Overview

This repository contains a console application project designed to convert third-party reports into DevExpress Report Definition (.REPX) files. You can use these .REPX files to load report layouts within the DevExpress Visual Studio Report Designer, DevExpress End-User Report Designer, or display the report at runtime.

How to Compile and Run the Project

This report conversion tool is limited in scope (due to differences between DevExpress Reports and other reporting tools). Review the requirements and limitations related to this product before you convert reports.

This project intentionally does not contain third-party libraries. To compile the application, add references to required assemblies.

Prerequisites

1. This project references the Crystal Reports and Active Reports libraries. You must install the libraries yourself. Please note that third-party libraries must be installed and used in accordance with the relevant license agreement.

Configuration

1. Specify library vendors in the Build Tab’s Conditional compilation symbols field. Initially it has the list of all supported third-party suppliers (all are enabled by default). Delete unnecessary names from the list.

   

   1. Open the Debug tab and specify the input and output file names (the in and out parameters) in the Command line arguments:

   

Examples of use

You can launch the application from Visual Studio or from the command line and specify the in and out parameters. Use the following command to convert multiple reports at a time:

FOR /R Reports %R IN (*.rpt) DO ReportsImport "/in:%R" "/out:%R.repx"

The following command converts an individual report:

ReportsImport /in:c:\0\crystal\file.rpt /out:c:\0\converted\testreport.repx

RDL/RDLC and Crystal Reports Conversion Specifics

If an RDL/RDLC or Crystal Reports function cannot be converted, it is replaced with the "NOT_SUPPORTED" message, as in the following expression example:

Set the UnrecognizedFunctionBehavior option to Ignore to leave unrecognized functions in expressions.

RDL/RDLC Reports:

ReportsImport /in:c:\0\rdlc\file.rdlc /out:c:\0\converted\testreport.repx /ssrs:UnrecognizedFunctionBehavior=Ignore

Crystal Reports:

ReportsImport /in:c:\0\crystal\file.rpt /out:c:\0\converted\testreport.repx /crystal:UnrecognizedFunctionBehavior=Ignore

The command listed above produces a .REPX file with the unrecognized IsDate function:

You can implement custom functions to support unrecognized functions in DevExpress reports (the IsDate custom function in the sample above).