Can we build Web UIs with SSRS?

If all one needs is a bunch of reports, then, instead of going the
whole hog writing a UI in a bespoke ASP.NET application, can one take
the sole refuge of SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services to do a neat UI
along with the reports?
As in, one of the parameters for a report may be a period range. Can
SSRS help me build a form with two date pickers that I can:
1. program the events of, package the date ranges, pass it to the
report and call my report file from?
2. publish the form as a Web form?
Or, does one have to rely on a bespoke ASP.NET app to do it? What are
the limits of SSRS?SSRS has its limitations.
SSRS relies greatly on how the SQL code is written.
For example, if you are using date ranges - reporting services is there
to be the middle man between presentation and data. Nothing more. All
reporting services will require is 2 parameters(start date and end
date).
Meaning SSRS will have to TEXTBOX's where the user will just enter 2
dates and it will run the report between the 2 dates. In this case
there is no validation of the paramters but i can all be handleled on
the DB side. So reporting services doesnt have built in controls where
the user will enter dates, its only there to GET parameters. These
parameters are provided in a text box.
SSRS is not a web application where the user has easy to read UI to
enter paramters. It does have a VERY nice way of displaying the
results. Its buily to display a result of a DB call, not to present the
user with a web form.
regards,
Stas K.|||Thanks, Sorcerdon. I understood what you're saying. Now let me present
a broader picture of what I'm thinking might just be possible.
I have to build a bespoke ASP.NET app, which mostly requires to use
SSRS as a backend for reporting. So, in effect, this bespoke Web app is
just to provide UI forms and call SSRS with parameters.
I was considering if it might be possible to use any of the SQL Server
2005 services (Integration, Application, Reporting, Anything Else) to
get the UI functionality also as it is, out-of-the-box.
After all, what I'll be building a bespoke application is to get a UI
to call my reports. Surely, Microsoft, with its DSI and software
factories initiative might have as well provided with some tool to
automate that as well out-of-the-box.
Thoughts?|||Actually, in SSRS 2005, there is a better implementation of the Date type
parameters, with a calendar control and input validation controls.
Thiago
--
Regards,
"Sorcerdon" wrote:
> SSRS has its limitations.
> SSRS relies greatly on how the SQL code is written.
> For example, if you are using date ranges - reporting services is there
> to be the middle man between presentation and data. Nothing more. All
> reporting services will require is 2 parameters(start date and end
> date).
> Meaning SSRS will have to TEXTBOX's where the user will just enter 2
> dates and it will run the report between the 2 dates. In this case
> there is no validation of the paramters but i can all be handleled on
> the DB side. So reporting services doesnt have built in controls where
> the user will enter dates, its only there to GET parameters. These
> parameters are provided in a text box.
> SSRS is not a web application where the user has easy to read UI to
> enter paramters. It does have a VERY nice way of displaying the
> results. Its buily to display a result of a DB call, not to present the
> user with a web form.
> regards,
> Stas K.
>|||I was solely speaking of Reporting Services 2000. My bad.
There is a UI for reporting that is built in for reporting
services(report manager). People can log in subsrcibe to report and get
it in their mail every morning. All of that is built in. And they can
run the reports at will.
The problem is that in RS2000 (I have not yet started working with 2005
until very recently) it wasnt as nice of a UI. So, perhaps a RS 2005
PRO can answer this?
As for out-of-the-box - there is always report manager. The users input
their parameters - or they are defualted to defualt parameters. It DOES
have it built in, yes!
Here are some screenies of what the report manager looks like:
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Files/09/40529/Figure_07.gif
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnhcvs04/html/408dobson5.jpg
http://www.codeproject.com/books/MSReportingServices/img005.jpg
In that last screenie you can see how the parameters are inputed - in
those text boxes.
regards,
Stas K.|||Hi,
Ofcourse RS is meant for reporting and not giving some fancy UI. But yes in
2005 they have provided what is called "Report Viewer" (comes with VS2005)
which you can use it in your Asp.Net along with your UI. Want to explore ?
search for "ReportViewer Controls (Visual Studio)" in VS 2005 documentation.
Amarnath
"Water Cooler v2" wrote:
> Thanks, Sorcerdon. I understood what you're saying. Now let me present
> a broader picture of what I'm thinking might just be possible.
