Report Viewers and Delivery Options in .NET and JavaScript Reporting

ActiveReports provides a robust reporting engine, a flexible developer API, and highly customizable report viewers that make it easy to generate, display, and distribute reports across a wide range of applications.

When evaluating a reporting solution, features are only part of the equation. Equally important is how seamlessly the solution integrates with your existing application architecture. ActiveReports is designed with this in mind, offering multiple ways to render, display, export, and distribute reports. Users can easily view reports online or export them to formats such as PDF, Excel, Word, and HTML.

Whether you're building a modern web application or a traditional desktop solution, ActiveReports delivers rich, interactive reporting experiences. In this article, we'll explore the different report delivery methods available and how they align with various .NET and JavaScript technologies.

Want to Try it Out? Download ActiveReports.NET Today!

Exporting .NET Reports

Exporting reports remains one of the most common approaches for delivering information to end users. Many business applications provide a list of available reports, prompt users for filtering parameters, and then generate output in formats such as PDF, Excel, or HTML.

Once generated, the report can be downloaded directly to the user's machine or attached to an email for distribution. ActiveReports Standard and Professional editions include a comprehensive collection of export filters and rendering extensions to support these scenarios.

The export syntax varies depending on the report type.

Section Reports

Section Reports use Export Filters to generate output in formats including PDF, HTML, Word, Text, CSV, RTF, Excel, and TIFF.

// Export the report in PDF format.  
GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Pdf.Section.PdfExport PdfExport1 = new GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Pdf.Section.PdfExport();  
PdfExport1.Export(MyDocument, Application.StartupPath + "\\PDFExpt.pdf");

Page Reports and RDL Reports

Page Reports and RDL Reports use Render Extensions to produce output in multiple formats, including HTML, PDF, JSON, Image, XML, Excel (.xls and .xlsx), Word (.doc and .docx), and CSV.

// Export the report in PDF format.
pageReport.Document.Render(pdfRenderingExtension, outputProvider, pdfSetting);

Although exporting remains a practical delivery option, modern users increasingly expect instant, online access to information. Utility bills, financial statements, invoices, and corporate reports are now commonly viewed through web portals rather than downloaded manually.

This shift has made report viewers an essential component of modern reporting applications.

In addition to displaying reports directly within an application, report viewers allow users to export reports to formats such as PDF, Excel, HTML, and Word whenever needed. They also provide a significantly richer experience through features like parameter-driven filtering, drill-down capabilities, drill-through navigation, sorting, searching, and interactive data exploration.

JavaScript Reporting

For organizations building fully client-side applications with Angular, React, or Vue, ActiveReportsJS offers a powerful browser-based reporting solution.

As a modern addition to the ActiveReports family, ActiveReportsJS performs all report rendering directly within the browser. Developers gain the flexibility and reliability expected from ActiveReports while delivering reports without server-side rendering dependencies.

ActiveReportsJS supports two primary report types:

• Page Reports for highly structured and pixel-perfect report layouts
• RDL Reports for dynamic, data-driven reporting scenarios

ASP.NET on the Latest .NET Runtimes

Because ASP.NET is cross-platform, applications can be deployed on Linux, macOS, or Windows without relying on IIS or other Windows-specific dependencies.

To complement the reporting engine, ActiveReports includes the JS Viewer, a JavaScript-based report viewer that can be embedded directly into ASP.NET applications.

The JS Viewer offers responsive rendering for Page Reports and RDL Reports and can be integrated into virtually any JavaScript framework, including Angular, React, and Vue.

Key features include:

• Responsive report viewing
• Client-side printing
• Exporting and downloading
• Interactive report navigation
• Parameter support
• Drill-down and drill-through functionality

Product Line: ActiveReports Professional
Viewer: JS Viewer

Blazor Reporting

Blazor developers can also integrate reporting capabilities using the ActiveReports JS Viewer.

Embedding the viewer inside a Blazor page enables users to interact with reports using the same modern interface available in other web applications. ActiveReports provides sample projects on GitHub that demonstrate the integration process and best practices.

Product Line: ActiveReports Professional
Viewer: JS Viewer

ASP.NET MVC Reporting

For existing ASP.NET MVC applications targeting .NET Framework 4.6.2 or later, ActiveReports offers two viewer options:

• JS Viewer
• WebViewer

Both viewers provide a comprehensive reporting experience that includes:

• Responsive layouts
• Printing
• Exporting
• Paging
• Text search
• Interactive report features

Within ASP.NET Framework applications, both viewers support:

• Page Reports
• RDL Reports
• Section Reports

The JS Viewer is a JavaScript-based solution, while the WebViewer is a traditional Visual Studio control that can be added through drag-and-drop development.

Product Line: ActiveReports Professional
Viewers: WebViewer and JS Viewer

ASP.NET WebForms Reporting

Organizations maintaining ASP.NET WebForms applications can quickly add reporting functionality using the WebViewer control.

Simply drag the control from the Visual Studio Toolbox onto your Web Forms page and specify the report file through the ReportName property.

<activereportsweb:WebViewer ID="arvWebMain" runat="server" ReportName="RpxReports/Invoice.rpx" Width="95%" Style="z-index: 102; left: 14px; position: absolute; top: 210px; height: calc(100% - 210px)" />

One notable advantage of the WebViewer is its flexible rendering modes. Developers can choose to display reports as:

• HTML
• RawHTML
• PDF

This flexibility makes it easier to tailor the viewing experience to application requirements.

Product Line: ActiveReports Professional
Viewer: WebViewer

WPF Reporting

For desktop applications built with Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), ActiveReports includes a touch-enabled WPF Viewer designed specifically for rich desktop experiences.

The WPF Viewer includes:

• Interactive toolbar
• Thumbnail navigation
• Parameter panels
• Search functionality
• Customizable user interface

These features make it easy to build sophisticated reporting applications while maintaining a familiar user experience.

Product Line: ActiveReports Standard and Professional
Viewer: WPF Viewer

Windows Forms Reporting

Developers working with Windows Forms applications can leverage the ActiveReports WinForms Viewer.

Like its WPF counterpart, the WinForms Viewer supports touch interaction, extensive customization, and a rich set of reporting features designed for desktop environments.

Users can view, search, navigate, print, and export reports without leaving the application.

Product Line: ActiveReports Standard and Professional
Viewer: WinForms Viewer

Choosing the Right Report Delivery Method

ActiveReports provides multiple report delivery options to accommodate virtually any development environment. Whether your application relies on exports, embedded report viewers, ASP.NET Core, Blazor, WebForms, WPF, Windows Forms, or modern JavaScript frameworks, there is a reporting solution designed to fit your technology stack.

By combining powerful report generation capabilities with flexible delivery mechanisms and interactive viewers, ActiveReports helps organizations deliver business-critical information wherever users need it.

Explore ActiveReports and discover how easy it is to integrate powerful reporting capabilities into your .NET and JavaScript applications.

Want to Try it Out? Download ActiveReports.NET Today!