How to create local reports RDLC featuring barcode images in ASP.

NET
Prerequisites Neodynamic Barcode Professional 3.0 (or greater) for ASP.NET (WebControl) Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (or greater) Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 or Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition. NOTE: For VWD Express Edition, installing the free add-in for ReportViewer is mandatory. Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (any version) with AdventureWorks Database sample installed In the following Step-By-Step Guide we're going to create a local report (RDLC file) which features barcoding capabilities by using Barcode Professional for ASP.NET. Follow these steps:

Open Visual Studio and create a new ASP.NET Website naming it LocalReportWithBarcode. Report's Data Source settings Data can be supplied to Local Reports either as custom Objects or as ADO.NET DataTables. In this guide we'll be exploring each data source scenario in details. So please choose the data source scenario you want to use first and then follow the steps for each of them: o Using ADO.NET DataTables as data source of my local report o Using Custom Objects as data source of my local report

Using ADO.NET DataTables as data source of my local report Follow these steps:

Add a new DataSet item to the project and name it AdventureWorks.xsd

Adding a Typed DataSet

Click Add button. You will be asked if you want to place the AdventureWorks.xsd file in the App_Code directory. Answer yes. After that, the TableAdapter Configuration Wizard is automatically launched so please follow its steps. In the first step, please create a connection to the AdventureWorks SQL Server Database sample and click Next. In the second step, choose "Use SQL statements" and click Next. After that, please enter the following SQL Statement: SELECT ProductID, Name, ProductModel FROM Production.vProductAndDescription WHERE (CultureID = N'en')

Specifying a SQL Statement that returns AdventureWorks Product info

Finally click Finish to close the wizard dialog box.

After that, add a new custom Column to the DataTable just created and name it Barcode as is shown in the following figure

Adding a new Column to the DataTable for barcoding purpose

Change the data type of the Barcode column to System.Byte[] (Array of Byte). NOTE: the System.Byte[] data type is not listed and thus why you must type it manually.

Setting up the Barcode Column to System.Byte[] data type

Save the AdventureWorks.xsd file. Now add a new Report item to the project and name it BarcodeReport.rdlc

Adding a local report (RDLC) to the project

The data source for the report should look like the following figure. NOTE: You can display Data Sources Window by selecting Data menu and then Show Data Sources (Shift+Alt+D)

The DataSet is available to be used in the report

Please design the report so it looks like the following figure.

The barcode report layout

The report features a Table item with 3 columns:

1 Column: It holds an Image item. Drag & drop an Image item into it and set its properties as is shown in the following figure. Notice that Value property of the Image item is bound to the Barcode column.

The Image item's properties. The Value property is bound to Barcode Column.

2 Column: It holds the Name field 3 Column: It holds the ProductModel field

Save the report. Now Create/Open an ASP.NET WebForm at design time and drag & drop a ReportViewer control onto it. NOTE: DO NOT select any report to display. We'll set up it by code next. After that, from the Solution Explorer, add a reference to Barcode Professional for ASP.NET assembly: Neodynamic.WebControls.Barcodeprofessional.dll Write the following code in the Page_Load event procedure. Visual Basic .NET
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load 'Fill the datasource from DB Dim ta As New AdventureWorksTableAdapters.vProductAndDescriptionTableAdapter() Dim dt As New AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionDataTable() ta.Fill(dt) 'Create an instance of Barcode Professional

Dim bcp As New Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessional() 'Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code128 bcp.BarHeight = 0.25F 'Update DataTable with barcode image Dim row As AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionRow For Each row In dt.Rows 'Set the value to encode bcp.Code = row.ProductID.ToString() 'Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column row.Barcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png) Next 'Create Report Data Source Dim rptDataSource As New Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("AdventureWorks_vP roductAndDescription", dt) Me.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource) Me.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc") Me.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.Refresh() End Sub

Visual C# .NET
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) { //Fill the datasource from DB AdventureWorksTableAdapters.vProductAndDescriptionTableAdapter ta = new AdventureWorksTableAdapters.vProductAndDescriptionTableAdapter() ; AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionDataTable dt = new AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionDataTable(); ta.Fill(dt); //Create an instance of Barcode Professional Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessional bcp = new Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessional() ; //Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code128; bcp.BarHeight = 0.25f; //Update DataTable with barcode image

foreach (AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionRow row in dt.Rows) { //Set the value to encode bcp.Code = row.ProductID.ToString(); //Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column row.Barcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png); } //Create Report Data Source Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource rptDataSource = new Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("AdventureWorks_vP roductAndDescription", dt); this.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource); this.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc"); this.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.Refresh(); }

That's it. Run your application. You should get the barcode images displayed on the report.

