Datasets in report header/footer - A Summary of the issue

I know there are already a few threads on this topic but I wanted to create another one - and directly ask - how could this limitation possibly exists - and even more important - why is it still a problem in 2005?

I want to summarize a few of the solutions that have been listed here and elseware online. We've tried them all and they all have some kind of problem:

1) Create hidden field(s) and then reference that field from the header: Doesn't work on any pages where the field isn't printed. Header value will be blank in this case.

2) Create hidden column(s) in the data table and reference that from the header: Works, but again, if the table is showing on every page, the value will be blank. i.e. - if you have two or more tables stacked, you would have to add the columns to every one. A very sloppy and not practical solution.

3) Do it with custom code: I've seen this approach recomended but have never actually seen someone provide a working example. From what I understand, custom code can't access the datasets (I'm using 2000 - maybe 2005 is different here?)

4) Use a queried parameter to hold the value- then reference that in the header: This seems to be the best contender so far. It seems to work sometimes, but on several machines here, the report designer goes into some kind of infinite loop and crashes once the queried parameter is added.

If anyone has any other approaches that I'm not aware of, or has another idea, please post it here. Microsoft - this is a huge problem for many people. Is there any chance of a fix for this any time soon?

Thank you.

~H

did you find a solution ?

|||I am very interested in a solution, too.

Although I have found a 5th option, which works quite well for my scenario - nevertheless I don't consider it being very elegant (at least with "allow null values" enabled).

5) Use "Available values: From query"

All

report parameters are hidden and passed via the URL. The parameter

value is an ID, but in the page header my customer would like to see

the corresponding description.

I have have defined the available values to come from a query and specified the value and label fields. Now I can access the parameter value in the page header like e.g.

Parameters!ProcessId.Label

There's one drawback: if you're using parameters having "allow null value" enabled this version gives you an error when openen the report having passed NULL for the parameter (I have to translate the message from german to english):

The process ID parameter value is missing.

This problem can be solved, but I consider it being a quirk. Just use the following SQL for your data set:

select ProcessId, Desc from Processes
union
select ProcessId=NULL, Desc=NULL from Processes

I'm also interested in sharing other (more elegant) approaches.

Thanx for listening and kind regards,
Gerald

|||I am very interested in a solution, too.

Although I have found a 5th option, which works quite well for my scenario - nevertheless I don't consider it being very elegant (at least with "allow null values" enabled).

5) Use "Available values: From query"

All

report parameters are hidden and passed via the URL. The parameter

value is an ID, but in the page header my customer would like to see

the corresponding description.

I have have defined the available values to come from a query and specified the value and label fields. Now I can access the parameter value in the page header like e.g.

Parameters!ProcessId.Label

There's one drawback: if you're using parameters having "allow null value" enabled this version gives you an error when openen the report having passed NULL for the parameter (I have to translate the message from german to english):

The process ID parameter value is missing.

This problem can be solved, but I consider it being a quirk. Just use the following SQL for your data set:

select ProcessId, Desc from Processes
union
select ProcessId=NULL, Desc=NULL from Processes

I'm also interested in sharing other (more elegant) approaches.

Thanx for listening and kind regards,
Gerald

sql

Datasets in report header/footer - A Summary of the issue

I know there are already a few threads on this topic but I wanted to create another one - and directly ask - how could this limitation possibly exists - and even more important - why is it still a problem in 2005?

I want to summarize a few of the solutions that have been listed here and elseware online. We've tried them all and they all have some kind of problem:

1) Create hidden field(s) and then reference that field from the header: Doesn't work on any pages where the field isn't printed. Header value will be blank in this case.

2) Create hidden column(s) in the data table and reference that from the header: Works, but again, if the table is showing on every page, the value will be blank. i.e. - if you have two or more tables stacked, you would have to add the columns to every one. A very sloppy and not practical solution.

3) Do it with custom code: I've seen this approach recomended but have never actually seen someone provide a working example. From what I understand, custom code can't access the datasets (I'm using 2000 - maybe 2005 is different here?)

4) Use a queried parameter to hold the value- then reference that in the header: This seems to be the best contender so far. It seems to work sometimes, but on several machines here, the report designer goes into some kind of infinite loop and crashes once the queried parameter is added.

If anyone has any other approaches that I'm not aware of, or has another idea, please post it here. Microsoft - this is a huge problem for many people. Is there any chance of a fix for this any time soon?

Thank you.

~H

did you find a solution ?

|||I am very interested in a solution, too.

Although I have found a 5th option, which works quite well for my scenario - nevertheless I don't consider it being very elegant (at least with "allow null values" enabled).

5) Use "Available values: From query"

All

report parameters are hidden and passed via the URL. The parameter

value is an ID, but in the page header my customer would like to see

the corresponding description.

