Stimulsoft Reports.WPF — FAQ

Quick answers for developers integrating Stimulsoft Reports into WPF applications.

Table of Contents

  1. How do I install Stimulsoft Reports.WPF?
  2. How to activate the license?
  3. How to show a report in the Viewer?
  4. How to connect data to a report from code?
  5. How to create a report at runtime?
  6. How to access variables?
  7. How to export a report from code?
  8. How to print a report from code?
  9. How to run the report designer?
  10. How to localize the user interface?
  11. How to use business objects in a report?
  12. How to connect JSON data from code?

1. How do I install Stimulsoft Reports.WPF?

Install via NuGet Package Manager in Visual Studio:

Package Manager Console:

Install-Package Stimulsoft.Reports.Wpf

.NET CLI:

dotnet add package Stimulsoft.Reports.Wpf

Or search for Stimulsoft.Reports.Wpf in the NuGet UI inside Visual Studio.

Supported frameworks: .NET Framework 4.7.2, .NET 6.0, .NET 8.0

After installation add the using directives you need:

using Stimulsoft.Report;
using Stimulsoft.Report.Components;
using Stimulsoft.Base;

2. How to activate the license?

Set the license key before any other Stimulsoft API call — typically in the constructor of your main window or in App.xaml.cs.

// Option 1: key string directly in code
Stimulsoft.Base.StiLicense.Key = "your-license-key-here";

// Option 2: load from a file
Stimulsoft.Base.StiLicense.LoadFromFile("license.key");

// Option 3: load from a stream
Stimulsoft.Base.StiLicense.LoadFromStream(stream);

3. How to show a report in the Viewer?

There are two approaches — a dialog window or an embedded viewer control.

Dialog window — ShowWithWpf():

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\SimpleList.mrt");
report.ShowWithWpf();

ShowWithWpf() automatically renders the report and opens it in a separate viewer window.

Embedded viewer control in XAML:

Add the namespace to your window:

<Window ...
    xmlns:wpfViewer="schemas-stimulsoft-com:wpf-viewer">

    <wpfViewer:StiWpfViewerControl Name="StiWpfViewerControl1" />
</Window>

Assign the report from code-behind:

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\SimpleList.mrt");
report.Render();
StiWpfViewerControl1.Report = report;

When using the embedded control, call report.Render() explicitly before assigning.

Show with Ribbon GUI:

report.ShowWithWpfRibbonGUI();

4. How to connect data to a report from code?

From XML files:

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\TwoSimpleLists.mrt");

report.Dictionary.Databases.Clear();

var data = new DataSet();
data.ReadXmlSchema(@"Data\Demo.xsd");
data.ReadXml(@"Data\Demo.xml");
report.RegData("Demo", data);

report.ShowWithWpf();

From JSON files:

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\TwoSimpleLists.mrt");

report.Dictionary.Databases.Clear();

var dataSet = StiJsonToDataSetConverterV2.GetDataSetFromFile(@"Data\Demo.json");
report.RegData("Demo", dataSet);

report.ShowWithWpf();

Call report.Dictionary.Databases.Clear() to remove connections defined in the template before registering your data.

5. How to create a report at runtime?

using Stimulsoft.Base.Drawing;
using Stimulsoft.Report;
using Stimulsoft.Report.Components;

var data = new DataSet();
data.ReadXmlSchema(@"Data\Demo.xsd");
data.ReadXml(@"Data\Demo.xml");

var report = new StiReport();
report.RegData(data);
report.Dictionary.Synchronize();

var page = report.Pages[0];

// Create HeaderBand
var headerBand = new StiHeaderBand();
headerBand.Height = 0.5;
headerBand.Name = "HeaderBand";
page.Components.Add(headerBand);

var headerText = new StiText(new RectangleD(0, 0, 5, 0.5));
headerText.Text = "CompanyName";
headerText.HorAlignment = StiTextHorAlignment.Center;
headerText.Name = "HeaderText";
headerText.Brush = new StiSolidBrush(System.Drawing.Color.LightGreen);
headerBand.Components.Add(headerText);

// Create DataBand
var dataBand = new StiDataBand();
dataBand.DataSourceName = "Customers";
dataBand.Height = 0.5;
dataBand.Name = "DataBand";
page.Components.Add(dataBand);

var dataText = new StiText(new RectangleD(0, 0, 5, 0.5));
dataText.Text = "{Line}.{Customers.CompanyName}";
dataText.Name = "DataText";
dataBand.Components.Add(dataText);