The local report featuring barcodes generated by Barcode Professional

ReportViewer control lets you to export the displayed report to Acrobat PDF as well as Microsoft Excel XLS. In both cases the barcode images are maintained.

The local report featuring barcodes generated by Barcode Professional

TIP: How to export to Acrobat PDF the Local Report with Barcode images without Preview The following walkthrough shows how to programmatically export a local report to PDF without viewing it. Follow these steps:
o o

Add a new ASP.NET WebForm to the project and drag & drop a Button control onto it. Be sure your project is referencing the following assemblies: Microsoft.ReportViewer.Common.dll Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms.dll Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.dll Double click on the Button control and write the following code in the Button1_Click event procedure. Visual Basic .NET
Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Button1.Click 'Fill the datasource from DB Dim ta As New AdventureWorksTableAdapters.vProductAndDescriptionTableAda pter() Dim dt As New AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionDataTable() ta.Fill(dt) 'Create an instance of Barcode Professional

Dim bcp As New Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessi onal() 'Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code1 28 bcp.BarHeight = 0.25F 'Update DataTable with barcode image Dim row As AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionRow For Each row In dt.Rows 'Set the value to encode bcp.Code = row.ProductID.ToString() 'Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column row.Barcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png ) Next 'Create ReportViewer Dim viewer As New Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer() 'Create Report Data Source Dim rptDataSource As New Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("AdventureWo rks_vProductAndDescription", dt) viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource) viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc") 'Export to PDF Dim pdfContent As Byte() = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing) 'Return PDF Me.Response.Clear() Me.Response.ContentType = "application/pdf" Me.Response.AddHeader("Content-disposition", "attachment; filename=BarcodeReport.pdf") Me.Response.BinaryWrite(pdfContent) Me.Response.End() End Sub

Visual C# .NET

protected void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { //Fill the datasource from DB AdventureWorksTableAdapters.vProductAndDescriptionTableAda pter ta = new AdventureWorksTableAdapters.vProductAndDescriptionTableAda pter(); AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionDataTable dt = new AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionDataTable(); ta.Fill(dt); //Create an instance of Barcode Professional Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessi onal bcp = new Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessi onal(); //Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code1 28; bcp.BarHeight = 0.25f; //Update DataTable with barcode image foreach (AdventureWorks.vProductAndDescriptionRow row in dt.Rows) { //Set the value to encode bcp.Code = row.ProductID.ToString(); //Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column row.Barcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png ); } //Create ReportViewer Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer viewer = new Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer(); //Create Report Data Source Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource rptDataSource = new Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("AdventureWo rks_vProductAndDescription", dt); viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource); viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc"); //Export to PDF string mimeType; string encoding; string fileNameExtension; string[] streams; Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.Warning[] warnings; byte[] pdfContent = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", null, out mimeType, out encoding, out fileNameExtension, out streams, out warnings);

//Return PDF this.Response.Clear(); this.Response.ContentType = "application/pdf"; this.Response.AddHeader("Content-disposition", "attachment; filename=BarcodeReport.pdf"); this.Response.BinaryWrite(pdfContent); this.Response.End(); } o

That's it. Run your project opening the last WebForm and click on the button to generate the PDF version for the barcode report.

The local report featuring barcodes exported to PDF format without previewing it onto the ASP.NET WebForm

Using Custom Objects as data source of my local report You can design local reports (RDLC) based on business objects defined in your application. In this scenario, an object data source is simply a collection of arbitrary objects. In this guide, we'll define a custom object with barcoding support that will be used as data source for our report. Follow these steps:

Add a new class item to the project and name it Product.