I have have defined the available values to come from a query and specified the value and label fields. Now I can access the parameter value in the page header like e.g.

Parameters!ProcessId.Label

There's one drawback: if you're using parameters having "allow null value" enabled this version gives you an error when openen the report having passed NULL for the parameter (I have to translate the message from german to english):

The process ID parameter value is missing.

This problem can be solved, but I consider it being a quirk. Just use the following SQL for your data set:

select ProcessId, Desc from Processes
union
select ProcessId=NULL, Desc=NULL from Processes

I'm also interested in sharing other (more elegant) approaches.

Thanx for listening and kind regards,
Gerald

|||I am very interested in a solution, too.

Although I have found a 5th option, which works quite well for my scenario - nevertheless I don't consider it being very elegant (at least with "allow null values" enabled).

5) Use "Available values: From query"

All

report parameters are hidden and passed via the URL. The parameter

value is an ID, but in the page header my customer would like to see

the corresponding description.

I have have defined the available values to come from a query and specified the value and label fields. Now I can access the parameter value in the page header like e.g.

Parameters!ProcessId.Label

There's one drawback: if you're using parameters having "allow null value" enabled this version gives you an error when openen the report having passed NULL for the parameter (I have to translate the message from german to english):

The process ID parameter value is missing.

This problem can be solved, but I consider it being a quirk. Just use the following SQL for your data set:

select ProcessId, Desc from Processes
union
select ProcessId=NULL, Desc=NULL from Processes

I'm also interested in sharing other (more elegant) approaches.

Thanx for listening and kind regards,
Gerald

Databound image in report header

After finding out that SSRS doesn't directly support databound items in the header or footer, I found the workaround from Microsoft yesterday at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms159677.aspx. The problem is that their solution only works for the first page of the report, so it's basically useless! Because this is an image, it also means the workaround of using a parameter doesn't work, either.

Does anybody have any advice? Is there a solution to this problem?

One approach to accomplish this is to create a custom function that queries the database for the image, caches it and then returns it for use in the Value property of the database image in the report header.

Private m_headerImage As Object

Public Function GetHeaderImage() As object
' be sure to add appropriate error handling

If m_headerImage = Nothing Then
Dim adapter as new System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter("Select ThumbnailPhoto From Production.Productphoto", "Data Source=localhost; Initial Catalog=AdventureWorks; Integrated Security=SSPI;" )
Dim ds as new System.Data.DataSet()
adapter.Fill(ds)
m_headerImage = ds.Tables(0).Rows(0)(0)
End If

Return m_headerImage

End Function

Set the image Value property to

=Code.GetHeaderImage()

Also, you will need to add a references to the System.Sql.Data and System.Xml assemblies.

More information on cutom code:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms155798.aspx

Ian|||

Mark, which version of SSRS are you using?

Note: the parameter approach for databound images in page header/footer works correctly with RS 2005 SP1.

-- Robert

|||Robert,

I am using RS 2005 SP1; I just assumed that the parameter approach wouldn't work for binary image data due to the size factor. I'll have to try that out.

-Mark
|||Robert,

How exactly do I get this to work using the parameter approach? I've tried everything I can think of. It works for text, but not images.

Thanks,
Mark
|||

Mark, I attached a small sample report (based on the Northwind database) that shows how to do it.

Important parts:
* the report parameter default value is based on a calculated field (ImageBase64) from the dataset
* the calculated field is converting the image data field into a base-64 encoded string, e.g. =Convert.ToBase64String(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetBytes(Mid(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetString(Fields!Photo.Value),79)))
* the image report item takes the value of the Image report parameter and converts it back from a base-64 string to a byte array:
=Convert.FromBase64String(Parameters!Image.Value)

