Range reports (C# / netframework)
Note
This demo is available in your FlexCel installation at <FlexCel Install Folder>\samples\csharp\VS2022\netframework\20.Reports\20.Range Reports and also at https://github.com/tmssoftware/TMS-FlexCel.NET-demos/tree/master/csharp/VS2022/netframework/Modules/20.Reports/20.Range Reports
Overview
On the GettingStarted demo we saw how to write tags on a template, and have FlexCel replace them. Now we are going to replace whole ranges with values from a database.
Concepts
To be able to use a database, you have to define a named range on the template, to tell FlexCel which rows or columns to use. Also, you need to add the table on the code.
You can arrange the ranges in many different ways. Take a look at all the sheets, they have different reports from the Northwind demo recreated with FlexCel.
There are four kinds of named ranges:
"__" Ranges: They are the most common, and the ones you should probably use. The table will be inserted horizontally, and the full rows will be moved down.
"_" Ranges: They work as the "__" ranges, but only the range and not the full row is moved down. Row properties (like row height) are not copied because not the full row is copied.
"II_" Ranges: Use them to insert the table by columns, not by rows. Full columns will be inserted.
"I_" Ranges: Tables will be inserted by columns, but only the selected range will move. Column properties (like column width) are not copied.
Ranges can be defined inside ranges, to create Master-Detail reports. On the dataset schema on your application, you have to define the corresponding relations for this to work.
It might happen that you need to use the same datatable, lets say __Categories__ on more than one sheet. You can't define more than one __Categories__ named range, but you can define an alias on the Config sheet, (for example Categories2=Categories) and then use __Categories2__ on the second sheet. Another alternative not shown in this example would be to use Alias Bands.
We used Intelligent Page Breaks in the first sheet so categories are kept in their own pages when printing.
Files
AssemblyInfo.cs
using System.Reflection;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
//
// General Information about an assembly is controlled through the following
// set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information
// associated with an assembly.
//
[assembly: AssemblyTitle("")]
[assembly: AssemblyDescription("")]
[assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCompany("")]
[assembly: AssemblyProduct("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("(c) 2002 - 2025 TMS Software")]
[assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCulture("")]
//
// Version information for an assembly consists of the following four values:
//
// Major Version
// Minor Version
// Build Number
// Revision
//
// You can specify all the values or you can default the Revision and Build Numbers
// by using the '*' as shown below:
[assembly: AssemblyVersion("7.25.0.0")]
//
// In order to sign your assembly you must specify a key to use. Refer to the
// Microsoft .NET Framework documentation for more information on assembly signing.
//
// Use the attributes below to control which key is used for signing.
//
// Notes:
// (*) If no key is specified, the assembly is not signed.
// (*) KeyName refers to a key that has been installed in the Crypto Service
// Provider (CSP) on your machine. KeyFile refers to a file which contains
// a key.
// (*) If the KeyFile and the KeyName values are both specified, the
// following processing occurs:
// (1) If the KeyName can be found in the CSP, that key is used.
// (2) If the KeyName does not exist and the KeyFile does exist, the key
// in the KeyFile is installed into the CSP and used.
// (*) In order to create a KeyFile, you can use the sn.exe (Strong Name) utility.
// When specifying the KeyFile, the location of the KeyFile should be
// relative to the project output directory which is
// %Project Directory%\obj\<configuration>. For example, if your KeyFile is
// located in the project directory, you would specify the AssemblyKeyFile
// attribute as [assembly: AssemblyKeyFile("..\\..\\mykey.snk")]
// (*) Delay Signing is an advanced option - see the Microsoft .NET Framework
// documentation for more information on this.
//
[assembly: AssemblyDelaySign(false)]
[assembly: AssemblyKeyFile("")]
[assembly: AssemblyKeyName("")]
Form1.cs
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;
using System.IO;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using FlexCel.Core;
using FlexCel.XlsAdapter;
using FlexCel.Report;
using FlexCel.Demo.SharedData;
namespace RangeReports
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for Form1.
/// </summary>
public partial class mainForm: System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
public mainForm()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
AutoRun();
}
public void AutoRun()
{
using (FlexCelReport ordersReport = SharedData.CreateReport())
{
ordersReport.SetValue("Date", DateTime.Now);
string DataPath = Path.Combine(Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location), ".."), "..") + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar;
if (saveFileDialog1.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
ordersReport.Run(DataPath + "Range Reports.template.xls", saveFileDialog1.FileName);
if (MessageBox.Show("Do you want to open the generated file?", "Confirm", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo) == DialogResult.Yes)
{
using (Process p = new Process())
{
p.StartInfo.FileName = saveFileDialog1.FileName;
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
p.Start();
}
}
}
}
}
private void btnCancel_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
Close();
}
}
}
Form1.Designer.cs
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;
using System.IO;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using FlexCel.Core;
using FlexCel.XlsAdapter;
using FlexCel.Report;
using FlexCel.Demo.SharedData;
namespace RangeReports
{
public partial class mainForm: System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
private System.Windows.Forms.Button button1;
private System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog saveFileDialog1;
private System.Windows.Forms.Label label1;
private System.Windows.Forms.Button btnCancel;
/// <summary>
/// Required designer variable.
/// </summary>
private System.ComponentModel.Container components = null;
/// <summary>
/// Clean up any resources being used.
/// </summary>
protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (disposing)
{
if (components != null)
{
components.Dispose();
}
}
base.Dispose(disposing);
}
#region Windows Form Designer generated code
/// <summary>
/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
/// the contents of this method with the code editor.
/// </summary>
private void InitializeComponent()
{
this.button1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
this.saveFileDialog1 = new System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog();
this.label1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.btnCancel = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
this.SuspendLayout();
//
// button1
//
this.button1.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
this.button1.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.Green;
this.button1.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.White;
this.button1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(152, 88);
this.button1.Name = "button1";
this.button1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(112, 23);
this.button1.TabIndex = 0;
this.button1.Text = "GO!";
this.button1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = false;
this.button1.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.button1_Click);
//
// saveFileDialog1
//
this.saveFileDialog1.Filter = "Excel Files|*.xls;*.xlsx;*.xlsm|Excel 97/2003|*.xls|Excel 2007|*.xlsx;*.xlsm|All files|*.*";
this.saveFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = true;
//
// label1
//
this.label1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(24, 24);
this.label1.Name = "label1";
this.label1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(272, 24);
this.label1.TabIndex = 2;
this.label1.Text = "Press \"GO\" to create a database Report.";
//
// btnCancel
//
this.btnCancel.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
this.btnCancel.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb(((int)(((byte)(192)))), ((int)(((byte)(0)))), ((int)(((byte)(0)))));
this.btnCancel.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel;
this.btnCancel.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.White;
this.btnCancel.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(272, 88);
this.btnCancel.Name = "btnCancel";
this.btnCancel.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(112, 23);
this.btnCancel.TabIndex = 3;
this.btnCancel.Text = "Cancel";
this.btnCancel.UseVisualStyleBackColor = false;
this.btnCancel.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.btnCancel_Click);
//
// mainForm
//
this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F);
this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(416, 133);
this.Controls.Add(this.btnCancel);
this.Controls.Add(this.label1);
this.Controls.Add(this.button1);
this.Name = "mainForm";
this.Text = "Range Reports";
this.ResumeLayout(false);
}
#endregion
}
}
Program.cs
using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace RangeReports
{
static class Program
{
/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
Application.Run(new mainForm());
}
}
}