Microsoft SQL Server

Reporting Services
Dave Henson
dhenson@certifiednetworks.com
 Why Use SSRS
• Secure Deployment of Professional
Reports
• Accessible Anywhere – web based
• Define one report, render to many formats
– Html
– Pdf
– Xml
• Integrated with SQL 2008
• Easily extensible for .net developers
 Course Outline
• Module 1: Introduction to Microsoft SQL
Server Reporting Services(SSRS)
• Module 2: Authoring Basic Reports
• Module 3: Enhanced Reporting
• Module 4: Manipulating Data Sets
• Module 5: Managing Content
• Module 6: Administering SSRS
• Module 7: Programming SSRS
 Course Logistics
• Class Format
– 50% Lecture & Demonstrations
– 50% Lab
• Course Dates
• Course Hours
• Lunch
 Definitions
• SSRS •IIS
• RDL •SQL
• XML •Visual Studio .Net 2005
• Business Intelligence (BI)
• OLTP
• OLAP
• OLEDB
• .Net
 Reporting Lifecycle
• Authoring to create .rdl file
• Management
– Security
– Deployment
• Delivery
– Pull
• Report Manager
• Custom App
– Push
• Email
• Custom App
 Reporting Services Scenarios
• Internal
• External
• Embedded – online portal

• Standard vs. Ad-hoc Reports

Delivery and Rendering Options
• HTML, MHTML
• PDF, TIFF
• CSV, XML
• Custom .Net Rendering

• Content:
– Standard, Crosstab, Charting, Graphics

• Real time or scheduled as a task

 SSRS Architechture
• Report Server
– http://localhost/reportserver

• Report Manager
– http://localhost/reports
 SSRS Components
• Application layer
– Report Authoring
• Standard
• Ad Hoc
– Report Server Management
• Server Layer
– Report Server
– Report Processor
• Data Layer
– Any OLEDB Datasource
 Authoring Components
• Report designer
templates added to Visual
Studio during install
• Report Builder
– Thin client .net app
installed through browsing
– Uses a published report
model to build query
• Reporting Services API
for authoring
 Management Components
• SSRS Configuration Tool
• Report Manager
• Command Line
– Rsconfig
– Rs
– Rskeymgmt
• SSRS API
 Report Delivery Components
• Report Manager
• Report Processor
• Scheduling and Delivery Processor
 Server Extensions
• SSRS fully exposed through .net libraries
• Extensibility
– Authentication
– Data Processing
– Report Processing
– Rendering
– Delivery
 Installation
• Prerequisites
– Windows Server (2003/2008)
– IIS
– SQL Server – local to machine or otherwise
• Versions
– Workgroup(Express)
– Standard
– Enterprise
– Trial
 Server Configuration
• IIS
• Security Accounts
• SSRS Config Manager
• SSRS Services and accounts
– Windows Service
– Web Service
– Impersonation
 SSRS Quick Tour
• Demonstration of basic reporting:
– Create BI Project
– Add Datasource
– Add Dataset
– Design Report
– Deploy Report
Module 2: Authoring Basic
Reports
Visual Studio 2008 – New BI
Project
Data Source Setup
Adding the dataset
Structuring Data in the Report
Report Layout and Presentation
Publishing the Report
Managing the Report
Accessing the Report
Module 3: Enhanced Reporting
 Parameters
• Replace items in where clause with sql
named parameters

• Use a query to populate a dropdown for

the parameter
 Formatting
• Use .Net formatting rules in the “format”
property:

• 0N = number: 100.99
• 0C = money: $100.99
 Filters
• Blanket reduction of rows returned from
the dataset
 Data Regions
• Areas on report with repeated data:
– Table: fixed columns
– Matrix: variable columns
– List

• Subreports
 Actions
• Link a report item to data stored elsewhere
– Report
– Url (.aspx, .php, .htm)
 Visibility
• Use “Hidden” property to hide fields, rows,
etc.

