Create RDLC Report In C# ASP.NET

RDLC Stands for Report Definition Language Client Side. It is used to create reports using Microsoft Reporting Technology.

It is not a third party report and is a built-in reporting service in Microsoft Visual Studio.

Benefits

Runs on client side
Run Based on only one Dataset
Run Based on one Data Source
No need to install any Reporting Service Instance

Here are the steps to create a new RDLC Report in C#.

Step 1. To create a new website start Visual Studio 2008, Go to File, then click New Web Site.

Then choose the path where we have to save the website folder and mention the website name as whatever you need. Here, I have given the website name RDLC.

New Website

Figure 1. Create a new website

Then hit the OK button.

Step 2. Now we are going to create a Dataset for our report. Here are the steps.

Right-click the website name folder RDLC, Add a new Item, then choose Dataset.

Dataset Creation

Figure 2. Dataset Creation

Mention the dataset name and then hit the Add button to explore the dataset window.

Now your dataset RDLC is placed under the App_Code folder then the following dataset window will open.

Dataset window

Figure 3. Dataset window

Step 3. In the working area of the dataset window right click, Add, then click DataTable.

Adding Data Table

Figure 4. Adding Data Table

Now the data table is added into the dataset working area field like the following.

Data Table

Figure 5. Data Table

After the table creation right right-click the table, then Add and click Column to add the column.

Adding Column

Figure 6. Adding Column

Add the data column whatever you need and then change the table name to tblStudent.

Field Added

Figure 7. After Column Field Added

Now your data set is ready to connect with our report.

Step 4. After dataset creation, we are going to create RDLC.

Right click the website name folder, click Add new item, then choose Report Wizard.

Report Creation

Figure 8. Report Creation

Mention the report name as Student.rdlc and then hit the Add button. After clicking the add button the following pop-up window will open. In this window hit the next button.

Pop up window

Figure 9. Pop up window

After clicking next button it will take you into the data source selection window.

Selection Window

Figure 10. Data Source selection window

In this window select the data source that is our student dataset and then click the Next button.

Then choose the report type as Tabular and then hit next. It will take you to the following tab. In this tab choose whatever fields you need to display it into your report. Select the fields in Available fields then hit Page button to add it into the Displayed Fields column. Then choose table layout whatever you want and then hit next then choose the table style. Here I have to choose the table style as forest. After that click the Finish button to exit the report creation wizard.

Now your report is displayed into the following format.

RDLC Report

Figure 11. RDLC Report

Step 5. Now we are going to add a reporting viewer to our webpage.

In the RDLC report we need to add a reporting viewer means we need a Script manager that is Ajaxcontroltoolkit.dll to be added to our webpage reference.

Choose ScriptManager in the Ajax Extension Toolbox.

Adding Script Manager

Figure 12. Adding Script Manager

Then choose ReportViewer under the Reporting toolbox.

Adding Report Viewer

Figure 13. Adding Report Viewer

Step 6. Coding to bind a Report from the database.

Adding the following reference to our code page.

using System.Data;
using System.Data.Sql;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms;
public partial class Default : System.Web.UI.Page
{
    protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection("Data Source=sql Server name; Initial Catalog=ResultDB; Integrated Security=True");
        
        if (!IsPostBack)
        {
            string strQuery = "SELECT * FROM tblStudent";
            SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(strQuery, con);
            DataTable dt = new DataTable();
            da.Fill(dt);
            RDLC ds = new RDLC();
            ds.Tables["tblStudent"].Merge(dt);
            ReportViewer1.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local;
            ReportViewer1.LocalReport.ReportPath = Server.MapPath("Student.rdlc");
            ReportDataSource datasource = new ReportDataSource("RDLC", ds.Tables[0]);
            ReportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Clear();
            ReportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(datasource);
        }
    }
}

After execution, you can see what the following error means.

Error

Figure 14. Error

Paste the following code into your web. config file under HTTP handlers.

<add verb="*" path="Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd" type="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.HttpHandler, Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />