Active Reports Dynamic Header Label and Column Creation

For this task, I needed to modify an existing report to allow for dynamic headers and columns. I was able to accomplish this in the report_DataInitialize, although I believe I read the Report Start is the recommended place. When I tried using that, I found that I did not have the data I needed to calculate how many label and columns I would need. So far report_DataInitialize has worked just fine...keeping my fingers crossed.

This is a subreport by the way. Previously, I had the header labels in the parent report, so I did also have to add a group header to make this work right.

So pretty much, I create as many new text boxes I need for the report in a loop, making each have a unique id, and allow some spacing in between. Then I add the text box to the detail section at the defined point that has been 'calculated'.

For the header, I do the same, but create labels, and then add them to the group header.

I also populate the columns with data in the report_FetchData, using the same looping logic to find the text box name and then give it a value to display.

For the most part this wasn't too bad of a task. I took a little digging about but I think it works.


private void report_DataInitialize(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
 
 if (this.Classroom.Books.Count > 0)
  {
   float i = 0.0F;

   foreach (Book book in Classroom.Books)
   {
    bool isActive = book.Active ?? false;

    if (isActive){
     StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("bk_");
     sb.Append(book.ID);
     string fieldName = sb.ToString();
     this.Fields.Add(fieldName);

     TextBox tb = new TextBox();
     tb.Name = fieldName;
     tb.DataField = fieldName;
     tb.Height = .2F;
     tb.Width = 1.1F;
     tb.Alignment = TextAlignment.Right;

     i = (i == 0.0F) ? 1.6F : i + 1.1F;

     this.Sections["detail"].Controls.Add(tb);

     this.Sections["detail"].Controls[tb.Name].Location = new PointF(i, 0);

     Label lbl = new Label();
     lbl.Name = fieldName + "lbl";
     lbl.Text = gp.Description;
     lbl.Height = .2F;
     lbl.Width = 1.1F;
     lbl.Alignment = TextAlignment.Right;

     this.Sections["groupHeader1"].Controls.Add(lbl);

     this.Sections["groupHeader1"].Controls[lbl.Name].Location = new PointF(i, 0);
   }

  }
}

}