How to create report for Windows Store App?

Question

I'm developing a LOB app targeted to windows store and I'd like to know what are the options to create custom reports for it. The user may want to, besides printing, export to PDF or CSV.

I don't know which API there is for windows store apps. Googling didn't help much.

If there isn't any tool to create the report, what would you guys suggest?

Looking the PrintSample from Microsoft, it prints the content of a grid component. I doubt how to set the size of page in this case so I can format the report properly.

Any help/idea is much appreciated.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I've committed to a client to build them a Windows Store App for their RT Tablet. I had no idea the technology was so... limited at the time. For example no System.Data, StreamWriter, and many other common business application functionalities are missing... Probably most surprising of all for me was a standard method of building reports. So far their appears to be no SSRS integration (Hopefully coming soon?). Looking at Crystal Reports they currently have no plans of extending to the Windows RT Platform.

I wasn't to impressed with Microsoft's Print sample either, which seemed like a hack more than anything. So I created a more suitable method for my needs. I am sure many of you have come up with your own methods including purchasing third party tools, but as for me I generated my custom reports through HTML and the current WindowsRT available SQLite methods (How Much I miss System.Data!). As mentioned StreamWriter doesn't seem really plausible with Windows RT so I did a little research for an alternative and this is what works for me:

        private async void  PrintEstimate()
    {
        // BUILD ESTIMATE WHICH IS AN HTML PAGE BECAUSE THEIR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE
        // A WAY TO REALLY BUILD REPORTS FOR WINRT APPLICATIONS AT THIS POINT WITHOUT
        // PURCHASING THRIRD PARTY TOOLS.

        // Validate Estimate
        // Are their values in the estimate list?
        if (this.listServices.Items.Count < 1)
        {
            MessageDialog msgDialog = new MessageDialog("You must first add services before you can print an estimate.");
            // Show the message dialog
            await msgDialog.ShowAsync();
            return;
        }

        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(this.txtTotal1.Text))
        {

            MessageDialog msgDialog = new MessageDialog("You must first add the total before you can print an estimate.");
            // Show the message dialog
            await msgDialog.ShowAsync();
            return;
        }

        var strAppPath = Path.Combine(Windows.ApplicationModel.Package.Current.InstalledLocation.Path, @"EstimateReport\NewAPEMiniLogo.png");
        var dbPath = Path.Combine(Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder.Path, "APE.db");
        // ESTIMATE VARIABLES
        string dtDateOfEstimate = Convert.ToString(this.dateEstimate.Date.ToString("MM/dd/yyyy"));
        string strCustomerName = null;
        string strCustomerAddress = null;
        string strCustomerPhone = null;
        string strCustomerNotes = null;
        double totalCost = Convert.ToDouble(this.txtTotal1.Text);
        double taxes = .08 * totalCost;
        string strEstimateNote = this.txtNotes.Text;
        string base64;

        // THE WINRT Environment is very limited as far as accessing local resources... and from all that I have found
        // Is purposely limited in allowing this to be done... thus here I am converting the image to a base64 string
        //StorageFolder appFolder = ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder;
        StorageFolder appFolder = await Windows.ApplicationModel.Package.Current.InstalledLocation.GetFolderAsync("EstimateReport");
        StorageFile imageFile = await appFolder.GetFileAsync("NewAPEMiniLogo.png");
        using (var stream = await imageFile.OpenAsync(FileAccessMode.Read))
        {
            var reader = new DataReader(stream.GetInputStreamAt(0));
            var bytes = new byte[stream.Size];
            await reader.LoadAsync((uint)stream.Size);
            reader.ReadBytes(bytes);
            base64 = Convert.ToBase64String(bytes);
        }


        // IF NEW ESTIMATE
        if (currentEstimateID == 0)
        {
            // CREATE/ INSERT NEW ESTIMATE                
            using (var db = new SQLite.SQLiteConnection(dbPath))
            {
                db.CreateTable<APE_Painting_App.DataAccess.Estimate>();
                db.RunInTransaction(() => { db.Insert(new DataAccess.Estimate() { CustomerID = currentCustomerID, EstimateDate = Convert.ToDateTime(dtDateOfEstimate), TotalCost = totalCost, EstimateNotes = strEstimateNote }); });
                string sql = "SELECT last_insert_rowid()";
                currentEstimateID = db.ExecuteScalar<int>(sql);
                db.Close();
            }
        }
        else
        {
            // ELSE UPDATE CURRENT ESTIMATE
            dbPath = Path.Combine(Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder.Path, "APE.db");
            using (var db = new SQLite.SQLiteConnection(dbPath))
            {
                // THE ONLY THREE ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE CHANGEABLE AT THE ESTIMATE LEVEL ARE TOTAL COST, ESTIMATE NOTES AND ESTIMATE DATE.
                var objEstimate = db.Table<Estimate>().Where(c => c.EstimateID == currentEstimateID).Single();
                objEstimate.EstimateDate = Convert.ToDateTime(dtDateOfEstimate);
                objEstimate.TotalCost = totalCost;
                objEstimate.EstimateNotes = strEstimateNote;
                objEstimate.JobAwarded = this.chkJobAwarded.IsChecked.Value;
                db.Update(objEstimate);
                db.Close();
            }
        }