Adding a Product Class item

You will be asked if you want to place the class file in the App_Code directory. Answer yes. The Product class will feature basic info about products such is ID and Name as well as a special property called Barcode which will hold the barcode image for each product object. Please write the following Product class definition: Visual Basic .NET
Public Class Product Dim m_id As String Dim m_name As String Dim m_barcode As Byte() Public Sub New(ByVal id As String, ByVal name As String, ByVal barcode As Byte()) m_id = id m_name = name m_barcode = barcode End Sub Public Property Id() As String Get Return m_id End Get Set(ByVal value As String) m_id = value End Set End Property Public Property Name() As String Get Return m_name

End Get Set(ByVal value As String) m_name = value End Set End Property Public Property Barcode() As Byte() Get Return m_barcode End Get Set(ByVal value As Byte()) m_barcode = value End Set End Property End Class

Visual C# .NET
public class Product { string m_id; string m_name; byte[] m_barcode; public Product(string id, string name, byte[] barcode) { m_id = id; m_name = name; m_barcode = barcode; } public string Id { get { return m_id; } set { m_id = value; } } public string Name { get { return m_name; } set { m_name = value; } } public byte[] Barcode { get { return m_barcode;

} set { m_barcode = value; } } }

Add another new class item to the project and name it Catalog. This new class Catalog will be used as the object data source for our report. NOTE: In order for a class to qualify as an object data source, there should be a "Select method" that returns a collection of objects of the involved class and thus why we'll create this Catalog class.

Adding a Catalog Class item

You will be asked if you want to place the class file in the App_Code directory. Answer yes. The Catalog class will allow us to add Product objects and features a "Select method" called GetProducts which returns a strongly typed collection of Product objects. Please write the following Catalog class definition: Visual Basic .NET
Public Class Catalog Dim m_products As System.Collections.Generic.List(Of Product) Public Sub New() m_products = New System.Collections.Generic.List(Of Product) End Sub

Public Sub AddProduct(ByVal product As Product) m_products.Add(product) End Sub Public Function GetProducts() As System.Collections.Generic.List(Of Product) Return m_products End Function End Class

Visual C# .NET
public class Catalog { private System.Collections.Generic.List<Product> m_products; public Catalog() { m_products = new System.Collections.Generic.List<Product>(); } public void AddProduct(Product product) { m_products.Add(product); } public System.Collections.Generic.List<Product> GetProducts() { return m_products; } }

Save the class file and go to Build menu and click on Build Solution Now add a new Report item to the project and name it BarcodeReport.rdlc

Adding a local report (RDLC) to the project

The data source for the report should look like the following figure. NOTE: You can display Data Sources Window by selecting Data menu and then Show Data Sources (Shift+Alt+D)

The object data source is available to be used in the report

Please design the report so it looks like the following figure.

The barcode report layout

The report features a Table item with 3 columns: 1 Column: It holds an Image item. Drag & drop an Image item into it and set its properties as is shown in the following figure. Notice that Value property of the Image item is bound to the Barcode column.

The Image item's properties. The Value property is bound to Barcode Column.

2 Column: It holds the Name field 3 Column: It holds the Id field

Save the report. Create/Open an ASP.NET WebForm at design time and drag & drop a ReportViewer control. NOTE: DO NOT select any report to display. We'll set up it by code next. After that, from the Solution Explorer, add a reference to Barcode Professional for ASP.NET assembly: Neodynamic.WebControls.Barcodeprofessional.dll Write the following code in the Page_Load event procedure. Visual Basic .NET
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load 'Create an instance of Barcode Professional Dim bcp As New Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessional() 'Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code128 bcp.BarHeight = 0.25F 'Fill the object datasource. 'NOTE: You may connect to a SQL Server Database and create Product objects based on data returned from such source. Dim data As New Catalog()

'Create random product info Dim Dim Dim Dim prodId As String prodName As String prodBarcode As Byte() i As Integer

For i = 1 To 10 'Random product info prodId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString().Substring(0, 10) prodName = "Product " + prodId 'Set the value to encode bcp.Code = prodId 'Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column prodBarcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png) 'Add new product data.AddProduct(New Product(prodId, prodName, prodBarcode)) Next 'Create Report Data Source Dim rptDataSource As New Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("Product", data.GetProducts()) Me.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource) Me.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc") Me.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.Refresh() End Sub

Visual C# .NET
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) { //Create an instance of Barcode Professional Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessional bcp = new Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessional() ; //Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code128; bcp.BarHeight = 0.25f; //Fill the object datasource. //NOTE: You may connect to a SQL Server Database and create Product objects based on data returned from such source. Catalog data = new Catalog(); //Create random product info string prodId;

string prodName; byte[] prodBarcode; for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { //Random product info prodId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString().Substring(0, 10); prodName = "Product " + prodId; //Set the value to encode bcp.Code = prodId; //Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column prodBarcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png); //Add new product data.AddProduct(new Product(prodId, prodName, prodBarcode)); } //Create Report Data Source Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource rptDataSource = new Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("Product", data.GetProducts()); this.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource); this.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc"); this.ReportViewer1.LocalReport.Refresh(); }

That's it. Run your application. You should get the barcode images displayed on the report.

