Dynamic Report Generator Framework Design using XML and C# [modified]

[RK KL]

Hello experts, I'm trying to design a framework for generating reports by storing the meta data in an XML. The following are the sources (in both SQL / Oracle providers). 1) Tables/Views 2) Stored Procedures 3) OLAP Cubes I'll write a wrapper to sync changes to these Tables/Views/SPs/Cubes so that the XML is up to date. Tables/Views ============ The user will be able to store subset of the columns and filter criteria (1 or many) and should be able to run the same report at a later stage. Stored Procedures ================= Whenever the user wants to run the stored procedure, he/she will supply the parameters and get the output. OLAP Cubes ========== Predetermined cubes and/or cubes with specific members as parameters. I'm thinking the following way using strategy pattern for retrieving data. 1) IReportData: Gets the report data in a dataset/cellset 2) IReportParameters: Gets report parameters (For SPs?) 3) IReportFilters: Report filters / criteria /criteria set 3) IReportSQL: The final executable SQL 4) IReportFormat: Final rendering methodology What do you guys think about this? Do you have any design pattern (s) that you would like to recommend? Thanks, RK.

You can never try. You either do it or you don't.

modified on Saturday, September 5, 2009 3:02 PM

[Mycroft Holmes]

You might want to take this to the design forum for a wider response. Ever since I first heard of XML, way back in the 90s, I figured you should be able to use XSLT to format a report and then chuck an xml data file at it for generic type reports. Never followed up on it as I loathe XML.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

[RK KL]

Thank you! I posted it in the design and architecture forum. I did not know it was there.

You can never try. You either do it or you don't.