Tables as datasources (C# / netframework)
Note
This demo is available in your FlexCel installation at <FlexCel Install Folder>\samples\csharp\VS2022\netframework\20.Reports\23.Tables As Datasources and also at https://github.com/tmssoftware/TMS-FlexCel.NET-demos/tree/master/csharp/VS2022/netframework/Modules/20.Reports/23.Tables As Datasources
Overview
On the other examples here, we use __NAMES__ to define where the data has to go in the template. Here, we use tables instead.
Concepts
Tables can work like names to define data bands, if they are named starting with "__", "_" and ending with the same, just as named ranges.
To have the table expand when data is inserted, the table must have an empty row after the data.
Tables behave like "X" ranges, even if you don't name them as "__Table__X". You can name them with an X at the end or not, but no matter what you do, they will behave as if the "X" was in the name, and remove the empty row that you need to have for the tables to expand.
Tables will be renamed after the report runs, by removing the "_" or "__" from the start and the end. If you don't want them to be renamed, you can change the property FlexCelReport.RenameExcelTablesUsedAsBands.
A __Table__ is just a shortcut for defining a __Table__X named range. In this example you could have got the same results by having the table named "Products" instead of "__Products__" and defining a name "__Products__X" from A38 to D38.
__Tables__ can be embedded in a master detail relationship with other __Names__. It is impossible to have a table inside a table (this is an Excel limitation), but you can have a __Table__ inside a __Name__ as in this example and the table will be copied for every record of __Name__
Files
AssemblyInfo.cs
using System.Reflection;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
//
// General Information about an assembly is controlled through the following
// set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information
// associated with an assembly.
//
[assembly: AssemblyTitle("")]
[assembly: AssemblyDescription("")]
[assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCompany("")]
[assembly: AssemblyProduct("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("(c) 2002 - 2024 TMS Software")]
[assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCulture("")]
//
// Version information for an assembly consists of the following four values:
//
// Major Version
// Minor Version
// Build Number
// Revision
//
// You can specify all the values or you can default the Revision and Build Numbers
// by using the '*' as shown below:
[assembly: AssemblyVersion("7.21.0.0")]
//
// In order to sign your assembly you must specify a key to use. Refer to the
// Microsoft .NET Framework documentation for more information on assembly signing.
//
// Use the attributes below to control which key is used for signing.
//
// Notes:
// (*) If no key is specified, the assembly is not signed.
// (*) KeyName refers to a key that has been installed in the Crypto Service
// Provider (CSP) on your machine. KeyFile refers to a file which contains
// a key.
// (*) If the KeyFile and the KeyName values are both specified, the
// following processing occurs:
// (1) If the KeyName can be found in the CSP, that key is used.
// (2) If the KeyName does not exist and the KeyFile does exist, the key
// in the KeyFile is installed into the CSP and used.
// (*) In order to create a KeyFile, you can use the sn.exe (Strong Name) utility.
// When specifying the KeyFile, the location of the KeyFile should be
// relative to the project output directory which is
// %Project Directory%\obj\<configuration>. For example, if your KeyFile is
// located in the project directory, you would specify the AssemblyKeyFile
// attribute as [assembly: AssemblyKeyFile("..\\..\\mykey.snk")]
// (*) Delay Signing is an advanced option - see the Microsoft .NET Framework
// documentation for more information on this.
//
[assembly: AssemblyDelaySign(false)]
[assembly: AssemblyKeyFile("")]
[assembly: AssemblyKeyName("")]
Form1.cs
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;
using System.IO;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using FlexCel.Core;
using FlexCel.XlsAdapter;
using FlexCel.Report;
using FlexCel.Demo.SharedData;
namespace TablesAsDatasources
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for Form1.
/// </summary>
public partial class mainForm: System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
public mainForm()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
AutoRun();
}
public void AutoRun()
{
using (FlexCelReport ordersReport = SharedData.CreateReport())
{
ordersReport.SetValue("Date", DateTime.Now);
string DataPath = Path.Combine(Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location), ".."), "..") + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar;
if (saveFileDialog1.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
ordersReport.Run(DataPath + "Tables As Datasources.template.xlsx", saveFileDialog1.FileName);
if (MessageBox.Show("Do you want to open the generated file?", "Confirm", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo) == DialogResult.Yes)
{
using (Process p = new Process())
{
p.StartInfo.FileName = saveFileDialog1.FileName;
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
p.Start();
}
}
}
}
}
private void btnCancel_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
Close();
}
}
}
Form1.Designer.cs
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;
using System.IO;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using FlexCel.Core;
using FlexCel.XlsAdapter;
using FlexCel.Report;
using FlexCel.Demo.SharedData;
namespace TablesAsDatasources
{
public partial class mainForm: System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
private System.Windows.Forms.Button button1;
private System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog saveFileDialog1;
private System.Windows.Forms.Label label1;
private System.Windows.Forms.Button btnCancel;
/// <summary>
/// Required designer variable.
/// </summary>
private System.ComponentModel.Container components = null;
/// <summary>
/// Clean up any resources being used.
/// </summary>
protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (disposing)
{
if (components != null)
{
components.Dispose();
}
}
base.Dispose(disposing);
}
#region Windows Form Designer generated code
/// <summary>
/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
/// the contents of this method with the code editor.
/// </summary>
private void InitializeComponent()
{
this.button1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
this.saveFileDialog1 = new System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog();
this.label1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.btnCancel = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
this.SuspendLayout();
//
// button1
//
this.button1.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
this.button1.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.Green;
this.button1.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.White;
this.button1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(152, 88);
this.button1.Name = "button1";
this.button1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(112, 23);
this.button1.TabIndex = 0;
this.button1.Text = "GO!";
this.button1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = false;
this.button1.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.button1_Click);
//
// saveFileDialog1
//
this.saveFileDialog1.Filter = "Excel Files|*.xls;*.xlsx;*.xlsm|Excel 97/2003|*.xls|Excel 2007|*.xlsx;*.xlsm|All files|*.*";
this.saveFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = true;
//
// label1
//
this.label1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(24, 24);
this.label1.Name = "label1";
this.label1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(272, 24);
this.label1.TabIndex = 2;
this.label1.Text = "Press \"GO\" to create a database Report with a table.";
//
// btnCancel
//
this.btnCancel.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
this.btnCancel.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb(((int)(((byte)(192)))), ((int)(((byte)(0)))), ((int)(((byte)(0)))));
this.btnCancel.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel;
this.btnCancel.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.White;
this.btnCancel.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(272, 88);
this.btnCancel.Name = "btnCancel";
this.btnCancel.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(112, 23);
this.btnCancel.TabIndex = 3;
this.btnCancel.Text = "Cancel";
this.btnCancel.UseVisualStyleBackColor = false;
this.btnCancel.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.btnCancel_Click);
//
// mainForm
//
this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F);
this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(416, 133);
this.Controls.Add(this.btnCancel);
this.Controls.Add(this.label1);
this.Controls.Add(this.button1);
this.Name = "mainForm";
this.Text = "Tables as datasources";
this.ResumeLayout(false);
}
#endregion
}
}
Program.cs
using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace TablesAsDatasources
{
static class Program
{
/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
Application.Run(new mainForm());
}
}
}