Vb.Net preview report from access database - vb.net

Question

I am using visual studio 2010 to develop my desktop application and ms access database. I have already designed reports in access database and they are working perfectly. Now my concern is that is it possible to use these access reports in my Vb.Net application?
I need this because it would be much easier to distribute the software instead of using crystal report where I will need to install a run time machine for crystal reports.

Answer 1

It's possible to do but it's a horrible implementation. You basically have to launch Access, open the database file in Access, then navigate down and launch the report. There is no way to just "view" the report inside your app. It will only show inside Access.
I think your best option is to use ReportViewer control if you don't want to use Crystal Reports.

Answer 2

I found this: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/317113?wa=wsignin1.0
To preview or to print an Access report, you call the OpenReport method of the DoCmd object. When you call OpenReport, one of the arguments that you pass determines whether the report is previewed on the screen, or whether it is sent to the printer:
' Preview a report named Sales:
oAccess.DoCmd.OpenReport(ReportName:="Sales", View:=Access.AcView.acViewPreview)
' Print a report named Sales:
oAccess.DoCmd.OpenReport(ReportName:="Sales", View:=Access.AcView.acViewNormal)
But I haven't been able to find much info/help regarding OpenReport method or DoCmd object.

Answer 3

I am not a proffesional developer, but after long research it's worked for my project.
I would like to open directly from MS Access, my existing reports and then to open these from not default installation folder path (different for each one pc). The third requirement was to open more than one report (Not all together).
Design:
Form8.vb [Design]
vb.Net Code:
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access
Public Class Form8
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim oAccess As New Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Application()
Dim CurDir As String = System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory
Dim FPath As String = CurDir & "\YourDatabase.accdb"
oAccess.Visible = True
oAccess.OpenCurrentDatabase(FPath)
If ComboBox1.Text = "Your text" Then
oAccess.DoCmd.OpenReport(ReportName:="Your Report Name", View:=AcView.acViewPreview)
ElseIf ComboBox1.Text = "Your text2" Then
oAccess.DoCmd.OpenReport(ReportName:="Your Report Name", View:=AcView.acViewPreview)
ElseIf ComboBox1.Text = "Your text3" Then
oAccess.DoCmd.OpenReport(ReportName:="Your Report Name", View:=AcView.acViewPreview)
End If
End Sub
End Class
Replace YourDatabase with YourDatabaseName, Replace Your text,Your text1,Your text2,Your text3 with YourText, Replace Your Report Name with the Name of your report Name, As needed.
Finally, in order for this solution to work, you need:
1) Your (Conn.open) connection to look like this:
Dim dbsource As String = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0; Data Source = |DataDirectory|\Your DB.accdb"
2) In Solution Explorer, Your database to include in your project or to your setup project, to be installed with your project. like this:
Solution Explorer [image]
SetUp Project link
3) At server explorer, Data Connection the (Sourse) Database file name, must be with the full path name e.g like this:
C:\Users\User\Desktop\YourDatabase.accdb, and the connection String at the Properties like this:
Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source = "C:\Users\User\Desktop\YourDatabase.accdb".
I hope this helps!!!

Answer 4

The following code:
Preview a report named Sales:
oAccess.DoCmd.OpenReport(ReportName:="Sales", View:=Access.AcView.acViewPreview)
Print a report named Sales:
oAccess.DoCmd.OpenReport(ReportName:="Sales", View:=Access.AcView.acViewNormal)
But I haven't been able to find much info/help regarding OpenReport method or DoCmd object.
This will only work if you are using VB.Net to automate the Access application. This will open the Access application and allow you to view or print the reports just as if you were running Access directly. However, you need to have the Access application (not just the .mdb or .accdb file) on the computer that is running the VB.Net application.
I have not found any way to utilize the Access reports without having Access on the computers running the VB.Net application. I'm looking into using Crystal Reports for the application I'm working on now.