        // GET CUSTOMER VALUES
        using (var db = new SQLite.SQLiteConnection(dbPath))
        {
            var objCustomer = db.Table<Customer>().Where(c => c.CustomerID == currentCustomerID).Single(); 
            strCustomerName = objCustomer.FirstName + " " + objCustomer.LastName;
            strCustomerAddress = objCustomer.Address1 + " " + objCustomer.Address2 + " " + objCustomer.City + " " + objCustomer.State + " " + objCustomer.Zip;
            strCustomerPhone = objCustomer.Phone1;
            strCustomerNotes = objCustomer.CustomerNote;

           db.Close();
        }

        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

        sb.Append(@"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC ""-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"" ""http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<!-- saved from url=(0016)http://localhost-->" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<html xmlns=""http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<head>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<meta http-equiv=""Content-Type"" content=""text/html; charset=utf-8"" />" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<title>Service Estimate: A.P.E. Painting Inc.</title>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<style type='text/css' media='print'>.printbutton {visibility: hidden; display: none;}</style>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<style type=""text/css"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"body{font-family:""Palatino Linotype"", ""Book Antiqua"", Palatino, serif;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"#printablePage{ width:1000px; height:1300px; padding: 30px; position:relative; left:10px; top:10px; }" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"#headTitle{ font-size:24px;  position:absolute; left:225px; top:15px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"#reportName{ font-size:30px; position:absolute; left:850px; top:10px; color:#FFA61B;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"#companyBlock{ position:absolute; top:45px; left:225px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"#footerNote{ font-size:16px;position:absolute; width:500px; left:150px; top:1135px; font-weight:bold;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"#logo{ position:absolute; top:20px; left:20px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".customertable{font-size:14px;color:#333333;width:94%;border-width: 1px;border-color:#ebab3a;border-collapse:collapse;position:absolute;top:200px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".apetable {font-size:14px;color:#333333;width:94%;border-width: 1px;border-color: #ebab3a;border-collapse: collapse; position:absolute; top: 350px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".apetableB{font-size:14px;color:#333333;width:94%;border-width: 1px;border-color: #ebab3a;border-collapse: collapse; position:absolute; top: 1125px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".apetableC{font-size:10px;color:#333333;width:94%;border-width: 1px;border-color: #ebab3a;border-collapse: collapse; position:absolute; top: 1236px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"th {font-size:16px;background-color:#FFA61B;border-width: 1px;padding: 8px;border-style: solid;border-color: #ebab3a;text-align:left; color:#fff;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"tr {background-color:#FFF;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"td {font-size:12px;border-width: 1px;padding: 8px;border-style: solid;border-color: #FFA61B; height:20px;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".apetable tr:hover {background-color:#FFA61B;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".col1{width:80%;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".col1B{width:80%; border-left-color:#FFF; border-bottom-color:#FFF; border-top:none; text-align:right; font-size:16px; font-weight:bold;}" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".col1C{width:50%; font-size:12px; }" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@".col2{width:20%; }" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</style>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<script>function printDiv() {" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@" window.focus(); window.print(); } " + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</script>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</head>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<body>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<input style = 'position:absolute; width: 150px; height:75px; z-index: 99;' type='button' class='printbutton' onClick='printDiv()' value='Print Report' />" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<div id=""printablePage"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<h1 id=""headTitle"">A.P.E. Painting Inc.</h1>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<h1 id=""reportName"">" + this.pageTitle.Text + @"</h1>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<h3 id=""companyBlock"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"30809 NE Coyote Lane <br/>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"Yacolt, WA 98675 <br/>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"(360) 263-7699 <br/>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<em> WA State Lic. &amp; Reg. #APEPAI*011QQ</em>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</h3>" + "\r\n");
        //sb.Append(@"<img id= ""logo"" src=""" + strAppPath + @""" width=""197"" height=""148"" alt=""APE LOGO"" />" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append("<img src=\"data:image/png;base64,");
        sb.Append(base64);
        sb.Append("\" />");




        sb.Append(@"<table class=""customertable"" border=""1"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr><td> <strong>Estimate Date:</strong> " + dtDateOfEstimate + "   |   <strong>Customer:</strong> " + strCustomerName + "   |   <strong>Customer Phone:</strong> " + strCustomerPhone + " </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr><td> <strong>Customer Address:</strong> " + strCustomerAddress + " </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr><td> <strong>Project Notes:</strong> " + strEstimateNote + " </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</table>" + "\r\n");

        sb.Append(@"<table class=""apetable"" border=""1"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr><th class=""col1"">Services</th></tr>" + "\r\n");

