Microsoft Reporting Services in Action

Cover......Page 1
brief contents......Page 8
contents......Page 10
foreword......Page 20
preface......Page 22
acknowledgments......Page 24
roadmap......Page 26
Software requirements......Page 29
Setting up the source code......Page 31
About the author......Page 34
About the cover illustration......Page 35
Introducing Microsoft Reporting Services......Page 36
1.1.1 Why do we need RS?......Page 37
1.1.2 How is RS implemented?......Page 39
1.1.3 RS and the Microsoft BI platform......Page 40
1.2 RS at a glance......Page 41
1.2.1 Authoring features......Page 42
1.2.2 Management features......Page 43
1.2.4 Extensibility features......Page 44
1.2.6 Security features......Page 45
1.3 RS architecture......Page 46
1.3.1 The Report Server......Page 48
1.3.2 The Report Server database......Page 49
1.3.3 The Report Manager......Page 50
1.4 Understanding Report Processing......Page 52
1.4.2 Rendering stage......Page 53
1.5.1 On-demand delivery......Page 55
1.5.2 Subscribed delivery......Page 56
1.6 What is the report lifecycle?......Page 57
1.7.1 About the Adventure Works Reporter......Page 58
1.7.2 Your first report......Page 59
1.8 Evaluating RS......Page 68
1.10 Resources......Page 70
Authoring reports......Page 72
Report authoring basics......Page 74
2.1 The report-authoring process: step by step......Page 75
2.1.1 Analysis......Page 76
2.1.4 Deployment......Page 77
2.2.1 Authoring reports with the Report Wizard......Page 78
2.2.2 Authoring reports with the Report Designer......Page 79
2.2.3 Importing reports from Microsoft Access......Page 88
2.3 Creating reports programmatically......Page 90
2.3.1 The AW Ad Hoc Reporter sample......Page 91
2.3.2 Implementation details......Page 93
2.4.1 Cizer’s Quick Query......Page 95
2.6 Resources......Page 97
3.1 Working with data sources......Page 98
3.1.1 Connecting to the database......Page 99
3.1.2 Choosing an authentication mechanism......Page 104
3.2 Working with report datasets......Page 112
3.2.1 Understanding the dataset definition......Page 113
3.2.2 Creating a report dataset......Page 114
3.2.3 Using multiple datasets......Page 118
3.3.1 Using the Graphical Query Designer......Page 119
3.3.2 Using the Generic Query Designer......Page 121
3.4.1 The role of parameters......Page 124
3.4.2 Building parameter-driven queries......Page 125
3.4.3 Setting up the report-level parameters......Page 127
3.4.4 Working with stored procedures......Page 130
3.5.1 Data source limitations......Page 135
3.7 Resources......Page 136
Designing reports......Page 137
4.1 Anatomy of a report......Page 138
4.1.2 Understanding report sections......Page 139
4.1.3 Understanding report items......Page 140
4.1.4 Understanding data regions......Page 142
4.2 Designing tabular reports......Page 144
4.2.1 Parameterized tabular reports......Page 148
4.2.2 Tabular reports with interactive features......Page 152
4.3.1 Freeform reports with nested regions......Page 154
4.3.2 Grouping freeform data......Page 156
4.3.3 Freeform reports with side-by-side data regions......Page 158
4.4.1 The chart data region......Page 159
4.4.2 Working with charts......Page 161
4.4.3 Nesting chart regions......Page 162
4.5.1 Matrix region advantages......Page 164
4.5.2 Working with the matrix region......Page 165
4.5.3 Adjusting the report layout......Page 169
4.6 Designing Subreports......Page 170
4.6.1 Laying out the report......Page 171
4.6.2 Synchronizing the subreport with the master report......Page 172
4.7 Designing multicolumn reports......Page 173
4.7.1 Setting up multiple columns......Page 174
4.8 Summary......Page 175
4.9 Resources......Page 176
Using expressions and functions......Page 177
5.1.1 Using the Expression Editor......Page 178
5.1.3 Determining expression execution order......Page 180
5.1.4 Understanding expression scope......Page 181
5.1.5 Dealing with expression errors......Page 182
5.2 Exploring the Report Object Model......Page 183
5.2.1 Using the ReportItems collection......Page 186
5.2.2 Using the Fields collection......Page 190
5.2.3 Using the Parameters collection......Page 192
5.2.5 Using the User collection......Page 194
5.3.1 Referencing external functions......Page 195
5.3.2 Using aggregate functions......Page 196
5.3.3 Using other internal functions......Page 200
5.4 Designing reports with navigational features......Page 202
5.4.1 Reports with hyperlinks......Page 203
5.4.2 Reports with document maps......Page 205
5.5.1 Exporting reports to HTML......Page 208
