Display Values from a Database

Report elements can either display static information or dynamic data fetched from the bound database. Data-bound elements are indicated in the Report Designer using a little database icon in the top-right corner.

Sometimes you may work with a report that is missing some information. For instance, you may have an employee list that doesn't display birth dates. If the database contains this information, you can easily add it to your report using one of the methods described below.

Using the Field List

To bind an existing report element, click the desired field item in the Field List window, and then drag and drop it onto the element. The yellow database icon inside the control will then appear.

To add a new data-bound report element, simply drag the desired field item from the Field List window onto a report band. This will create a Label bound to the selected data field.

A more flexible way to create data-bound elements is to right-click a Field List item, and then drag and drop it onto a report. This will invoke the context menu shown in the image below. Simply choose the element type that will represent your data, and it will be automatically created and bound to the selected data field.

Using the Smart Tag

Click an element's Smart Tag, and in the invoked menu, expand the Data Binding drop-down list and select the required data field.

Using the Property Grid

Click an element to show it's properties in the Property Grid. Expand the (Data Bindings) branch that holds the bindable attributes. Specify a data field for the required attribute (e.g. Text).