Is there a BIDS plugin for VS2010 for editing rdl and SSRS projects

Question

I am looking to create and edit SSRS projects and standalone report files with rdl and rdlc files in Visual Studio 2010.

I would like to be able to import MS Access reports as well.

Can I do this, if so how and where is the download.

Cheers

Simon

Answer 1

Hello Simon,

The current version BIDS 2008R2 uses VS 2008, the next version SSDT (formerly BIDS) 2012 will use VS 2012.

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Answer 2

Thanks Olaf,

But someone from the SSDT team has contradicted this (see the comments area):

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2012/04/02/first-release-of-ssdt-power-tools.aspx

I have also installed SSDT 2012 from the Web Platform Installer and can find no report editing functionality.

I would be happy to be proved wrong, or if someone can point me to a download containing report editing features that would be great.

Cheers

Simon

Answer 3

Hi Simon

Thanks for your post.

Visual Studio 2010 does not let you edit a BI project that is created by using BIDS in SQL Server 2005, in SQL Server 2008, or in SQL Server 2008 R2.

You will get more informations on below link hope this will help you.

Watch out, Visual Studio 2010 does not support BI

Suhas Kudekar

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Answer 4

Thanks Suhas, I know this has been the case in the past, I have submitted many a connect suggestion about how poor this is.

However there seems to be lots of SQL 2012 documentation that references editing reports in a report designer and I find it hard to believe they mean Visual Studio 2008 or BIDS designer 2008.

eg: from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms156280.aspx

 "Use the information in this topic to design reports and related items for a single reporting project in a SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) solution. For more information about solutions and multiple projects in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), see Reporting Services in SQL Server Data Tools (SSRS)." 

I guess I am trying to find someone from Microsoft to clarify the story around this as everyone seems to be contracting themselves in the documenation.

SSDT is a 2012 concept not a 2008 concept, hence my confusion.

Answer 5

Hi Simon

You can find more discussion on the below link hope it will hepl you some how.

SSDT - What's in a name?

1) SQL Server 2012 installs "SQL Server Data Tools" under the "SQL Server 2012" Start Menu option - this includes BIDS but not Database Projects.

2) Database Projects installs "MICROSOFT SQL Server Data Tools" under the root of the Start Menu - this doesn't have BIDS functionality included if installed separately.

Suhas Kudekar

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Answer 6

Thanks Suhas,

yes it took me all afternoon yesterday but I came up with a similar conclusion:

SSDT from the web platform installer is the new Database Design features with schema management etc.


SSDT from the SQL Server Reporting Services installation (eg SQL 2012 Express with Advanced tools) are report designer components.


So very confusingly there are 2 different components that are going by the same name. No wonder I am loosing hair and sleep.


By the way the report designer features seem to reference Office XP (!!) primary interop assemblies that are not included in the installation so trying to import Access reports fails.


Loving the whole experience of the BIDS team always being so far behind (Office 4 versions behind apparently and still stuck with VS2008 as the only working report designer).

Answer 7

Hi Simon Lampen,

Answers from one of my colleagues and a senior member:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/vsreportcontrols/thread/78bd6eb6-9d14-48e2-80eb-8c8e66b52534

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepoint2010setup/thread/ebcdf2d7-34c3-4b77-a343-4e900b4ecfae

Thanks,
Lola

TechNet Community Support

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