-- Robert

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Report xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/reporting/2005/01/reportdefinition" xmlns:rd="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SQLServer/reporting/reportdesigner">
<DataSources>
<DataSource Name="Northwind">
<DataSourceReference>Northwind</DataSourceReference>
<rd:DataSourceID>02f7d41c-e5a6-4015-9bd4-6aa837db9bb6</rd:DataSourceID>
</DataSource>
</DataSources>
<BottomMargin>1in</BottomMargin>
<RightMargin>1in</RightMargin>
<ReportParameters>
<ReportParameter Name="Image">
<DataType>String</DataType>
<DefaultValue>
<DataSetReference>
<DataSetName>DataSet1</DataSetName>
<ValueField>ImageBase64</ValueField>
</DataSetReference>
</DefaultValue>
<AllowBlank>true</AllowBlank>
<Prompt>Image</Prompt>
<Hidden>true</Hidden>
</ReportParameter>
</ReportParameters>
<rd:DrawGrid>true</rd:DrawGrid>
<InteractiveWidth>8.5in</InteractiveWidth>
<rd:SnapToGrid>true</rd:SnapToGrid>
<Body>
<Height>1.5in</Height>
</Body>
<PageHeader>
<ReportItems>
<Image Name="image2">
<Sizing>AutoSize</Sizing>
<MIMEType>image/bmp</MIMEType>
<Width>2.875in</Width>
<Source>Database</Source>
<Style>
<BorderStyle>
<Default>Solid</Default>
</BorderStyle>
<BorderWidth>
<Default>2pt</Default>
</BorderWidth>
</Style>
<Value>=Convert.FromBase64String(Parameters!Image.Value)</Value>
</Image>
</ReportItems>
<Height>2.625in</Height>
<PrintOnLastPage>true</PrintOnLastPage>
<PrintOnFirstPage>true</PrintOnFirstPage>
</PageHeader>
<rd:ReportID>14f7b895-1a77-410d-ae9c-58cfb7418d60</rd:ReportID>
<LeftMargin>1in</LeftMargin>
<DataSets>
<DataSet Name="DataSet1">
<Query>
<rd:UseGenericDesigner>true</rd:UseGenericDesigner>
<CommandText>select * from employees</CommandText>
<DataSourceName>Northwind</DataSourceName>
</Query>
<Fields>
<Field Name="EmployeeID">
<rd:TypeName>System.Int32</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>EmployeeID</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="LastName">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>LastName</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="FirstName">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>FirstName</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Title">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Title</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="TitleOfCourtesy">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>TitleOfCourtesy</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="BirthDate">
<rd:TypeName>System.DateTime</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>BirthDate</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="HireDate">
<rd:TypeName>System.DateTime</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>HireDate</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Address">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Address</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="City">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>City</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Region">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Region</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="PostalCode">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>PostalCode</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Country">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Country</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="HomePhone">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>HomePhone</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Extension">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Extension</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Photo">
<rd:TypeName>System.Byte[]</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Photo</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Notes">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Notes</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="ReportsTo">
<rd:TypeName>System.Int32</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>ReportsTo</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="PhotoPath">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>PhotoPath</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="ImageBase64">
<Value>=Convert.ToBase64String(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetBytes(Mid(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetString(Fields!Photo.Value),79)))</Value>
</Field>
</Fields>
</DataSet>
</DataSets>
<Width>4.875in</Width>
<InteractiveHeight>11in</InteractiveHeight>
<Language>en-US</Language>
<TopMargin>1in</TopMargin>
</Report>

|||

Robert,

I am in the same fix regarding the databound image situation. I've used the hidden text box field inside the body of the report that converts the image (a field in the dataset) to a string and then the actual image in the page header references the hidden text box. This works great in the preview of BI Studio. It also works when the report is exported to Excel. However, when exported to PDF, the image is not shown. Is this even possible?

Regarding the solution above, I tried your suggestion. However, I'm back to the situation where a "fields cannot be used in report parameter expressions". Is there something I'm missing in your explanation above? This particular report will eventually become an "rdlc" report on a remote site so I'm limited as to what I can do in the BI environment.

Any help or direction would be appreciated! I've spent way too much time on what should be a simple task, in my opinion, to implement.

Also, do you still have the sample report?

Thanks,

John

Databound image in report header

After finding out that SSRS doesn't directly support databound items in the header or footer, I found the workaround from Microsoft yesterday at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms159677.aspx. The problem is that their solution only works for the first page of the report, so it's basically useless! Because this is an image, it also means the workaround of using a parameter doesn't work, either.

Does anybody have any advice? Is there a solution to this problem?

One approach to accomplish this is to create a custom function that queries the database for the image, caches it and then returns it for use in the Value property of the database image in the report header.

Private m_headerImage As Object

Public Function GetHeaderImage() As object
' be sure to add appropriate error handling

If m_headerImage = Nothing Then
Dim adapter as new System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter("Select ThumbnailPhoto From Production.Productphoto", "Data Source=localhost; Initial Catalog=AdventureWorks; Integrated Security=SSPI;" )
Dim ds as new System.Data.DataSet()
adapter.Fill(ds)
m_headerImage = ds.Tables(0).Rows(0)(0)
End If

Return m_headerImage

End Function

Set the image Value property to

=Code.GetHeaderImage()

Also, you will need to add a references to the System.Sql.Data and System.Xml assemblies.

More information on cutom code:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms155798.aspx

Ian|||

Mark, which version of SSRS are you using?

Note: the parameter approach for databound images in page header/footer works correctly with RS 2005 SP1.

-- Robert

|||Robert,

I am using RS 2005 SP1; I just assumed that the parameter approach wouldn't work for binary image data due to the size factor. I'll have to try that out.

-Mark
|||Robert,

How exactly do I get this to work using the parameter approach? I've tried everything I can think of. It works for text, but not images.

Thanks,
Mark
|||

Mark, I attached a small sample report (based on the Northwind database) that shows how to do it.

