Pro SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services

CHAPTER 4  LAYING OUT A REPORT

To learn how to create a textbox that has rich formatting, start with the TextBox_Start.rdl report

that contains an empty Textbox control. Open TextBox_Start.rdl in the Pro_SSRS solution. The initial

report will look like Figure 4-7.

Figure 4-7. TextBox_Start report with blank textbox

For this example, let’s assume that, as a report designer, you have been tasked with merging literal

text with data in a form letter that will be sent to patients as a survey. The survey, which we will complete

in Chapter 6, will include information about a patient’s specific visits, but must otherwise be a generic

template with the same questions for each patient. The report will also include bold, underline, and

italic font properties in a single Textbox.

The first thing to understand about textboxes since SSRS 2008 is placeholders. A placeholder is

simply a location in the Textbox that will contain individual portions of the Textbox and can have

custom formatting for the value or expressions inside it. Each placeholder has its own properties as well,

such as Tooltips, Actions, and Alignment.

First, click in the textbox of the TextBox_Start report to select it. Then, right-click and select Create

Placeholder. You will see the Textbox properties, as in Figure 4-8.