How can I serialize a DevExpress XtraReport report design

Question

I need to serialize a report design. This is the scenario:

The app has base reports, let's say "Sales Report" with a set of pre-defined columns and design, like the corp. logo in the header. The users needs to have the ability to change that layout adding, for example, a footer with the office address, or page numbers. For doing that they need to edit the report, enter the designer and add/change what they need. This changed report layout needs to be serialized to be stored in the database for that user, so the next time, the user opens that report, using that design.

Makes sense?

Saddleback

Answer 1

Here's a simplified version of how I do this:

XtraReport customReport;
customReport = new MyXtraReport();
byte[] layout = LoadCustomLayoutFromDB();
if (layout != null) {
    using (System.IO.MemoryStream memoryStream = new System.IO.MemoryStream(layout)) {
        customReport.LoadLayout(memoryStream);
    }
}

using (XRDesignFormEx designer = new XRDesignFormEx()) {
    MySaveCommandHandler customCommands = new MySaveCommandHandler(designer.DesignPanel);
    designer.DesignPanel.AddCommandHandler(customCommands);
    designer.OpenReport(customReport);
    designer.ShowDialog(this);
    if (customCommands.ChangesSaved)
        SaveCustomLayoutToDB(customCommands.Layout);
}

Inside MySaveCommandHandler class:

public virtual void HandleCommand(ReportCommand command, object[] args, ref bool handled) {
    if (command != ReportCommand.SaveFileAs && command != ReportCommand.SaveFileAs)
        return;

    using (System.IO.MemoryStream memoryStream = new System.IO.MemoryStream()) {
        panel.Report.SaveLayout(memoryStream);
        this.layout = memoryStream.ToArray();
        changesSaved = true;
    }

    panel.ReportState = ReportState.Saved;
    handled = true;
}

Chianti

I have a question... why you save the layout to a byte[], is it simple, more direct to save to the database? So in the SaveCustomLayoutToDb method you pass that to a SQL Server binary column or something? – Saddleback

Answer 2

I think what you are looking for is the SaveLayout method:

Saving the report

YourReport report = new YourReport();

// Save the layout to a file.
report.SaveLayout(@"C:\YourReport.repx");

Loading the report

YourReport report = new YourReport();

// Load the layout
report.LoadLayout(@"C:\YourReport.repx");

Edit:

here a link to the devexpress support site explaining how to save the report definition.

Conlee

Excuse me Francis, but saving the report to a repx file is not, as far as I know, a serialization. Do you know if the tool has a SaveToXml() method or something? Thanks. – Saddleback

Serialization does not mean you have to save the information in a xml file. Right now, DevExpress does not support saving the report definition in xml but they implemented this feature for a future release (devexpress.com/Support/Center/p/AS4336.aspx). – Conlee

That's true Francis. It doesn't mean that. But IMHO it's the most common way to work these days. To serialize objects into XML and send it through the wire using web services or save it in a text file in the database. – Saddleback

Answer 3

You can Save/Load to and from a stream using Save and LoadLayout overrides. For the designer you can add a command handler to intercept the save command.

These articles should cover what you need:

How to: Save and Restore a Report Definition from a Stream

How to: Override Commands in the End-User Designer (Custom Saving)

And for completeness: List of all how-to's

Edit: fixed links

Kirt

Thanks a lot Dag, that's a very good lead for me to go further in the matter. – Saddleback