5.5.3 Exporting reports to HTML with Office Web Components......Page 209
5.5.4 Exporting reports to other formats......Page 211
5.6.1 Report localization basics......Page 212
5.6.2 Localization techniques......Page 214
5.7 Summary......Page 216
5.8 Resources......Page 217
Using custom code......Page 218
6.1.1 Using embedded code......Page 219
6.1.2 Using external assemblies......Page 222
6.2 Custom code in action: implementing report forecasting......Page 226
6.2.2 Implementing report forecasting features......Page 227
6.3 Using XML-based reports......Page 239
6.3.2 Exposing the report content as an RSS feed......Page 240
6.4 Summary......Page 245
6.5 Resources......Page 246
Managing reports......Page 248
Managing the Reporting Services environment......Page 250
7.1.1 How the Report Manager works......Page 251
7.1.2 Managing Report Server settings......Page 254
7.1.3 Managing content......Page 258
7.1.4 Managing report execution......Page 265
7.1.5 Managing linked reports......Page 275
7.2.2 Tracing calls to the SOAP API......Page 277
7.2.3 Deploying reports programmatically......Page 280
7.3 Managing RS with the WMI provider......Page 284
7.3.1 Understanding the WMI provider......Page 285
7.3.2 Implementing an RS management console......Page 286
7.4.1 Managing RS with the script host......Page 288
7.4.2 Using other management utilities......Page 289
7.5.1 Analyzing the Report Server execution log......Page 290
7.5.2 Analyzing trace log files......Page 292
7.7 Resources......Page 294
Securing Reporting Services......Page 295
8.1 Exploring Reporting Services role-based security......Page 296
8.1.1 How Windows authentication works......Page 297
8.1.2 Using role-based authorization......Page 301
8.1.3 Managing role-based security with the Report Manager......Page 307
8.1.4 Managing role-based security with the Web service......Page 312
8.2.1 Defining code access terminology......Page 316
8.2.2 Exploring the RS default security policy......Page 320
8.2.3 Managing RS code access security......Page 321
8.3 Best practices for securing reports......Page 325
8.3.1 Filtering data......Page 326
8.3.2 Using dynamic dataset queries......Page 327
8.3.4 Enforcing a secured connection to the Report Server......Page 329
8.5 Resources......Page 330
Delivering reports......Page 332
On-demand report delivery......Page 334
9.1 How RS provides on-demand report delivery......Page 335
9.2 URL-based report access......Page 336
9.2.1 Understanding URL syntax......Page 337
9.2.2 Requesting resources by URL......Page 338
9.2.3 Requesting reports by URL......Page 340
9.2.4 Working with report commands......Page 341
9.2.5 Working with the HTML Viewer......Page 344
9.2.6 URL access in action......Page 347
9.3 Web service-based report access......Page 352
9.3.1 Requesting reports with SOAP......Page 353
9.3.2 Rendering images......Page 356
9.3.3 Handing report sessions......Page 359
9.3.4 Automating the report generation process......Page 362
9.4 Evaluating URL and Web service access options......Page 366
9.4.1 Evaluating URL access......Page 367
9.4.3 Choosing an integration approach......Page 369
9.5 Summary......Page 370
9.6 Resources......Page 371
Reporting for Windows Forms applications......Page 372
10.1.1 Report-enabling rich clients......Page 373
10.1.2 Using the Client-to-Report Server model......Page 374
10.1.3 Using the Client-to-Façade-to-Report Server model......Page 376
10.2 Introducing the Adventure Works Report Wizard......Page 377
10.2.1 Designing the Report Wizard......Page 378
10.2.2 The Report Wizard step-by-step......Page 379
10.3 Behind the scenes of the Adventure Works Report Wizard......Page 383
10.3.1 Implementing the application framework......Page 384
10.3.2 Selecting reports......Page 389
10.3.4 Handling report parameters......Page 394
10.3.6 Confirming the report request......Page 403
10.4 Enhancing application performance......Page 405
10.4.1 Using in-memory caching......Page 406
10.4.2 Using multithreading......Page 407
10.5 Summary......Page 410
10.6 Resources......Page 411
Reporting for web-based applications......Page 412
11.1.1 Reporting for intranet applications......Page 413
11.1.2 Reporting for Internet applications......Page 414
11.1.3 Reporting for extranet applications......Page 417
11.1.4 Introducing the Adventure Works Web Reporter......Page 418
11.2.1 Requesting reports from hyperlinks......Page 419
11.2.2 Creating write-back reports......Page 423
11.2.3 Using HTTP-POST......Page 425
11.2.4 Calling the RS Web service on the client side......Page 427
