The ActiveReports import utility converts an ActiveReports for .NET 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 RPX layout file to an RDLX file containing a BandedList report item, which most closely simulates the ActiveReports layout. If the import utility is unable to convert any of the controls or data sources from the original report, a status report within the command window informs you of which items were not converted.

To save an RPX layout of an ActiveReport, open the report in Visual Studio and from the Report menu, select Save Layout.

To convert the RPX layout to RDLX, open a command prompt, navigate to the installation directory's Assemblies folder, and input the name of the utility (DataDynamics.Reports.Imports.ActiveReports.exe) and the path and file name of the RPX layout (i.e. C:\rptSample.rpx).

DataDynamics.Reports.Imports.ActiveReports.exe C:\rptSample.rpx

The converted file is written to the same directory as the original RPX layout.

You need not have ActiveReports installed for this utility to run, but please be aware of the following limitations.

Necessary Adjustments

Due to differences between products, the extent to which your reports are converted depends on your specific report layout.

Data Dynamics Reports features more flexibility than ActiveReports with report items (including a banded data region) that you can place anywhere on the report. Data regions can even be placed adjacent to one another, often eliminating the need for subreports. For this reason, once you import your ActiveReports, you may want to rework them to take advantage of this new flexibility.

Data Dynamics Reports offers a banded page header and page footer similar to that found in ActiveReports, so during conversion controls in those sections are placed in corresponding sections in Data Dynamics Reports. Report items in group headers and footers and in detail sections are imported into bands in the BandedList control to closely mirror the look and behavior of ActiveReports.

Report headers and footers, however, require some adjustment, as they are placed in the body of the report rather than in separate bands.

Not Converted

• VB and C# code
• Scripting
• Unbound and XML data sources
• DataField expressions beginning with "="
• Section properties
  • BackColor
  • Visibility
• GroupHeader section properties
  • UnderlayNext
  • ColumnLayout
  • ColumnGroupKeepTogether
• Full justify alignment
• Page breaks
• Styles
• Page 'n' of 'm' in sections other than the page header or footer
• Page totals
• The following SummaryFunc values (the rest of the SummaryFunc values are converted)
  • DSum (summary distinct)
  • DAvg
  • DVar
  • DVarP
  • DStdDev
  • DStdDevP
• SummaryGroup (if SummaryType is not SubTotal)

Converted Differently

• Only the size and position of a chart is converted.
• Only JPG and PNG images are converted.
• Unsupported controls convert to rectangle placeholders with the names of the original controls.
• Checkbox controls convert to textbox report items.
• The following GroupHeader section properties convert to KeepTogether = True
  • RepeatStyle: All, OnPage, and OnPageIncludeNoDetail 
  • GroupKeepTogether: All and FirstDetail
• Supported summary functions are converted to RDL expressions.

See Also