Why Report Builder For SQL 2016
So why do I believe Report Builder 3.0 For SQL 2016 should be of interest to you?
Because it is a killer application armed with a suite of sweet diversities the likes of which makes its predecessors look bad.
Now, I’ve got to admit, the last time I worked with Report Builder, you had to do a lot of heavy lifting,
Not so for this bad puppy. So, I clicked on the Table Wizard just to see what would happen.
Okay, so I clicked next.
Then I clicked new
My Interest began to tickle. It says Microsoft SQL Server in a combo box? Hum, wonder what happens when I click that?
Wait a minute, I can’t pronounce half this stuff, much less know how to use it.
So, I tried OLEDB and then selected Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 provider. That option then allowed me to select a mdb file using the DataLinks.
I then tested the connection:
After I clicked on the okay button, a textbox on the main wizard form revealed the connection string.
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=”C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\VB98\\NWIND.MDB”
What did dampen my enthusiasm are the following:
The wizard would not accept a blank password and the query builder didn’t provide me with a list of possible tables.
But okay, I’ll us products.
I clicked next. I didn’t have a clue one what I was supposed to do with the next window.
As it turns out, putting the field values in the value list box gets the job done.
When I clicked next, I was offered formatting options and another next, some color schemes.
Clicking next produced this:
Add the word products to the title. Then discovered the run Button:
And clicked it with my mouse:
I’m not saying that this is god’s gift to reporting. But it comes close. Still has some pitfalls before canonization.
Still, it is addicting as all get out for us men and women who have been dealing with connection strings and queries.
For certain, you want to dabble with various levels of possibilities. Which makes this product armed and dangerous — in a humorous kind of way.
