Custom Print Functionality for Microsoft Report Viewer (RDLC)

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Introduction

The following tip will guide you to create a custom printing functionality to print RDLC report rather than using the built in ActiveX print functionality.

Background

There is a major problem in print button on Microsoft Report Viewer. Once you deploy a web application, Client needs to install the ActiveX on their PC in order to print the report. It is said that installing ActiveX is not a secure practice on secured environment. The worst part is when the server/client is on automatic update, there is a security patch which disables the printing functionality completely.

Read more about ActiveX Kill Bits here.

Because of the above reasons, it is wise to have your own printing functionality rather than using the built-in one.

Using the Code

You need to download the third party component called iTextSharp.dll.

• http://sourceforge.net/projects/itextsharp/

You need to export the report to PDF, then print using iTextSharp. Also client needs to install the PDF reader as well.

1. Create hidden iFrame as follows:
   HTML

   <iframe id="frmPrint" name="IframeName" width="500" 
     height="200" runat="server" 
     style="display: none" runat="server"></iframe>

2. Add an ASP.NET button:
   HTML

   <asp:ImageButton ID="btnPrint" runat="server" OnClick="btnPrint_Click"  />

3. Add the following references:
   C#

   using iTextSharp.text.pdf;
   using iTextSharp.text;
   using System.IO;

4. Add the following code to button click event:
   C#

   Warning[] warnings;              
   string[] streamids;
   string mimeType;
   string encoding;
   string extension;
   
   byte[] bytes = View.ReportViewer.LocalReport.Render("PDF", null, out mimeType, 
                  out encoding, out extension, out streamids, out warnings);
               
   FileStream fs = new FileStream(HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("output.pdf"), 
   FileMode.Create);
   fs.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
   fs.Close();
   
   //Open existing PDF
   Document document = new Document(PageSize.LETTER);
   PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("output.pdf"));
   //Getting a instance of new PDF writer
   PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(document, new FileStream(
      HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("Print.pdf"), FileMode.Create));
   document.Open();
   PdfContentByte cb = writer.DirectContent;
   
   int i = 0;
   int p = 0;
   int n = reader.NumberOfPages;
   Rectangle psize = reader.GetPageSize(1);
    
   float width = psize.Width;             
   float height = psize.Height;
   
   //Add Page to new document
   while (i < n)
   {
      document.NewPage();
      p++;
      i++;
   
      PdfImportedPage page1 = writer.GetImportedPage(reader, i);
      cb.AddTemplate(page1, 0, 0);
   }
   
   //Attach javascript to the document
   PdfAction jAction = PdfAction.JavaScript("this.print(true);\r", writer);
   writer.AddJavaScript(jAction);
   document.Close();
                   
   //Attach pdf to the iframe
   frmPrint.Attributes["src"] = "Print.pdf";

Points of Interest

You may need to add read/write permission on the folder where the PDF is created on the server.

History

• May 01, 2012: Article created