Creating Reports using .Net

[dallr]

Hello All,
I come from an Microsoft Access background where we create reports using the access wizard. I want to get into .net development but I was wondering if .net has a similar type report designer already built in?

If not what are the options for creating reports when developing windows applications with .net.

Thanks in advance.

Dallr

[vincentg]

The following is your choices..

VB 6.0 uses Data Report Objects
VB.Net uses Crystal Report Objects


Good Luck!

[dallr]

Thanks for taking the time to respond Vincentg but I don't understand what your response means. Remember I am now starting out with .net. Those two lines you placed does not tell me much or give me a sense of direction to follow.

Can i kindly ask you to expand a bit.

Dallr

[Hack]

Perhaps this (http://www.vbdotnetheaven.com/Articles/ArticleListing.aspx?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=105) will help.

[RhinoBull]

You can add reports to your dot net application by going to Project > Add New Item and then selecting Crystal Report which is default in dot net (see attached image).
There are other report engines available for your development platform like Active Reports but Crystal and Active became industry leaders.
While Crystal comes shipped with your Visual Studio Active Reports will have to be purchased separately.
Although there are many specifics to any particular report designer most of them work in a very similar fashion.

[dallr]

A million thanks Rhinobull that was the basic steps I was looking for to get me started. However, I have a problem, here is what i did. I opened visual studio 2008 express for the first time and create a new windows application. When it finished whatever it had to do, i saw a blank form open. Thereafter I proceeded to follow your steps above, which was Project ---> Add New Item. Then the window that opened for me was the following which had not crystal reports option.

What have I done wrong?
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/1047/addnewitemnf4.th.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/my.php?image=addnewitemnf4.jpg)

PS:thanks for the other links "Hack" but I would have to look at them after i get though with the basics first.

dallr

[dallr]

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/1047/addnewitemnf4.jpg

[RhinoBull]

Ah... Express Edition... Unfortunately it does not include Crystal Reports - it's available in Visual Studio 2008, Professional or higher.
Crystal Reports Basic for Visual Studio (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms225542.aspx)

You may also want to read this small article: Generating Reports in Visual C# 2008 Express Edition (http://dotupdate.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/generating-reports-in-visual-c-2008-express-edition/)

[dallr]

Sorry for taking so long to respond, I was away for a while. Thank you very much Rhinobull for those links and the information you were very helpful!!!

One last question if I may. How then does someone using express edition generate reports? Are their some type of workaround or something?

dallr