        // Get Count of Estimate Items
        int intEstimateLines = this.listServices.Items.Count;

        // DELETE ALL PREVIOUS SERVICE LINES FOR THIS ESTIMATE IF ANY EXIST
        using (var db = new SQLite.SQLiteConnection(dbPath))
        {
            SQLiteAsyncConnection conn = new SQLiteAsyncConnection(dbPath);
            var query = conn.Table<EstimateDetails>().Where(x => x.EstimateID == currentEstimateID);
            var result = await query.ToListAsync();
            foreach (var item in result)
            {
                // FIRST DELETE ALL ESTIMATE DETAIL RECORDS
                // GET CURRENT ESTIMATE ID
                int estimateDetailID = item.EstimateDetailID;
                try
                {
                    db.Execute("DELETE FROM EstimateDetails WHERE EstimateDetailID = ?", estimateDetailID);
                }
                catch (Exception ex)
                {

                }
            }
        }

        // LOOP 20 Times TO CREATE THE STATIC LINES IN THE INVOICE WHETHER THEIR IS A SERVICE OR NOT. ALSO:
        // INSERT SERVICES/ LOOP THORUGH SERVICES ARRAY TO OBTAIN VALUES
        for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++)
        {
            // INSERT RECORD TO DATABASE IF NECESSARY FIELDS HAVE VALUE
            if (i >= intEstimateLines)
            {
                // NO SERVICES OR COST JUST ADD EMPTY SPACE ON REPORT
                sb.Append(@"<tr><td class=""col1""> </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
            }
            else
            {
                this.listServices.SelectedIndex = i;
                string currentValue = this.listServices.SelectedItem.ToString();
                using (var db = new SQLite.SQLiteConnection(dbPath))
                {
                    db.CreateTable<APE_Painting_App.DataAccess.EstimateDetails>();
                    db.RunInTransaction(() => { db.Insert(new DataAccess.EstimateDetails() { EstimateID = currentEstimateID, EstimateLineItem = currentValue }); });

                    // FILL REPORT WITH CORRESPONDING VALUES
                    sb.Append(@"<tr><td class=""col1""> " + currentValue + @" </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
                }
            }
        }
        sb.Append(@"</table>" + "\r\n");

        sb.Append(@"<table class=""apetableB"" border=""1"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr><td class=""col1B"">Sub Total:</td><td class=""col2"" style="" text-align:Left;"">" + String.Format("{0:C}", totalCost) + @" </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr><td class=""col1B""> Taxes:</td><td class=""col2"" style="" text-align:Left;""> " + String.Format("{0:C}", taxes) + @" </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr><td class=""col1B"">Total:</td><td class=""col2"" style="" text-align:Left;"">" + String.Format("{0:C}", (taxes + totalCost)) + @" </td></tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</table>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<div id=""footerNote"">We propose to furnish material and labor - complete in accordance with the above specifications, for the sum of:<br /><br />Method of Payment:</div>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<table class=""apetableC"" border=""1"">" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<td class=""col1C"">All material is guaranteed to be as specified. All work to be completed in a workman like manner according to standard practices. Any alteration or deviation from above specifications involving extra costs will be executed only upon written orders, and will become an extra charge over and above the estimate. All agreements contingent upon strikes, accidents or delays beyond our control. Owner to carry fire, tornado and other necessary insurance. Our workers are fully covered by Workmans Compensation Insurance. </td>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<td class=""colC""><span style=""font-weight:bold;"">Acceptance of Proposal- </span>The above prices, specifications and conditions are satisfactory and are hereby accepted. Your are authorized to do the work as specified. Payment will be made as outlined above. <span style=""font-weight:bold;"">Date of Acceptance:_______________________  </span><br /><br /><br />   <span style=""font-weight:bold;"">Signature:________________________________________________________________________</span></td></tr>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</table>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</div>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"<body>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</body>" + "\r\n");
        sb.Append(@"</html>" + "\r\n");

        // Create a file in local storage
        var folder = ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder;
        var file = await folder.CreateFileAsync("APE_Printable_Estimate.html", CreationCollisionOption.ReplaceExisting);
        await FileIO.WriteTextAsync(file, sb.ToString());
        string strURL = @"file:/// " + file.Path.ToString();         //      
        // OPEN FILE
        await Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchFileAsync(file);
    }

Answer 2

Unfortunately there is no free library (tool/sdk) for generating PDF/Excel reports in Windows Store App now.
But if you have money for buying - check PDFTron and Syncfusion