ASP Reporting Application

[Brad]

Good morning,

I have a need to develop a reporting application that has static and
parameterized reports that I want my users to be able to access and retrieve
through a web interface.

I'm trying to find out the standard/preferred way of displaying reports. My
original thought process pointed me towards generating xml files for the
static reports and having standard xsl files to display them.

How should I build the form-submitted report requests using asp? Should I
generate xml from asp and have standard xsls for displaying them? Or should
I iterate through the result recordsets and just build html with
response.write?

Essentially I'm just looking for a high level summary of how ASP reporting
applications should be developed, and I feel confident that I could go from
there.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Tom Kaminski [MVP]]

Good morning,

I have a need to develop a reporting application that has static and
parameterized reports that I want my users to be able to access and
retrieve
through a web interface.

I'm trying to find out the standard/preferred way of displaying reports.
My
original thought process pointed me towards generating xml files for the
static reports and having standard xsl files to display them.

How should I build the form-submitted report requests using asp? Should I
generate xml from asp and have standard xsls for displaying them? Or
should
I iterate through the result recordsets and just build html with
response.write?

Essentially I'm just looking for a high level summary of how ASP reporting
applications should be developed, and I feel confident that I could go
from
there.

There is no one answer to this question. What's best is what works best for
you, in your specific situation.

If you have a need to use the data/reports for different purposes, the XML
may be the way to go. On the other hand, if you don't know XML/XSL, the
learning curve may be too great and not worth your time forthis particular
project.

--
Tom Kaminski IIS MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/community/centers/iis/
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
http://www.iisfaq.com/
http://www.iistoolshed.com/ - tools, scripts, and utilities for running IIS
http://www.tryiis.com

 

[Jeff Dillon]

I would recommend using either Crystal Reports, or SQL Server Reporting
Services

Jeff

 

[Michael D. Kersey]

Good morning,

I have a need to develop a reporting application that has static and
parameterized reports that I want my users to be able to access and retrieve
through a web interface. I'm trying to find out the standard/preferred way of displaying reports.

Most use ASP and output HTML.

My original thought process pointed me towards generating xml files for the
static reports and having standard xsl files to display them.
How should I build the form-submitted report requests using asp? Should I
generate xml from asp and have standard xsls for displaying them?

Probably not.

Or should I iterate through the result recordsets and just build html with
response.write?

Probably yes.

Essentially I'm just looking for a high level summary of how ASP reporting
applications should be developed, and I feel confident that I could go from
there.

I'm assuming you know ASP already. If you don't, then use whatever tool
you have at hand.

If your boss recently bought a reporting package and expects you to use
it, then you'd best do so.

IMO the term "reports" is somewhat dated. I associate it with mainframe
or Windows/Novell client/server environments. On the WWW HTML is by far
he most common display format. Other formats (PDF, DOC, TXT, etc.) are
available but not nearly so common, nor are they as easy to use.

Good Luck,
Michael D. Kersey

 

[Brad]

Thanks for the feedback.

Most use ASP and output HTML.


Probably not.



Probably yes.


I'm assuming you know ASP already. If you don't, then use whatever tool
you have at hand.

If your boss recently bought a reporting package and expects you to use
it, then you'd best do so.

IMO the term "reports" is somewhat dated. I associate it with mainframe
or Windows/Novell client/server environments. On the WWW HTML is by far
he most common display format. Other formats (PDF, DOC, TXT, etc.) are
available but not nearly so common, nor are they as easy to use.

Good Luck,
Michael D. Kersey

 

[Guest]

No, they don't. Most use a report writer system. HTML is hard-coded at
best, and requires a developer, and is inflexible. "Now, can you add a
"date" column? Rewrite the query, rewrite the ASP, and rewrite the HTML.
"Now, can you add the zip code?".. etc etc

Jeff