XML is a useful format for delivering data to other applications as the resulting XML file opens in an internet browser. You can use the XmlRenderingExtension to render your report in this format. XML is a good format for delivering data to other applications. The resulting XML file opens in an internet browser.

Xml Rendering Properties

ActiveReports offers several options to control how reports render to XML.

Controlling XML Output

You can also control XML output through properties on the individual report controls. These properties are:

• DataElementName Indicates the name to use for the data element or attribute.
• DataElementOutput Indicates whether the report controls render in the XML output.
• DataElementStyle Indicates whether a text box renders as an element or an attribute.
• DetailDataCollectionName Indicates the name to use for the collection of all instances of the detail group in the XML output.
• DetailDataElementName Indicates the name to use for instances of the detail group in the XML output.
• DetailDataElementOutput Indicates whether the details appear in the XML output.
• DataInstanceElementOutput Indicates whether a list appears in the XML output. (This property is ignored if there is a grouping in the list.)
• DataInstanceName Indicates the name to use for instances of the list in the XML output.

Interactivity

Export Report using XML Rendering Extension

The following steps provide an example of rendering a report in XML format.

1. Create a new or open an existing Windows Forms App in Visual Studio project.
2. Go to the Project Explorer, right-click the project and select Add > New Item.
3. Select ActiveReports 19 Standalone Report > Add and choose a report type, RDLX, RDLX Dashboard, or Page report and then click Finish.
4. Add a reference to MESCIUS.ActiveReports.Export.Xml package in the project.
5. On the Form.cs or Form.vb that opens, double-click the title bar to create the Form_Load event.
6. Add the following code inside the Form_Load event.

' Provide the Page report you want to render.

Dim rptPath As New IO.FileInfo("..\..\..\Report1.rdlx")

Dim pageReport As New GrapeCity.ActiveReports.PageReport(rptPath)

' Create an output directory.
Dim outputDirectory As New System.IO.DirectoryInfo("C:\MyXml")
outputDirectory.Create()

' Provide settings for your rendering output.
Dim xmlSetting As New GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Xml.Page.Settings()
Dim setting As GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Extensibility.Rendering.ISettings = xmlSetting

' Set the rendering extension and render the report.
Dim xmlRenderingExtension As New GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Xml.Page.XmlRenderingExtension()

Dim outputProvider As New GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Rendering.IO.FileStreamProvider(outputDirectory, System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(outputDirectory.Name))

' Overwrite output file if it already exists.
outputProvider.OverwriteOutputFile = True

pageReport.Document.Render(xmlRenderingExtension, outputProvider, xmlSetting)

// Provide the Page report you want to render.
System.IO.FileInfo rptPath = new System.IO.FileInfo(@"..\..\..\Report1.rdlx");

GrapeCity.ActiveReports.PageReport pageReport = new GrapeCity.ActiveReports.PageReport(rptPath);// Create an output directory.
System.IO.DirectoryInfo outputDirectory = new System.IO.DirectoryInfo(@"C:\MyXml");
outputDirectory.Create();

// Provide settings for your rendering output.
GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Xml.Page.Settings xmlSetting = new GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Xml.Page.Settings();
GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Extensibility.Rendering.ISettings setting = xmlSetting;

// Set the rendering extension and render the report.
GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Xml.Page.XmlRenderingExtension xmlRenderingExtension = new GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Xml.Page.XmlRenderingExtension();
GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Rendering.IO.FileStreamProvider outputProvider = new GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Rendering.IO.FileStreamProvider(outputDirectory, System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(outputDirectory.Name));

// Overwrite output file if it already exists.
outputProvider.OverwriteOutputFile = true;

pageReport.Document.Render(xmlRenderingExtension, outputProvider, xmlSetting);