Important parts:
* the report parameter default value is based on a calculated field (ImageBase64) from the dataset
* the calculated field is converting the image data field into a base-64 encoded string, e.g. =Convert.ToBase64String(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetBytes(Mid(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetString(Fields!Photo.Value),79)))
* the image report item takes the value of the Image report parameter and converts it back from a base-64 string to a byte array:
=Convert.FromBase64String(Parameters!Image.Value)

-- Robert

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Report xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/reporting/2005/01/reportdefinition" xmlns:rd="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SQLServer/reporting/reportdesigner">
<DataSources>
<DataSource Name="Northwind">
<DataSourceReference>Northwind</DataSourceReference>
<rd:DataSourceID>02f7d41c-e5a6-4015-9bd4-6aa837db9bb6</rd:DataSourceID>
</DataSource>
</DataSources>
<BottomMargin>1in</BottomMargin>
<RightMargin>1in</RightMargin>
<ReportParameters>
<ReportParameter Name="Image">
<DataType>String</DataType>
<DefaultValue>
<DataSetReference>
<DataSetName>DataSet1</DataSetName>
<ValueField>ImageBase64</ValueField>
</DataSetReference>
</DefaultValue>
<AllowBlank>true</AllowBlank>
<Prompt>Image</Prompt>
<Hidden>true</Hidden>
</ReportParameter>
</ReportParameters>
<rd:DrawGrid>true</rd:DrawGrid>
<InteractiveWidth>8.5in</InteractiveWidth>
<rd:SnapToGrid>true</rd:SnapToGrid>
<Body>
<Height>1.5in</Height>
</Body>
<PageHeader>
<ReportItems>
<Image Name="image2">
<Sizing>AutoSize</Sizing>
<MIMEType>image/bmp</MIMEType>
<Width>2.875in</Width>
<Source>Database</Source>
<Style>
<BorderStyle>
<Default>Solid</Default>
</BorderStyle>
<BorderWidth>
<Default>2pt</Default>
</BorderWidth>
</Style>
<Value>=Convert.FromBase64String(Parameters!Image.Value)</Value>
</Image>
</ReportItems>
<Height>2.625in</Height>
<PrintOnLastPage>true</PrintOnLastPage>
<PrintOnFirstPage>true</PrintOnFirstPage>
</PageHeader>
<rd:ReportID>14f7b895-1a77-410d-ae9c-58cfb7418d60</rd:ReportID>
<LeftMargin>1in</LeftMargin>
<DataSets>
<DataSet Name="DataSet1">
<Query>
<rd:UseGenericDesigner>true</rd:UseGenericDesigner>
<CommandText>select * from employees</CommandText>
<DataSourceName>Northwind</DataSourceName>
</Query>
<Fields>
<Field Name="EmployeeID">
<rd:TypeName>System.Int32</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>EmployeeID</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="LastName">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>LastName</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="FirstName">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>FirstName</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Title">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Title</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="TitleOfCourtesy">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>TitleOfCourtesy</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="BirthDate">
<rd:TypeName>System.DateTime</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>BirthDate</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="HireDate">
<rd:TypeName>System.DateTime</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>HireDate</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Address">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Address</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="City">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>City</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Region">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Region</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="PostalCode">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>PostalCode</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Country">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Country</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="HomePhone">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>HomePhone</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Extension">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Extension</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Photo">
<rd:TypeName>System.Byte[]</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Photo</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="Notes">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>Notes</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="ReportsTo">
<rd:TypeName>System.Int32</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>ReportsTo</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="PhotoPath">
<rd:TypeName>System.String</rd:TypeName>
<DataField>PhotoPath</DataField>
</Field>
<Field Name="ImageBase64">
<Value>=Convert.ToBase64String(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetBytes(Mid(System.Text.Encoding.Default.GetString(Fields!Photo.Value),79)))</Value>
</Field>
</Fields>
</DataSet>
</DataSets>
<Width>4.875in</Width>
<InteractiveHeight>11in</InteractiveHeight>
<Language>en-US</Language>
<TopMargin>1in</TopMargin>
</Report>

|||

Robert,

I am in the same fix regarding the databound image situation. I've used the hidden text box field inside the body of the report that converts the image (a field in the dataset) to a string and then the actual image in the page header references the hidden text box. This works great in the preview of BI Studio. It also works when the report is exported to Excel. However, when exported to PDF, the image is not shown. Is this even possible?

Regarding the solution above, I tried your suggestion. However, I'm back to the situation where a "fields cannot be used in report parameter expressions". Is there something I'm missing in your explanation above? This particular report will eventually become an "rdlc" report on a remote site so I'm limited as to what I can do in the BI environment.

Any help or direction would be appreciated! I've spent way too much time on what should be a simple task, in my opinion, to implement.

Also, do you still have the sample report?

Thanks,

John