We have made a number of changes and added new features since the last version of ActiveReports. The key highlights for each service pack release are:
We have introduced new properties to enrich the customization and visual communication of charts for RDLX, Page, and Dashboard reports.
These updates aim to enhance the clarity and customization of your chart presentations.
The JSON data provider in Section Reports now includes the Embedded option within the data source connection settings. This new feature allows you to embed JSON data directly into your reports, streamlining data management and simplifying the deployment process. The embedded option is particularly useful for development purposes, such as sharing reports with co-workers, as it ensures that all necessary data is contained within the report itself. This makes your reports more self-contained and less dependent on external sources, enhancing portability and ease of collaboration.
In Section Reports, you can now choose a report for the SubReport control directly through the ReportName property, eliminating the need for code. This enhancement simplifies the process of adding subreports and is also available in the Web Designer. This update streamlines report design, making it easier and faster to create complex, nested reports.
You now have greater control over the display of table data in Page and RDLX Reports with two new properties:
These features improve the readability and organization of table data in your reports, ensuring a more professional and polished presentation.
In RDLX and RDLX Dashboard Reports, report sections can now be displayed in the report viewer's Document Map and in the TableOfContents control in rendered or exported reports. To achieve this, you can use the newly introduced Label property of a report section. This enhancement provides better navigation and organization within your reports, making it easier for users to locate and reference specific sections.
Document Map | TableOfContents
A new SheetMode property has been added to Excel export, allowing you to control how a report's pages or sections are exported. This property provides the flexibility to:
This feature enhances the organization and usability of exported Excel reports, making it easier to navigate and analyze the data.
With the release of ActiveReports 18, we are proud to announce full support for .NET 8, marking a significant step forward in ensuring our reporting tool remains at the forefront of technology. This advancement not only enhances the performance and security of your reports but also aligns ActiveReports 18 with the latest .NET framework, ensuring optimal compatibility and the ability to leverage the newest features and improvements in .NET 8.
Visual Studio Project Templates
In our commitment to streamline your experience with ActiveReports, we've introduced new Visual Studio project templates. These templates are designed to replace previous versions, offering a more intuitive and efficient start to your reporting projects. The newly available templates include:
Choosing any of these templates will automatically launch the new Report Wizard, providing you with options for RDLX, RDLX Dashboard, Page, and Section reports. This enhancement simplifies the initial setup process and ensures you have the flexibility to select the report type best suited to your project's needs.
We've enhanced the ASP.NET middleware in ActiveReports 18, streamlining the integration of ActiveReports Web components for developers. This improvement simplifies the process of embedding reporting capabilities into web applications, ensuring a smoother, more efficient development experience.
WebDesigner Application | Js Viewer Application | Blazor Viewer Application
Custom Theme in WebDesigner |
Custom theme in Js Viewer |
ActiveReports 18 introduces themes support for both JS Viewer and Web Designer components, allowing you to personalize the user interface according to your preferences. Choose from a selection of built-in UI themes, or craft a custom theme to tailor the look and feel of these components to match your application's aesthetic or branding requirements.
Themes in WebDesigner and Js Viewer Components | WebDesigner API | JS Viewer API
Open Master Reports in Web Designer |
Convert an RDLX to Master Reports in Web Designer |
ActiveReports 18 enhances the Web Report Designer component by introducing support for Master Reports. This feature enables end-users of your application to kick-start their report creation process using pre-defined templates that provide a structured starting point, ensuring consistency and compliance with design standards while still offering flexibility in report customization.
New Report Wizard
ActiveReports now features an innovative Report Wizard designed to streamline the creation of RDLX, Page, Dashboard reports. This brand-new wizard simplifies the report creation process, guiding you through each step with ease, from initial setup to data binding. Whether you are crafting detailed financial reports, informative data dashboards, or any other document-based presentation, our new wizard ensures a smooth, intuitive experience, making it easier than ever to transform your data into actionable insights.
In our ongoing effort to enhance data connectivity and flexibility within ActiveReports, we are excited to announce the addition of support for several new built-in data sources. Report authors can now connect their RDLX, Page, and Dashboard reports directly to:
These enhancements significantly broaden the range of data that can be incorporated into your reports, ensuring that you have the tools needed to make informed, data-driven decisions.
MySQL | PostgreSQL | Excel
JSON Nested Dataset
ActiveReports 18 introduces nested dataset support for JSON and XML data sources, a significant enhancement designed to expand your data handling capabilities. This new feature allows for the utilization of hierarchical data structures directly within your reports, offering unprecedented choice and flexibility in how you design and present your data.
Nested Datasets (JSON and XML) | Nested Datasets
ActiveReports 18 now supports the SVG format within the Picture control of Section reports. To ensure superior image quality and scaling, we recommend utilizing SVGs, particularly in Cross-Platform compatibility mode. This update allows for sharper, more scalable graphics, enhancing the visual appeal of your reports across different platforms.
TabIndex Property of InputField Control
ActiveReports 18 introduces the ability to precisely control the tab order of editable fields in PDF forms through a new TabIndex property on InputField controls. This addition allows for the customization of navigation, enabling users to set a specific sequence for moving from one field to another using the Tab key. This feature enhances form usability and improves the overall user experience in PDF documents.
InputField (Page/RDLX Report) | InputFieldText (Section Report) | InputFieldCheckBox (Section Report)
Custom Parameter Panel-Predefined ranges |
Custom Parameter Panel-Edit DateTime range |
The DateTime Range control in the custom parameters panel of ActiveReports 18 has been enhanced to offer end-users greater flexibility and precision. Users now have the capability to specify the exact time for their reports and also select from a range of predefined values, such as "last year." This update provides a more nuanced approach to selecting time periods, catering to both specific and broad reporting needs with ease.
ActiveReports Web Report Designer now supports simultaneous updates to multiple TextBoxes through the "Current Textbox Value" option in the Expression Editor. This enhancement simplifies the process of applying uniform expressions, significantly improving efficiency and consistency in report design.
The scripting workspace for Section Reports in ActiveReports 18 has been enhanced with the introduction of the Events and Objects Toolbar. This new feature provides the option to easily generate event handlers for basic report objects, streamlining the scripting process.
InputField Controls
The Section Report Toolbar in ActiveReports 18 Web Designer has been upgraded to include the InputFieldCheckBox and InputFieldText controls. These additions expand the range of interactive elements available in the Web Designer, allowing for the creation of more dynamic and user-interactive reports directly within the web environment.
InputFieldCheckBox | InputFieldText
The Layout Ribbon Tab in ActiveReports 18 has received significant enhancements, offering expanded capabilities for managing the layouts of multiple controls simultaneously. With these enhancements, you can effortlessly align multiple controls either vertically or horizontally, standardize the size of multiple controls to match each other, and more.
Advanced Tablix Group Editor
The Tablix Group Editor in ActiveReports 18 has been upgraded to an advanced version, which significantly enhances how users interact with and visualize the hierarchy of group members. Now, when selecting single or multiple rows, columns, or cells within the Tablix body, the editor automatically highlights the corresponding hierarchy, making it easier to understand and manage group relationships.
Current or Active Layer Support
ActiveReports 18 introduces active layer support for RDLX, Page, and Dashboard reports, enhancing the way layers are managed during report design. With this feature, a selected layer automatically becomes active, meaning any new controls are added directly to this layer.