// Create FooterBand
var footerBand = new StiFooterBand();
footerBand.Height = 0.5;
footerBand.Name = "FooterBand";
page.Components.Add(footerBand);

var footerText = new StiText(new RectangleD(0, 0, 5, 0.5));
footerText.Text = "Count - {Count()}";
footerText.HorAlignment = StiTextHorAlignment.Right;
footerText.Name = "FooterText";
footerText.Brush = new StiSolidBrush(System.Drawing.Color.LightGreen);
footerBand.Components.Add(footerText);

report.ShowWithWpf();

6. How to access variables?

Variables are defined in the report designer. Compile the report first, then set values from code:

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\Variables.mrt");

report.Compile();

report["Name"] = TextBoxName.Text;
report["Surname"] = TextBoxSurname.Text;
report["Email"] = TextBoxEmail.Text;
report["Address"] = TextBoxAddress.Text;
report["Sex"] = RadioButtonMale.IsChecked.GetValueOrDefault();

report.ShowWithWpf();

Variable names are case-sensitive and must match the names defined in the report template.

7. How to export a report from code?

Always call Render() before exporting.

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\TwoSimpleLists.mrt");
report.Render();

// Export to a MemoryStream
var stream = new MemoryStream();
report.ExportDocument(StiExportFormat.Pdf, stream);

// Save to a file using SaveFileDialog
var dialog = new SaveFileDialog { Filter = "PDF (*.pdf)|*.pdf" };
if (dialog.ShowDialog() == true)
{
    File.WriteAllBytes(dialog.FileName, stream.ToArray());
}

Common export formats:

Format Constant
PDF StiExportFormat.Pdf
Excel 2007+ StiExportFormat.Excel2007
Word 2007+ StiExportFormat.Word2007
PNG image StiExportFormat.ImagePng
Text StiExportFormat.Text

8. How to print a report from code?

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\TwoSimpleLists.mrt");
report.PrintWithWpf();

PrintWithWpf() automatically renders the report and opens the WPF print dialog.

9. How to run the report designer?

There are two approaches — a dialog window or an embedded designer control.

Dialog window — DesignV2WithWpf():

// Handle the save event
StiWpfDesigner.SavingReport += (s, args) =>
{
    args.Report.Save(args.Report.ReportFile);
};

// New report
var report = new StiReport();
report.DesignV2WithWpf();

// Or edit an existing template
var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\SimpleList.mrt");
report.DesignV2WithWpf();

Embedded designer control in XAML:

Add the namespace to your window:

<Window ...
    xmlns:WpfDesign="clr-namespace:Stimulsoft.Client.Designer;assembly=Stimulsoft.Client.Designer">

    <WpfDesign:StiDesignerControl Name="StiDesignerControl1" />
</Window>

Assign the report from code-behind:

// New report
StiDesignerControl1.Report = new StiReport();

// Or load an existing template
var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\SimpleList.mrt");
StiDesignerControl1.Report = report;

10. How to localize the user interface?

Load a localization XML file before opening the viewer or designer:

StiOptions.Localization.Load(fileName);

// Then open the viewer or designer
report.ShowWithWpf();
// or
report.DesignV2WithWpf();

Stimulsoft provides localization files for many languages. Place localization XML files in your application directory and load the desired one at startup.

11. How to use business objects in a report?

Register IEnumerable collections:

var report = new StiReport();
report.RegData("EmployeeIEnumerable", GetEmployees());
report.Load(@"Reports\BusinessObjects_IEnumerable.mrt");
report.ShowWithWpf();

Register ITypedList collections:

var report = new StiReport();
report.RegData("EmployeeITypedList", GetEmployeesTypedList());
report.Load(@"Reports\BusinessObjects_ITypedList.mrt");
report.ShowWithWpf();

Using LINQ queries:

var items = GetItems();
var query = from i in items
            where i.Price > 9.99
            orderby i.Price
            select i;

var report = new StiReport();
report.RegBusinessObject("MyData", "MyData", query);
report.Load(@"Reports\LinqReport.mrt");
report.ShowWithWpf();

RegData() works with any IEnumerable or ITypedList. For LINQ results use RegBusinessObject().

12. How to connect JSON data from code?

using Stimulsoft.Base;

var dataSet = StiJsonToDataSetConverterV2.GetDataSetFromFile(@"Data\Demo.json");

var report = new StiReport();
report.Load(@"Reports\TwoSimpleLists.mrt");
report.Dictionary.Databases.Clear();
report.RegData("Demo", dataSet);
report.ShowWithWpf();

StiJsonToDataSetConverterV2 automatically converts a JSON file into a DataSet with typed columns, ready for use in any report.

For more details see the code samples on GitHub.