Report Engine Tool Evaluations, looking for

[TechGnome]

Hey, all. I need y'alls help.

I'm in the middle of developing an app that (as all apps do) needs to run some reports. What I'm looking for is opinions and experiences on some of the reporting tools out there for .NET.

I know all about Crystal, so I don't need any opins on that one.

Here's a list of some of the ones I have found and either know very little or nothing about. If anyone has anything (productively) to add to the list, by all means please do so.

XtraReports from DevExpress
StimulReport from StimulSoft
ActiveReports from DataDynamics
Siberix Report Writer
Swift Reports from UniSwift
Winward Reports

I'm sure there's more, but that's what I've come up with so far.

Since this is a desktop app, I've eliminated the ASP.NET based tools.

Any others worth looking at? Opinions? Comments? Suggestions?

Tg

 

[kulrom]

Can i know why you eliminated CR? That's easiest and most powerful report tool around (also, most used). If you need an assistence feel free to ask anything ... i'm willing to help you out. Btw, my second choice would be custom report tool (winform and either print class or word automation)

Cheers

 

[TechGnome]

Why I'm eliminating CR? 1) Price. 2) It's isn't manage .NET code. What they provide are .NET wrappers around thier existing COM components. 3) Their licensing and product structure sucks. We bought the "Developer Edition." It lets us develop reports all right, but didn't provide the components needed to integrate it into the application. Defeats the whole purpose. $400 down the drain.

As a stop gap, I am using custom reporting using Word and document templates, but it does have its limitations. 1) It means I'm the only one who can put the reports together since I have to write custom code for each report. 2) Making the reports Group By or do Sub Totals is a royal pain. 3) I'm still running un-managed code since I have to use the Office Interop to communicate with Word. 4) It also means that the client then has to have Office installed for it to work (not that that's a problem for these guys as they are pretty much on the tech bleeding edge of things.)

Tg

 

[Administrator]

Can i know why you eliminated CR? That's easiest and most powerful report tool around (also, most used). If you need an assistence feel free to ask anything ... i'm willing to help you out. Btw, my second choice would be custom report tool (winform and either print class or word automation)

Cheers

This is gonna be like a VB.NET / C# sword fight, but I do not agree about CR, I think the only reason they are as big as they are is their inclusion (limited edition) in VS over the years. IMHO, ActiveReports and XtraReports are hands down the best. But there are so many out there now, just like menus/toolbars, chart controls, report engines are widening in support. 9Rays.NET has a report sharpshooter, ComponentOne has stuff, and don't forget Microsoft's SQL Reporting Services. Pick the one that YOU like the best. I'm using XtraReports right now, it's the most cost effective within the subscription with so many other great tools as well in the package.

It's component overload (almost) like which menu/toolbar to use, chart now that there are so many of those, the good report systems are a little more diverse, but let us know what you choose and why.

 

[TechGnome]

Ok, settle down, this is exactly what I didn't want. I don't want a pissing contest over which is better and which isn't. I want clear honest evaluations of reporting products. Things you like. Thinkgs you don't like. I want to know the strengths & weaknesses of them so that I can make my own informed decision.

Tg

For what it's worth, CR is the most commonly used because it was one of the first. And they partnered with MS. However, it's so flexible and powerful that it has been quite a limitation to us from time to time.