Posted 30 December 2024, 4:45 am EST
Hi Cory,
In brief, the Code-Based Section report depends upon VisualStudio’s CodeDOM (which is under Microsoft’s control) whereas our designer for XML-Based/RPX SectionReport is within our control.
Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to write everything on our side to load Code-Based SectionReport in VisualStudio and therefore we have to rely upon Microsoft’s out-of-process designer which to date did not have complete component designer support (only WinForms controls are accessible through workarounds)
As a workaround, we suggest customers use XML-Based/RPX SectionReport (as we have the designer under our control) or use the workaround mentioned here Design Code-based Section Reports in .NET Core.
For the issue reported to Microsoft: The issue was initially supposed to be fixed in VisualStudio v16.7.0 preview, which got further and further delayed to VS v17.4, 17.5, 17.6 then to v17.8 Preview 1 (September 2023), then to Preview 2: https://github.com/microsoft/winforms-designer-extensibility/issues/23#issuecomment-1670064833, then it was postponed to Preview 3, which theoretically had to have the fix but the issue was not fixed and was expected to be fixed with the release of new SDK which has been released a few days ago, theoretically it should had to have almost everything but while implementing the Designer using CodeDOM with the new changes in place our developers found 4 roadblocks preventing us from moving ahead with the SectionReportDesigner in .NET Core.
You may track these roadblocks in the Microsoft’s GitHub Winforms Designer Extensibility Repository here:
If these changes are fixed with no other roadblocks then going through the new changes, implementing them, and getting the code through QA should take approx. a few months (if no other bugs are encountered in the process that are not in our control) so we have an ETA for ActiveReports 20 when you can expect the support for Code-Based SectionReport Designer in .NET Core.
We understand the frustration it has been not being able to use the designer with Code-Based SectionReport through VisualStudio CodeDOM, however, we are meticulously working so we can provide the Integrated Designer for CodeBased SectionReport as it is for .NET Framework if not better.
We appreciate your patience and understanding!
Thanks,
Anand