CHAPTER 3 INTRODUCTION TO REPORTING SERVICES DESIGN WITH SQL SERVER DATA TOOLSFigure 3-4. Sample IDE configuration
Understanding Report Definition Language (RDL)
RDL is the standard to which all reports created with the embedded SSRS tools in Visual Studio 2010 and
other SSRS services adhere. RDL is an XML-based schema that defines each element of a report, such as
formatting, dataset information, grouping and sorting, and parameters and filters. As you add items to
the report, the RDL code changes to include each addition.
In the IDE, these code changes are typically invisible, as they take place in the background.
Occasionally, however, you might need to modify the RDL directly to make global changes using a find-
and-replace method. We’ve had to do this several times when a parameter or field name changed in a
source’s stored procedure. When you are working on a report in Visual Studio 2010, you can view the
RDL code directly by clicking View ➤ Code from the menu or by right-clicking a report and selecting
View Code.
Visual Studio 2010 and BIDS are the main report designers for SSRS currently, but as more and more
companies embrace RDL, other report designers may become available. In fact, in SQL Server 2005,
Microsoft introduced a Report Builder application that allows an end user to design and publish SSRS
reports. SQL Server 2008 included a new version, appropriately named Report Builder 2.0, with
Microsoft Office Ribbon technology and a complete facelift taking it one step further toward putting