ActiveReports.NET 18.1 Has Released

June 19 2024

Hey everyone! Today, we’re happy to announce the arrival of ActiveReports.NET 18.1, the first of three service packs that will be released for ActiveReports.NET 18. As well as the usual fixes and performance optimizations, this update includes a handful of features requested by customers like you, which we will outline below!

Enriched Chart Customization

Before (SymbolSize 5, LabelRowCount 1)

Enriched Chart Customization

After (SymbolSize 10, LabelRowCount 2)

We have introduced new properties to enrich the customization and visual communication of charts for RDLX, Page, and Dashboard reports.

LabelRowCount: This property, applied to the X-axis of charts, allows you to set the number of rows for axis labels, enabling a multi-row arrangement for better readability and organization of labels. Note that this feature is only applicable to charts that have an X-axis.
SymbolSize: This property allows you to adjust the size of plot symbols, providing greater flexibility in data presentation. It is supported in the following chart types:

These updates aim to enhance the clarity and customization of your chart presentations.

Chart Axes

Updated JSON Data Provider in Section Reports

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.

JSON Provider

Enhanced SubReport in Section Reports

In Section Reports, you can now choose a report for the SubReport control directly through the ReportNameproperty, 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.

SubReport

Improved Tabular Data Display Options in Page and RDLX Reports

You now have greater control over the display of table data in Page and RDLX Reports with two new properties:

MaxDetailsPerPage: This property allows you to set the maximum number of detail rows displayed per page. If the number of rows exceeds the specified value, a page break is added after the set number of rows.
PreventOrphanedHeader: This option ensures that the table’s header or the table's group header always prints together with at least one detail row of the table or table group. This prevents headers from being isolated at the bottom of a page without accompanying data.

These features improve the readability and organization of table data in your reports, ensuring a more professional and polished presentation.

Table

Document Map for Report Sections

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

New SheetMode Property for Excel Export

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: