Installing Report Viewer in Visual Studio 2015: A Comprehensive Guide

As a developer, it is paramount to understand how to install report viewer in Visual Studio 2015. It provides a tool that enables developers to create and exhibit reports in their applications, providing valuable insights to the end-users. The following is a detailed guide on how to install report viewer in Visual Studio 2015.

Step 1: Download the Report Viewer Installer

The initial step is to download the appropriate version of the Report Viewer installer. Microsoft offers a standalone installer for Report Viewer, which can be downloaded from their official website. Ensure that you download the installer, which corresponds to your Visual Studio and operating system versions.

Step 2: Install Report Viewer

Once the installer is downloaded, run it on your system. This will activate a setup wizard that will guide you through the installation process. When prompted, select the installation location and set the installation options as desired. Click ‘Install’ to initiate the installation process.

Step 3: Add Report Viewer to Toolbox

After installing Report Viewer, you need to add the control to Visual Studio 2015 Toolbox. Open Visual Studio, and select ‘Toolbox’ from the ‘View’ menu. Then, right-click on the Toolbox and select ‘Choose Items.’ This will open a new window; click on the ‘.NET Framework Components’ tab. Next, click the ‘Browse’ button to locate the ‘Microsoft.Reporting.WinForms.dll’ file. Select it and click ‘OK’ to add the Report Viewer control to the Toolbox.

Step 4: Create a Report

Once you’ve added Report Viewer to the Toolbox, you can start creating a report. Open your project and select ‘Report Wizard’ from the ‘Add New Item’ option. Follow the wizard’s steps to create a new report. In the last step, select the ‘ReportViewer control’ option. Once the report is created, it will be automatically added to your project.

Step 5: Display Report

The final step is to display the report in your application. To do this, drag the Report Viewer control from the Toolbox to your application’s form. Go to the properties of the Report Viewer control and set the ‘Report Source’ property to the report created in the previous step. Now, you can run your application and see the Report Viewer control displaying your report.

Conclusion

In conclusion, installing Report Viewer in Visual Studio 2015 can appear daunting initially, but if you follow the steps outlined above, it can end up being straightforward. Once the tool is installed, you can start creating reports and exhibiting them in your applications. Report Viewer is an essential tool for developers as it provides visually appealing reports that offer vital insights to their end-users.