> > modify the styletemplates.xml file to change various attributes of the
> > elements that the wizard creates, but I can't seem to change the actual
> > elements that the wizard creates on a new report.
> >
> > For example, I used the wizard to create a new stepped, tabular report using
> > the "bold" Table Style. As I mentioned, I can tweak styletemplates.xml to
> > alter the way a table appears, or the title, etc., but I can't control WHICH
> > objects are created on the report. For example, the "bold" template puts a
> > "textbox1" object in the body and I don't know where that comes from because
> > I don't see it mentioned in the default report.rdl which the wizard uses.
> > It's as if the wizard is going to always put the same objects onto the
> > report, and I can control their attributes, but I can't control which objects
> > do or don't appear on the report. Instead, I'm stuck with the out-of-the-box
> > templates that the wizard uses. (I hope that explanation makes sense.)
> >
> > Does anyone know how to tell the wizard what objects you want, and where, on
> > a report?
> >
> > Thanks!
date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 10:30:01 -0700
author: Keith
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