11.3 Server-side reporting techniques......Page 430
11.3.1 Using the ReportViewer control......Page 431
11.3.2 Using the Adventure Works ReportViewer control......Page 434
11.3.3 Reporting off application datasets......Page 442
11.3.4 Business-to-consumer reporting......Page 444
11.3.5 Business-to-business reporting......Page 447
11.4 Summary......Page 449
11.5 Resources......Page 450
Reporting for OLAP applications......Page 451
12.1.1 OLTP vs. OLAP......Page 452
12.1.2 How Reporting Services and Analysis Services compare......Page 453
12.1.3 Understanding the OLAP storage model......Page 454
12.1.4 Designing OLAP solutions......Page 457
12.2 Implementing an OLAP solution: AW Data Miner......Page 459
12.2.1 Implementing the data warehouse......Page 461
12.2.2 Implementing the OLAP cube......Page 462
12.2.3 Authoring OLAP-based reports with RS......Page 475
12.2.4 Implementing AW Data Miner......Page 478
12.3 Summary......Page 488
12.4 Resources......Page 489
Enterprise reporting......Page 491
13.1.1 Evaluating enterprise reporting......Page 492
13.1.2 Introducing the Adventure Works Enterprise Reporter......Page 493
13.2 Behind the scenes of the Adventure Works Enterprise Reporter......Page 496
13.2.1 Implementing the Report Configuration Store......Page 497
13.2.2 Implementing the presentation layer......Page 498
13.2.3 Implementing the Enterprise Reporting Façade......Page 501
13.2.4 Designing for scalability......Page 505
13.3.1 Understanding the Windows Authorization Manager......Page 507
13.3.2 Securing the AW Enterprise Reporter......Page 513
13.5 Resources......Page 516
Subscribed report delivery......Page 518
14.1.2 The subscriber-publisher design pattern......Page 519
14.1.3 How the Reporting Services subscription-based model works......Page 520
14.2 Configuring subscribed report delivery......Page 523
14.2.1 Creating a new subscription......Page 524
14.2.2 Choosing the subscription type......Page 525
14.2.3 Configuring delivery extensions......Page 528
14.2.4 Managing subscriptions......Page 530
14.3.1 “Pushing” reports via standard e-mail subscriptions......Page 532
14.3.2 Archiving reports to a file share......Page 534
14.3.3 Sending reports to a data-driven list of recipients......Page 538
14.3.4 Triggering subscriptions programmatically......Page 544
14.5 Resources......Page 548
Advanced reporting......Page 550
Extending Reporting Services......Page 552
15.1.1 Understanding interface-based programming......Page 553
15.1.2 Working with interface inheritance......Page 554
15.2 Reporting off ADO.NET datasets with a custom dataset data extension......Page 558
15.2.1 Design goals and tradeoffs......Page 560
15.2.2 Authoring dataset-bound reports......Page 561
15.2.3 Implementing the custom dataset extension......Page 568
15.3 Distributing reports to Web services using custom delivery extensions......Page 572
15.3.1 Design goals and tradeoffs......Page 573
15.3.2 Using the custom delivery extension......Page 574
15.3.3 Implementing the custom delivery extension......Page 575
15.3.4 Debugging custom delivery extensions......Page 579
15.4 Implementing custom security......Page 581
15.4.1 Design goals and tradeoffs......Page 584
15.4.2 Intranet reporting with custom security......Page 585
15.4.3 Implementing the custom security extension......Page 588
15.5 Using custom HTTP modules......Page 595
15.5.2 Implementing the custom HTTP module......Page 596
15.7 Summary......Page 598
15.8 Resources......Page 599
Performance and scalability......Page 601
16.1.1 Capacity planning fundamentals......Page 602
16.1.2 The capacity planning process......Page 607
16.2.1 Determining requirements......Page 612
16.2.2 Setting up the testing environment......Page 615
16.2.3 Performance testing......Page 619
16.2.4 Analyzing performance results......Page 620
16.2.5 Identifying resource constraints......Page 622
16.2.6 Eliminating resource constraints......Page 624
16.3 Summary......Page 627
16.4 Resources......Page 628
Installing Reporting Services......Page 629
A.1 Choosing components to install......Page 630
A.2 Selecting the service account......Page 631
A.3 Specifying RS virtual folders......Page 632
A.4 Configuring the Report Server database......Page 634
A.5 Configuring Reporting Services for e-mail delivery......Page 635
A.7 Configuring RS licensing mode......Page 636
A.8.1 Installing RS sample reports......Page 638
A.9 Resources......Page 639
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