> I have to build a bespoke ASP.NET app, which mostly requires to use
> SSRS as a backend for reporting. So, in effect, this bespoke Web app is
> just to provide UI forms and call SSRS with parameters.
> I was considering if it might be possible to use any of the SQL Server
> 2005 services (Integration, Application, Reporting, Anything Else) to
> get the UI functionality also as it is, out-of-the-box.
> After all, what I'll be building a bespoke application is to get a UI
> to call my reports. Surely, Microsoft, with its DSI and software
> factories initiative might have as well provided with some tool to
> automate that as well out-of-the-box.
> Thoughts?
>|||Thanks everyone.
Sorcerdon and Amarnath,
Where do I find these "Report Manager" and "Report Viewer"? I cannot
see "ReportViewer Controls" in my toolbox. Do I have to import them (as
in set a reference to some assembly containing them)?
Or, is it because I do not have the complete Visual Studio 2005
Enterprise Architect Edition. I only have SQL Server 2005 Business
Intelligence Development Studio (which is basically a stripped down
version of VS .NET 2005 with only data-centric project templates).|||This is so wrong on so many levels.
I don't usually say this sort of thing but please until you learn more about
the product DO NOT jump in and answer questions.
Let's start with the most glaring problem. You state that the date would be
text with no validation. In RS 2000 there was not a date picker. In RS 2005
there is a date picker. BUT, even assuming you are on RS 2000 you are still
totally wrong. If you go to the menu Report->Report Parameters you can set
the data type for each parameter. So, even in RS 2000 there is validation
for a date field (or an integer field etc), they cannot put in a non-date if
the field should be a date field.
To say RS is not a web app that the user can enter parameters in easily is
also so totally wrong. Yes, some people prefer to have more control over
placement of controls and other things but RS comes with a totally usable
portal called Report Manager. You can have the parameters be based on a
query (so you that pick from a dropdown list). You can have cascading
parameters where the second parameter list is based on the previous
parameter. You can set defaults for the parameters, etc etc. Each report you
can place a description with it so when the user sees the list of reports
each report has a brief description. In RS 2005 you can have multi-select
parameter lists.
So in short, your answer has set this guy off on a totally wrong tangent. It
could be that the existing portal that ships with RS would fullfill all his
needs.
I know you were trying to be helpfull but you are lacking in knowledge about
the product.
--
Bruce Loehle-Conger
MVP SQL Server Reporting Services
"Sorcerdon" <sorcerdon@.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144686176.448071.239430@.i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> SSRS has its limitations.
> SSRS relies greatly on how the SQL code is written.
> For example, if you are using date ranges - reporting services is there
> to be the middle man between presentation and data. Nothing more. All
> reporting services will require is 2 parameters(start date and end
> date).
> Meaning SSRS will have to TEXTBOX's where the user will just enter 2
> dates and it will run the report between the 2 dates. In this case
> there is no validation of the paramters but i can all be handleled on
> the DB side. So reporting services doesnt have built in controls where
> the user will enter dates, its only there to GET parameters. These
> parameters are provided in a text box.
> SSRS is not a web application where the user has easy to read UI to
> enter paramters. It does have a VERY nice way of displaying the
> results. Its buily to display a result of a DB call, not to present the
> user with a web form.
> regards,
> Stas K.
>|||Hey Bruce,
Thanks for that RS2000 validation control re-answer. I seem to have
never known it existed - perhaps because I am running all my reports of
a web app.
Same for the second answer.
regards,
Stas K.|||I have noticed other posts of yours after my harsh response here and you
have good answers in other areas. I got a little excitable on my post.
You obviously do know other areas of the product, just not Report Manager.
--
Bruce Loehle-Conger
MVP SQL Server Reporting Services
"Sorcerdon" <sorcerdon@.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144787538.172402.57350@.g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hey Bruce,
> Thanks for that RS2000 validation control re-answer. I seem to have
> never known it existed - perhaps because I am running all my reports of
> a web app.
> Same for the second answer.
> regards,
> Stas K.
>|||Bruce,
I am actually a software developer not a report writer although I do
both.
So I really should go answer questions in other forums. In these forums
I hope to help myself learn and perfect my technique when writing
reports.
Although some questions here come from N-Users... So I am able to think
of solutions.
As for Report Manager, in this case I am the N-user ^_^ - I dont like
how it looks as a matter of fact. I want a whole new look for the whole
thing. I like a sharepoint type of look(if your familiar).
regards,
Stas K.