• Use the ToggleItem property for interactive

control of visibility
 Recursive Groups
• Using Parent Grouping in the Grouping
Properties for recursive display

• Use the Level function to identify the

relationship of the current row to the top
row
=Level(“RecursiveGroup”)
Module 4: Managing Datasets
 IIS Session
• Report execution is stored by default in
user session

• Cached instances share the report across

multiple sessions(multiple visitors)
Working with a shared schedule
• Create a master schedule used by a
series of reports for updating cached
information
 Snapshot Reports
• Report is executed on a scheduled basis
and delivered to a folder
 Report parameters
• Parameters used as a “filter” can be used
against the snapshot data
 Calculation Load
• Structure of your query defines the load
point of running the report:
– SQL Backend
– Reporting Services Engine
 Manual Caching
• Running an SQL job to create a table with
the results of a report
– Pre-aggregating
Module 5: Managing Content
 Publishing Content
• Report Designer
• Report Manager

• SQL Server Management Studio

• Rs.exe and .rss file

• .Net libraries
 Enabling User Reports
• Enable a My Reports folder for each user
 Report Builder
• .net library delivered over the web

• Allows power users to create their own reports

• Requires a report “model” be published by

admin
– Describes tables and relationships
– Published as SMDL file
– Data Source View (DSV) enables subset of base data
 Reverse-Scripting Objects
• Visual Studio Script Generation

• .rss script file can be used with the rs.exe

utility
 Data Sources
• Updates needed through time
– Report Manager
– Visual Studio .Net 2005
Configuring Snapshot Reporting
 Snapshot Report History
• Viewing
• Configuring
 Report Subscriptions
• Supports the push model of reporting
 Cross Platform Reporting
• See web for fixes on your platform
• You must test all os/browser platforms

• Example: Firefox
– Width: single pixel clear gif, width of 6.5 in
– Height: modify reportingservices.css
• .DocMapAndReportFrame{min-height: 860px;}
Module 6: Administering SSRS
 Reporting Services Files and
Folders
• C:\program files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.3\Reporting Services

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL

Server\MSSQL.3\Reporting
Services\ReportServer\bin\ReportingServi
cesService.exe.config
 Reporting Services Databases
• ReportServer.dbo.ExecutionLog
 Trace Log Files
• C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.3\Reporting
Services\LogFiles

• Configure logging level in the

ReportinServices.exe.config file
 SSRS Windows Performance
Counters
• MSRS 2005 Web Service Counters
• MSRS 2005 Windows Service Counters
 Timeouts
• Connection:
– Connection Timeout
– Command Timeout
– Lock Timeout

• Report Execution Timeout

 Suspending Jobs
• Subscriptions
• Shared Schedules
SSRS Database Administration
• Role of the database
• Backup Schedule
 Security: Authorization Model
• SQL Server Logins
– Trusted
– Nontrusted
• Default Settings – trusted only
– Need to modify for snapshot execution
 Assigning Roles
• Windows Accounts

• Using “runas” for testing

– Ctrl – right click internet explorer
– Choose runas
– Supply another windows login for execution
 Item-Level Role Definitions
• Browser
• Content Manager
• My Reports
• Publisher
• Report Builder
Folder Security
 Site Security
• System Administrator
• System User
Module 7: Programming SSRS
 SSRS Extensibility
• Client Reporting Interface
• Management/Administration

• Custom Reporting Objects

 Tools
• Reporting Services Command Prompt
– Rs.exe
– Rsconfig.exe

• Compilers:
– Csc.exe
– Vbc.exe
 HTTP Protocol
• HTTP Post

• HTTP Get

• WebForms
 Custom Web Reporting Portal
• Add Parameters to url:
– &rc:ParmName=ParmValue

• To Hide parameters
– &rc:Parameters=false
– &rc:Toolbar=false

• Other control features

– &rc:Zoom=75
– &rc:Zoom=Whole Page
– &rc:Extension=.TXT
– &rs:format=EXCEL
 Reporting Services API
• .Net Libraries
• Web Services
 Example Client Code
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();

//add reference to Microsoft.ReportViewer.WinForms

//add namespaces System.Data.SqlClient and Microsoft.Reporting.WinForms;

this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(950, 600);

ReportViewer reportViewer = new ReportViewer();

// Set Processing Mode

reportViewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local;
…
 Example Contd.
…
// Set RDL file
reportViewer.LocalReport.ReportPath = @"c:\tmp\productlist.rdl";

// Supply a DataTable corresponding to each report data source

reportViewer.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(new ReportDataSource("DataSet1", DBUtil.GetProducts()));

// Add the reportviewer to the form

reportViewer.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
this.Controls.Add(reportViewer);

// Process and render the report

reportViewer.RefreshReport();
}