database field to image report item support questions

02-05-2009, 12:07 PM

My RDL Datasets include image data exposed in byte arrays which can be shown in an image reportitem..

1. Is there anyway I can enable drag and dropping of a field that is a byte array to create an image reportitem as is done with the textbox?  I would not mind any method to perform this being  designer user interface or programmatic.

2. Once an Image reportitem exists and it is set to Database source, why wouldn't the field choosers (field selector, value fields chooser..) identify fields that are of the correct type (to my knowledge only byte[]).  The field selector on the image itself does not even support fields of any (or every) type when its source is set to database (this seems like a simple fix that could have a big impact).

Are there any workarounds? 

It seems that type information is not always known to the designer.  I design that has source data would have the data type though.

Thanks.

Re: database field to image report item support questions

02-09-2009, 5:10 AM
We are currently working on this and will post our observations soon.

Regards,
Sandeep

Re: database field to image report item support questions

02-09-2009, 8:28 AM
Hello,

I would like to tell you that the two functionalities you have mentioned are currently not available and unfortunately there are no workarounds also.

However I have entered two cases for implementing these functionalities in the future releases of Data Dynamics Reports. The tracking number for these functionalities is Case 125619 and Case 125620.

I have also added your email address in the affected user list.

Currently if you would like to be notified when a new build has been released
which may contain a fix you can subscribe to receive DataDynamics Reports announcements here:
http://www.datadynamics.com/forums/80/ShowForum.aspx

Regards,
Sandeep

Re: database field to image report item support questions

03-25-2009, 3:38 AM
Case 125619 (Drag and Dropping of a Field that is Byte Array) has been resolved in the latest interim build.
You may download this build from our FTP Server:

URL: https://grapecity.sharefile.com
Username: dduser@grapecity.us.com
Password: dduser
FileName: DDR 1.6.1103.0.zip

I would also like to tell you that the interim build has not gone through the typical Quality Assurance cycle that our public builds must pass prior to release. We highly recommend that developers avoid using these builds in production environments due to the possibility of unknown issues.

Do let us know if you require further assistance/clarifications.

Regards,
Amit
Amit Pal
GrapeCity- DataDynamics

Re: database field to image report item support questions

07-20-2009, 8:55 AM
This works perfect on Filmography.rdlx. When the Image field from the ActorFilmographyDataSet is dropped in the report, the Image R.I. is used and the mimetype,Source and value are assigned.
I build a reportdef and Ado.net dataset programmatically. I type the image datacolumn as a byte[] and add the report def field. Dropping a byte[] is not being assumed or checked for use as in an Image report item. My Byte array field is still being dropped as a textbox that renders 'System.Byte[]'. Is there anything I can do to get the same results as the ActorFilmographyDataSet Image field?


BTW: ActorFilmographyDataSet Image field does not even have data.

Re: database field to image report item support questions

07-20-2009, 8:35 PM
Hello,
I would like to know which build you use for development/production..From the forum messages I have noticed that you tested/used multiple builds..
Sergey Abakumoff
GrapeCity

Re: database field to image report item support questions

07-21-2009, 11:18 PM
Hello,
I have realized that the answer to your question can be provided without the additional information.
So, let me explain how the data type of the field is recognized at design time. First of all the designer creates the instance of IDbConnection from the data source properties. For the dataset data provider, the instance of DataSetConnection(this is the real type) is created. Since you supply the data at runtime, the connection opening really does nothing. Then the designer calls to IDbConnection.CreateCommand which return the instance of IDbCommand. It will be DataSetCommand for the dataset provider.
Then the designer tries to execute the reader with the command behaviour is set to SchemaOnly or SingleRow - just to get the information about the final data set fields. DataSetCommand.ExecuteReader method has two ways to get the data:
1) If the connection string has the reference to the xml file which has the serialized dataset, then the data are obtained from this file.
2) If the connection string is empty, then the LocateDataSource event is fired. Of course it is not possible at design time..
So, the designer can not get the schema information then the actual data are supplied at runtime.

Probably we should allow to specify the data type of the field at design time to avoid such a problems..Let us know what do you think about that?
Sergey Abakumoff
GrapeCity

Re: database field to image report item support questions

07-22-2009, 9:28 AM
Thanks Sergey.

Yes. This is how I understand it - The data is needed (or at least schema) from the connection/file/callback (except maybe testing/csv). The only difference is that the designer does in fact call the LocateDataSource delegate which is connected to the data when the designer is embedded in the user's program. The LocateDataSource delegate provides schema (and data) just like the connection and file.

I do not have a debug session right now and I am thinking that LocateDataSource IS called after LoadReport even in layout mode (not preview). If it is not, then it could be.

Reply to your specific question:
I initially had confusion with RDL since the rdl dataset schema does not contain field type information. This problem and a need for a end-user designer brought me to your product. That said, you could always store system.type name for the fields in customproperties so that the designer would work better without data. I would be more interested in using the LocateDataSource information in the layout designer though.


My Usage:

I manually assign the rdl datasets from the ado.net dataset + add the rdl fields (name xlations) and then assign the ado.net datatable references in the LocateDataSource callback.

I have a variable data model exposure of our program's object model data and usually use an ado.net dataset to provide the exposed data model. The object/reflection provider was too rigid and was lacking some features. The result is that the end-user gets to layout their data from the program in a report which is reusable.

Re: database field to image report item support questions

07-25-2009, 1:04 PM
Can the End-User UserDesigner control be made to call the LocateDataSource to get the schema/data when the report definition is loaded?

Currently the LocateDataSource is called when the preview and refresh (in preview mode) commands are invoked but not when the report is loaded. This data is ignored in layout mode after a preview even though the data was fetched.

The wonderful byte array to image report item field layout logic is not currently being used for data sources that use LocateDataSource. The file and connection based datasources do seem to request data or schema information for the layout designer.

Re: database field to image report item support questions

07-25-2009, 9:05 PM
Hello,
I have entered case 133081 for the requested functionality("For the data providers which are based on LocateDataSource concept we would like to have the ability to pull the schema at design time.")
Once it is implemented and the build containing the fix is prepared you will be notified about that.
Sergey Abakumoff
GrapeCity

Re: database field to image report item support questions

07-27-2009, 6:38 AM
Thank you very much for the quick response time.

Re: database field to image report item support questions

02-02-2010, 6:09 PM
Hello.
Has there been any change in 133081 ("For the data providers which are based on LocateDataSource concept we would like to have the ability to pull the schema at design time.")?

This issue is becoming huge since the designer is being at runtime and images are a popular data type. I have seen other requests in this forum. The LocateDataSource query does not work like the other datasources in the designer and unfortuately my usage is for ad-hoc reporting of program data. I am just interested in having LocateDataSource to be called when the schema/query is fetched from other datasources needed by designer.

I would appreciate any ideas of the easy workaround. Thanks.

Re: database field to image report item support questions

02-02-2010, 9:17 PM
Hello,
We did not make any changes for case 133081 yet. I can't provide you with any estimate when it will be implemented.
The only work-around I aware of is creating the custom data provider which works the same way as the built-in DataSet data provider, but makes the call to LocateDataSource in IDbCommand.ExecuteQuery(SchemaOnly or SingleRow) method. We ship the Custom Data Provider sample with the product.
Sergey Abakumoff
GrapeCity