The local report featuring barcodes generated by Barcode Professional

ReportViewer control lets you to export the displayed report to Acrobat PDF as well as Microsoft Excel XLS. In both cases the barcode images are maintained.

The local report in Acrobat PDF format featuring barcodes generated by Barcode Professional

TIP: How to export to Acrobat PDF the Local Report with Barcode images without Preview The following walkthrough shows how to programmatically export a local report to PDF without viewing it.
o o

Add a new ASP.NET WebForm to the project and drag & drop a Button control onto it. Be sure your project is referencing the following assemblies: Microsoft.ReportViewer.Common.dll Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms.dll Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.dll Double click on the Button control and write the following code in the Button1_Click event procedure. Visual Basic .NET
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Button1.Click 'Create an instance of Barcode Professional Dim bcp As New Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessi onal()

'Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code1 28 bcp.BarHeight = 0.25F 'Fill the object datasource. 'NOTE: You may connect to a SQL Server Database and create Product objects based on data returned from such source. Dim data As New Catalog() 'Create random product info Dim Dim Dim Dim prodId As String prodName As String prodBarcode As Byte() i As Integer

For i = 1 To 10 'Random product info prodId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString().Substring(0, 10) prodName = "Product " + prodId 'Set the value to encode bcp.Code = prodId 'Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column prodBarcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png ) 'Add new product data.AddProduct(New Product(prodId, prodName, prodBarcode)) Next 'Create ReportViewer Dim viewer As New Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer() 'Create Report Data Source Dim rptDataSource As New Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("Product", data.GetProducts()) viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource) viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc") 'Export to PDF

Dim pdfContent As Byte() = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing) 'Return PDF Me.Response.Clear() Me.Response.ContentType = "application/pdf" Me.Response.AddHeader("Content-disposition", "attachment; filename=BarcodeReport.pdf") Me.Response.BinaryWrite(pdfContent) Me.Response.End() End Sub

Visual C# .NET
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { //Create an instance of Barcode Professional Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessi onal bcp = new Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.BarcodeProfessi onal(); //Barcode settings bcp.Symbology = Neodynamic.WebControls.BarcodeProfessional.Symbology.Code1 28; bcp.BarHeight = 0.25f; //Fill the object datasource. //NOTE: You may connect to a SQL Server Database and create Product objects based on data returned from such source. Catalog data = new Catalog(); //Create random product info string prodId; string prodName; byte[] prodBarcode; for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { //Random product info prodId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString().Substring(0, 10); prodName = "Product " + prodId; //Set the value to encode bcp.Code = prodId; //Generate the barcode image and store it into the Barcode Column prodBarcode = bcp.GetBarcodeImage(System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png ); //Add new product data.AddProduct(new Product(prodId, prodName, prodBarcode)); } //Create ReportViewer

Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer viewer = new Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer(); //Create Report Data Source Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource rptDataSource = new Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportDataSource("Product", data.GetProducts()); viewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rptDataSource); viewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("BarcodeReport.rdlc"); //Export to PDF string mimeType; string encoding; string fileNameExtension; string[] streams; Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.Warning[] warnings; byte[] pdfContent = viewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", null, out mimeType, out encoding, out fileNameExtension, out streams, out warnings); //Return PDF this.Response.Clear(); this.Response.ContentType = "application/pdf"; this.Response.AddHeader("Content-disposition", "attachment; filename=BarcodeReport.pdf"); this.Response.BinaryWrite(pdfContent); this.Response.End(); } o

That's it. Run your project opening the last WebForm and click on the button to generate the PDF version for the barcode report.

The local report featuring barcodes exported to PDF format without previewing it onto the ASP.NET WebForm