Reporting Services 2008 Chart DynamicHeight Property Creates Extra Space - ssrs-2008

I have a bar chart with horizontal bars. I used this article to setup the dynamic height property:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/robertbruckner/archive/2008/10/27/charts-with-dynamic-size-based-on-categories-or-data.aspx
Everything looks fine in the viewer, but as soon as you go to print layout, pdf, et.al there is about 50% more blank space below the chart.
I've created a sample report (using AdventureWorks DB) to show what is happening. I placed 3 charts with blue backgrounds, each inside its own rectangle with gray backgrounds. The first chart has an expression in the DynamicHeight property, the second chart has a hard coded value in the DynamicHeight property of 8.5in, and the third chart has a blank DynamicHeight and a 8.5in in the normal Height property. I have it return 15 items to place in the chart.
They all look fine in the viewer like I said before, but go to Print Layout and the first and second charts take up twice the space with half of it being blank below the report.
I tried to post the .rdl code, but its too much for the size limit.
I have an open ticket to Microsoft that has been escalated.
We've filed the necessary request to get collaboration from our development team so we should be getting a response regarding this functionality sometime in the next couple days. I'll let you know what they say.
Development has later confirmed it was definitely a bug, now are trying to decide if it is worth it to add to the next cumulative update or wait until SSRS 2010.

The work around until this is fixed, is to place the chart control into a table/tablix.
I added an empty table, deleted the details row and the two extra columns, and added my chart that was giving me problems. Everything appears to re-size correctly now.

try setting up the interactive size, margin and page size. im not sure if it will work but you can try. page size - margin = interactive size. do not exceed from your page size when giving value to your interactive size and margin, this also can cause white spaces in print layout.
hope it helps.
best regards,
cathy

Related

Background Image not Aligning with Bubble Chart in SSRS

I have a background image for my bubble chart in SSRS (2008).
On the Design tab, the background image stays behind the bubble chart.
When I run the report (preview), the background image appears below the bubble chart - not behind it. I've set the background image as 'Send to Back'.
I assumed it should always stay as back of bubble chart.
How do I ensure that it stays fixed behind the bubble chart?
From the bubble chart graph, I have no option of filling the background with the embedded image.
According to this SSRS documentation, overlapping report items are not supported in preview mode, nor are they supported in HTML, Word, Excel, and several other important export formats. They are, however, supported in .pdf, and I've tested this to make sure that it works - even when the preview bumps the items so that they do not overlap, an exported .pdf will show them overlapping. So depending on the format you need, having overlapping report items may or may not be possible. If it is not possible for your required format, start looking into alternatives, like cropping your image into four separate images that surround your chart, and then keeping the chart as a fixed size in your report.
Oh, and I'm not sure what you mean by saying "From the bubble chart graph, I have no option of filling the background with the embedded image," if you are saying it won't work for your design purposes, that's fine. But I am able to set a background image in a bubble chart using the Fill section of the properties tab for the bubble chart to select a background image.
Edit: I am using Visual Studio 2008 as well. The properties window for the bubble chart looks like this:
Since it sounds like you already have the image you want uploaded to your project, you can choose "Embedded" for your source and then find the image in the Value dropdown.

ssrs 2008 column width changes on run and pdf

I have designed a report in SSRS 2008 with three tablix that display data from different SP. When I designed the report and then previewed it, the report looked perfect. I deployed the report to our report server and viewed it. The report displays the last table with several columns that are either too large or too small. When I then export the report to PDF after I run it on the report server then the report appears the way that I designed it.
Does anyone have an idea what could cause the report to display wrong when it is run but correctly when it is exported to a PDF?
This is pretty common. I struggle with this same issue.
Edit: double check CanGrow and CanShrink on both the cells and tablix. Maybe your is interpreted differently and therefore is larger in web view?
Firstly, you're just going to have to play with your settings until it looks like in all output formats. However, here are a few tips to help:
Don't use rectangles, ever. Everything should be in a tablix cell. You have much finer control and it is less likely to blow up in PDF and web viewer.
Stay away from your margins. I try to keep at least .25"
Watch your padding. If you have top and bottom padding of 4, and your text is 10, but your cell only allows 16, then you're going to have a bad time
Use Ctrl + Mouse Scroll to zoom in and check formatting. This won't show a lot of errors, but it's something to check.
Even though your top cell and top line of the tablix should be identical, they aren't always. I can't tell you why. However, don't put a BorderStyle on both. Sometimes the border doubles up and looks wider in some of the output formats.
Always check all output formats prior to handing your project to QA. If is very common for report formatting to blow up once deployed. I have to double check Portrait vs. Landscape formatting and my borders. I miss that sometimes.
Sometimes font sizes can be interpreted differently. There can be very slight differences that can change the sizes of your cells.
I hope this helps.

