Creating A tab delimited export

Hello all,

I am trying customize the CSV rendering extension with different device information settings. I would loke to change the CSV extension to a Tab delimited output. However, whenever I add a new extension line to the RSReportServer.config file I run into problems.

1. What is the correct character to use in the delimiter to specify a Tab character? I seem to be unable to get this correct

2. Why when I override the name in the rendering extension does it still show up as the CSV (comma delimited) name in the export dropdown.

Here is my customized rendering extension.

<Extension Name="TXT" Type="Microsoft.ReportingServices.Rendering.CsvRenderer.CsvReport,Microsoft.ReportingServices.CsvRendering">
<OverrideNames>
<Name>TXT (Tab Delimited Text File)></Name>
</OverrideNames>
<Configuration>
<DeviceInfo>
<Encoding>ASCII</Encoding>
<FieldDelimiter><![CDATA[#x9]]></FieldDelimiter>
<NoHeader>true</NoHeader>
</DeviceInfo>
</Configuration>
</Extension>

Thanks

Justin

Justin,

1. For tab-delimited report, use

<FieldDelimiter>&#9;</FieldDelimiter>

2. For name override, you must specify language attribute:

<Name Language="en-US">TXT (Tab Delimited Text File)</Name>

(more info on http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms156281.aspx)

Thanks!

|||

Denis,

Thanks for your response. This got me halfway there. The Language attribute worked beautifully but the Field Delimiter didn't seem to make any difference.

The ouput defaulted back to a comma delimiter.

Here is my revised config file

<Extension Name="TXT" Type="Microsoft.ReportingServices.Rendering.CsvRenderer.CsvReport,Microsoft.ReportingServices.CsvRendering">
<OverrideNames>
<Name Language="en-US">TXT (Tab Delimited Text File)></Name>
</OverrideNames>
<Configuration>
<DeviceInfo>
<FieldDelimiter>&#9;</FieldDelimiter>
<Extension>TXT</Extension>
<Encoding>ASCII</Encoding>
<NoHeader>true</NoHeader>
</DeviceInfo>
</Configuration>
</Extension>

and the only line in the log files that seemed to relate to this request.

aspnet_wp!cache!1!9/5/2006-22:33:30:: v VERBOSE: Key not found in cache: __RenderedSnapshotResult__:/AdvancedReports/AscribeExportReport&0a14be41-8afb-4c74-b8ce-6a8d80aade69&&Format:TXT&Extension:TXTEncoding:ASCIINoHeader:true:__PrimaryStream__

Thanks again prompt reply,

Justin

|||

Justin,

Unfortunately, Reporting Services currently trims all special characters from configuration file device info values. So, single TAB character got trimmed out when configuration file got parsed.

The work around to get a tab-separated file is to pass &rc:FieldDelimiter=%09 via URL access.

Thanks!

|||does this include encoding this in a cdata section?|||This is not really a viable workaround for anyone using the Reporting Services Interface. Yeah we could put a link on a report pointing to the URL, but this is inconsistent and users won't understand why. So is it our only option then to go and write our own rendering extension to accomplish something that's already done?sql