Includes (VB.Net / netframework)
Note
This demo is available in your FlexCel installation at <FlexCel Install Folder>\samples\vb\VS2022\netframework\20.Reports\40.Includes and also at https://github.com/tmssoftware/TMS-FlexCel.NET-demos/tree/master/vb/VS2022/netframework/Modules/20.Reports/40.Includes
Overview
The <#Include> tag is very useful to keep your reports modular.
Concepts
Included files can contain nested included files inside.
There are two main ways to use the includes: As a common reusable part of your reports (like a header), or together with <#if> tag to create different layouts of subreports depending on the data. Use the "different layouts" only if data on the detail changes in fact very much depending on the data on the parent. If not, using <#If> and <#format cell> will probably be better.
An included report "inherits" all the variables and datasets of the parent. The included report is a subreport that is precompiled separated from the parent and run on its own sandbox. It is *not* pasted on the main report until it is run, and it can't modify things on the parent.
When creating an included report it can happen that column widths are different on the including and the included report. You might have a template header.xls that you include on every report, but the including reports can have different column widths, changing the header. One solution to this is to use only textboxes and images on header.xls, group them all together, and finally right click on the group and select "Move but not size with cells". This way, the included header will look the same everywhere.
Files
AssemblyInfo.vb
Imports System.Reflection
Imports 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 - 2014 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("6.2.1.0")>
'
' 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.Designer.vb
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Reflection
Imports FlexCel.Core
Imports FlexCel.XlsAdapter
Imports FlexCel.Report
Imports FlexCel.Demo.SharedData
Namespace Includes
Partial Public Class mainForm
Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
Private WithEvents button1 As System.Windows.Forms.Button
Private saveFileDialog1 As System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog
Private label1 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
Private WithEvents btnCancel As System.Windows.Forms.Button
''' <summary>
''' Required designer variable.
''' </summary>
Private components As System.ComponentModel.Container = Nothing
''' <summary>
''' Clean up any resources being used.
''' </summary>
Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
If disposing Then
If components IsNot Nothing Then
components.Dispose()
End If
End If
MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
End Sub
#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 Sub InitializeComponent()
Me.button1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Button()
Me.saveFileDialog1 = New System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog()
Me.label1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label()
Me.btnCancel = New System.Windows.Forms.Button()
Me.SuspendLayout()
'
' button1
'
Me.button1.Anchor = (CType((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top Or System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right), System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles))
Me.button1.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.Green
Me.button1.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.White
Me.button1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(152, 88)
Me.button1.Name = "button1"
Me.button1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(112, 23)
Me.button1.TabIndex = 0
Me.button1.Text = "GO!"
Me.button1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = False
' Me.button1.Click += New System.EventHandler(Me.button1_Click)
'
' saveFileDialog1
'
Me.saveFileDialog1.Filter = "Excel Files|*.xls;*.xlsx;*.xlsm|Excel 97/2003|*.xls|Excel 2007|*.xlsx;*.xlsm|All files|*.*"
Me.saveFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = True
'
' label1
'
Me.label1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(24, 24)
Me.label1.Name = "label1"
Me.label1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(272, 24)
Me.label1.TabIndex = 2
Me.label1.Text = "Including subreports demo."
'
' btnCancel
'
Me.btnCancel.Anchor = (CType((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top Or System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right), System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles))
Me.btnCancel.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb((CInt((CByte(192)))), (CInt((CByte(0)))), (CInt((CByte(0)))))
Me.btnCancel.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel
Me.btnCancel.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.White
Me.btnCancel.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(272, 88)
Me.btnCancel.Name = "btnCancel"
Me.btnCancel.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(112, 23)
Me.btnCancel.TabIndex = 3
Me.btnCancel.Text = "Cancel"
Me.btnCancel.UseVisualStyleBackColor = False
' Me.btnCancel.Click += New System.EventHandler(Me.btnCancel_Click)
'
' mainForm
'
Me.AutoScaleDimensions = New System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F)
Me.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font
Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(416, 133)
Me.Controls.Add(Me.btnCancel)
Me.Controls.Add(Me.label1)
Me.Controls.Add(Me.button1)
Me.Name = "mainForm"
Me.Text = "Including Reports"
Me.ResumeLayout(False)
End Sub
#End Region
End Class
End Namespace
Form1.vb
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Reflection
Imports FlexCel.Core
Imports FlexCel.XlsAdapter
Imports FlexCel.Report
Imports FlexCel.Demo.SharedData
Namespace Includes
''' <summary>
''' Including reports
''' </summary>
Partial Public Class mainForm
Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
Public Sub New()
InitializeComponent()
End Sub
Private Sub button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles button1.Click
AutoRun()
End Sub
Public Sub AutoRun()
Using ordersReport As FlexCelReport = SharedData.CreateReport()
ordersReport.SetValue("Date", Date.Now)
ordersReport.SetValue("ReportCaption", "ORDERS")
Dim DataPath As String = Path.Combine(Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location), ".."), "..") & Path.DirectorySeparatorChar
If saveFileDialog1.ShowDialog() = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
ordersReport.Run(DataPath & "Includes.template.xls", saveFileDialog1.FileName)
If MessageBox.Show("Do you want to open the generated file?", "Confirm", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo) = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Yes Then
Process.Start(saveFileDialog1.FileName)
End If
End If
End Using
End Sub
Private Sub btnCancel_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnCancel.Click
Close()
End Sub
End Class
End Namespace
Program.vb
Namespace Includes
Friend NotInheritable Class Program
Private Sub New()
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' The main entry point for the application.
''' </summary>
<STAThread> _
Shared Sub Main()
Application.EnableVisualStyles()
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(False)
Application.Run(New mainForm())
End Sub
End Class
End Namespace