Grid View for ASP.NET Web Forms - How to add content in the header and footer sections when exporting grid

The DevExpress.XtraPrinting library allows you to add a header and footer in an exported document in two ways:

• Create a printing link for each element (header, footer, and main control) and combine them into one document.
• Create a printing link for the main control and handle the link's CreateReportHeaderArea and CreateReportFooterArea events to customize a document's header and footer.

In this example, the first approach is used to create a document header, and the second to create a document footer.

1. Create a header as a separate printing link

Printing links transforms a control's data into bricks of appropriate types, and arranges them into a printing document. To create a printing link, follow the steps below:

1. Create a LinkBase object for the header area.

   LinkBase header = new LinkBase();

2. Handle its CreateDetailHeaderArea event.

   header.CreateDetailHeaderArea += Header_CreateDetailHeaderArea;

3. Use the event properties to render additional objects (images, text) in the header area:

   void Header_CreateDetailHeaderArea(object sender, CreateAreaEventArgs e) {
           e.Graph.BorderWidth = 0;
           Rectangle r = new Rectangle(0, 0, headerImage.Width, headerImage.Height);
           e.Graph.DrawImage(headerImage, r); 
           r = new Rectangle(0, headerImage.Height, 200, 50);
           e.Graph.DrawString("Additional Header information here....", r);
       }

Create a footer in the grid's event handler

1. Create a PrintableComponentLinkBase object and assign the ASPxGridView control to the Component property.

   PrintableComponentLinkBase link1 = new PrintableComponentLinkBase();
   link1.Component = ASPxGridView1;

2. Handle the CreateReportFooterArea event to customize grid footer.

   link1.CreateReportFooterArea += Link1_CreateReportFooterArea;
   // ...
   void Link1_CreateReportFooterArea(object sender, CreateAreaEventArgs e) {
       e.Graph.BorderWidth = 0;
       Rectangle r = new Rectangle(0, 20, 200, 50);
       e.Graph.Font = new Font("Times New Roman", 12, FontStyle.Italic);
       e.Graph.ForeColor = Color.Gray;
       e.Graph.DrawString("This is footer", r);
   }

Combine printing links and export the result

1. Create a CompositeLinkBase object and combine printable elements (header and the grid control).

   CompositeLinkBase compositeLink = new CompositeLinkBase(ps);
   compositeLink.Links.AddRange(new object[] { header, link1 });
   
   compositeLink.CreateDocument();

2. Call a ExportTo[FORMAT] method to export the result.

   using (MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream()) {
       switch (format) {
           case "xls":
               compositeLink.ExportToXls(stream);
               WriteToResponse("filename", true, format, stream);
               break;
           case "pdf":
               compositeLink.ExportToPdf(stream);
               WriteToResponse("filename", true, format, stream);
               break;
           case "rtf":
               compositeLink.ExportToRtf(stream);
               WriteToResponse("filename", true, format, stream);
               break;
           default:
               break;
       }
   }

Files to Review

• Default.aspx (VB: Default.aspx)
• Default.aspx.cs (VB: Default.aspx.vb)

More Examples

• How to display images in the Header and Footer sections when exporting ASPxGridView