Basic

Report Document is XML file containing information about printing objects. Default file extension is .xml, yet, this is not obligatory. Report document uses it's own (generic) XML namespace, and strictly conforms to XML standard.

The XML structure on a document level follows the next pattern :

<stampa name="documentName" papersize="A4" layout="Portrait" customUnit="Inches" customWidth="10" customHeight="12">

  <!-- Margins setup (optional) -->
  <margins left="50" top="50" right="50" bottom="50" />

  <!-- Report startup options -->
  <startInfo>
     <preloadData value="True" />
     <ignorePreloadExceptions value="True" />
  </startInfo>

  <!-- Report database connection. Meaningfull only if PreloadData is set to True. -->
  <connection>
     <name value="dbConnection" />
     <assembly value="System.Data" />
     <type value="System.Data.Odbc.OdbcConnection" />
     <connectionString value="Driver={Microsoft Access driver (*.mdb)}; Dbq=e:\demo.mdb;" />
  </connection>

  <!-- List of documents parameters (optional if no parameters defined) -->
  <parameters>
    <parameter name="myParameter" defaultValue="10" />
    ...
  <parameters>

  <!-- List of report queries -->
  <queries>
     <query dataSource="myTable" selectCommand="select * from customers where id>$P{id}" />
  </queries>

  <sections>

    <!-- At least one section must be present --> 
    <section name="Section1">
      <flow value="4,0,3" />
      <content>

        <!-- The list of section objects definitions (text-fields, tables, pictures) goes here. -->

      </content>   
    </section>

    ...

  </sections>
</stampa>

Note :

• At least one "section" block must be present for report to render correctly
• Block "parameters" is optional if report requires no parameters.
• Block "margins" is optional. Default margin values are 50,50,50,50 (in pixels).

The basic class in Stampa package is ReportDocument. It inherits from the standard .NET class PrintDocument. Therefore, you can use it pretty much the same way as PrintDocument class.

First, add a reference to Stampa.dll file (provided in the distribution) to your project. If you feel like it, you can also put this component in your Control Toolbar.

Second, add an instance of Stampa.ReportDocument to your module (form); if you have previously attached it in your control toolbar, simply drag it to your form:

private Stampa.ReportDocument document = new Stampa.ReportDocument();

At the point where you wish to print some report, set the template file and fill in the parameters (if any):

// set .xml file for printing
document.setXML("report.xml");

// fill in declared parameters (if any)
// (parameter names are case sensitive)
Hashtable parameters = new Hashtable();
parameters.Add("author","John Smith");
document.SetParameters(parameters);

// finally, choose what to do with your report :

// A. show print preview dialog
PrintPreviewDialog printPreview = new PrintPreviewDialog();
printPreview.Document = document;
printPreview.WindowState = FormWindowState.Maximized;
printPreview.ShowDialog();

// B. show print dialog
// PrintDialog printDialog = new PrintDialog();
// printDialog.Document = document;
// if (DialogResult.OK == printDialog.ShowDialog())
//    document.Print();

// C. immediate print
// document.Print();

// D. PDF file serialization
// document.SerializeToPdfFile("myFile.pdf");

To use ReportDocument in ASP.NET, create an instance of document in your ASP.NET page:

private Stampa.ReportDocument document = new Stampa.ReportDocument();

Second step is to set document content:

// set full path of the .xml template
string xmlPath = this.MapPath(this.ResolveUrl("reportStatic.xml"));
document.setXML(xmlPath);

// do some processing here, if necessary
// add parameters, dynamic tables, pictures

Last step is to serialize your report to PDF stream and send the response back to web user:

byte[] response = document.SerializeToPdfStream();

Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";
Response.OutputStreamWrite(content, 0, content.Length);
Response.End();

In order to get HTML report output in your ASP.NET environment, you sholud use HttpReportHandler utility class. Use HttpReportHandler.Process(HttpContext context, Stampa.ReportDocument report, string reportName) method to obtain desired output.

using System;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.SessionState;
using Stampa;
using System.Collections;
using System.Drawing;

public class Handler : IHttpHandler, IRequiresSessionState 
{
    HttpReportHandler handler = new HttpReportHandler();
    
    public void ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) 
    {
        string reportName = "myReport";

        if (context.Request.Params["stampaImage"] != null)
        {
            handler.Process(context, null, reportName);
        }
        else
        {
           Stampa.ReportDocument report = new ReportDocument();
           report.setXML(context.Request.MapPath("testingReport.xml"));

           handler.Process(context, report, reportName);
        }
    }
}       

Setting custom report size

In order to use custom printing sizes, you have to set PaperType property to Custom. In that scenario customWidth and customHeight attributes are used to determine paper size. The measure unit is determined by CustomUnit property. Valid values are Pixels, Inches and Millimeters.