RDLC Export to Word Showing a blank extra page

Im using RDLC for VS 2010 and exporting the graph to a word document gives one extra blank page (its not showing in PDF though). All of the dimensions in Report, Chart and Body are set 11x8.5 with no margins. I just wonder what could be causing the blank page in Word.
I was having the exact same problem and managed to solve it by adjusting the layout of my report.
Basically I moved all of my rectangles/tables etc to sit tightly next to each other, eliminating any white space where possible and also resized the report to be as small as possible, i.e. sit tightly against its contents.
It might also be worth enabling the report option to 'ConsumeContainerWhitespace'.
I suspect Word uses its own pagination logic, which is why you see a difference between pdf and doc. So it may just be the case that your report is over-running very slightly into the next page and saving a little space on the report may prevent this.
I realise this is not a precise answer, but I hope it helps nonetheless.

In landscape mode, can't add lines or boxes wider than 8"

In Crystal Reports 2008, to which I've recently upgraded, I have a new report in which I'm trying to place boxes and lines. The report is Letter, landscape, with .25" margins, so I have 10.5" of space to work with.
Unfortunately, Crystal will only let me place drawing objects in the first 8" of space. If they overlap that range, Crystal sizes them back to 8". If I place them entirely to the right, Crystal moves them back to the 8" mark.
I have the same problem if I try to change the width or position using the Size and Position box.
Sounds like a bug where it's mistaking the available length for the available width.
Any idea how to fix this or work around it?
Old thread i know but here is the correct answer/fix.
The issue with only being able to draw a line so far across the report is due the the ruler at the top not extending along the full length of the report page.
This in turn is down to the default printer that is selected and the restricted paper sizes that it allows.
Install a dummy printer that accepts larger paper sizes and either set it to default, or click on File > Page Setup and under printer options, select the dummy printer.
The ruler should now extend across the full length of the report page and you can extend your line to match it.
NB: This was in Crystal Reports 2013 R2 - The settings may differ slightly in older/newer versions.
i had same issue. could not scratch lines.
i tried to change page setup from landscape to portrait and then did required changes.
again changed page setup to landscape and it was working fine .

Crystal report (or SSRS) flowing text around image

I want to have this layout in Crystal Reports:
How can I do this? If it cant be done in CR or SSRS, is there any other alternatives?
I don't believe this can be done with Crystal Reports. I'm not as familiar with SSRS, but after looking through the field options I don't believe it can be done with it either. In general field locations are set static in reporting solutions.
I think this would be best done with html/css or even XSL. I don't know the scope of the issue, but I'd assume that you should be able to output an html or xml file from your application which could be opened with a web browser. For html you should be able to use the align or even float attributes or text-align in css to accomplish this.
I hope this helps.
If you want to have multiple columns of static text in Crystal Reports, then you'd just have to get creative with multiple text boxes, i.e. create 2 text boxes side-by-side and add text to each one until it looks right.
If you want to have 2 columns of data, here's how:
Keep it simple and start with a blank report.
Add your fields of interest to the details section. Resize them so that they only use the first 4 inches of space.
Go into your Section Expert->Details and turn on the Format with Multiple Columns option.
A new tab will appear called Layout. For this example, let's set the Width to 4 inches and leave the Gaps at 0.
Preview your report. If you have enough data in your dataset, it will automatically flood over to the right side of your screen.
It'll take a few minutes of fidgeting with the measurements to get everything looking the way you want. You can even have more than 2 columns if you set the Detail Width small enough.
Also, there is also an option in the Layout menu called "Format Groups with multiple column". It's hard to describe in text, but play with this if you have any grouping levels.