OfficeWriter v3 Enterprise Edition
One Suite Deal
Nearly every ASP.NET application of significant complexity requires data reporting
functionality of one kind or another. For less demanding users, you may be able
to get away with merely rendering data to the Web page. But it takes a lot of work
to provide the kind of flexibility that power users demand. Managers often want
to juggle numbers and adjust wording in unpredictable ways, and they usually want
professional-quality charts, as well. This is why Microsoft created Excel and Word
— so why reinvent the wheel?
Wouldn’t it be easier to simply hand the data off to those applications so users
can edit the data in familiar and well documented ways? If your needs are fairly
basic, it’s not difficult to write custom code to export ASP.NET data to Excel and
Word. However, if your requirements are even moderately complex, the learning curve
can quickly get steep — unless you’re using a tool such as OfficeWriter by SoftArtisans.
OfficeWriter is a set of components designed to help generate real Word documents
and Excel spreadsheets (see Figure 1) dynamically, without the
need for Word or Excel on the server. Of course, users will need those programs
installed (or the free viewer software downloadable from Microsoft) to be able to
open the files.
Figure 1A: Harness the power of Excel
to generate attractive charts.
Figure 1B: You can optionally tuck
the underlying data away onto other worksheet tabs.
Paired with a moderately modern server, this speedy and reliable tool is capable
of pumping out dozens of spreadsheets per second. Because it’s pure .NET code to
the core, it’s especially expedient at handling pre-filled DataSets and should scale
well into a variety of architectures.
Getting Started
After downloading the 18 megabyte free trial of OfficeWriter Enterprise Edition,
running the installation program is a breeze. The samples will be automatically
set up so you can run them immediately after the installation is complete — without
having to fiddle with IIS, virtual directories, security privileges, or other such
nonsense that inferior installation programs tend to delegate to you.
The installation software provides a variety of useful options (see Figure 2), such
as the ability to install COM wrappers around the software so it can be used from
older, non-managed code bases. (OfficeWriter is also available for ASP and Java,
if you should have the need.)
Figure 2: OfficeWriter v3 provides
advanced integration with SQL Server Reporting Services, as well as a variety of
other valuable installation options.
Powerful Features
The new “HotCell” capabilities of OfficeWriter allow spreadsheets and documents
to keep themselves in sync with the server. This AJAX-like technology can send user
edits to the server as they happen, so work is never lost.
Spreadsheets and documents can be generated at run time completely from scratch,
or existing templates can be opened and populated with up-to-the-minute data. Formulas,
graphics, charts, VBA macros, mail merge, multi-tab spreadsheet data, and pivot
tables are all well within the capabilities of OfficeWriter, putting nearly every
Word and Excel capability at your fingertips.
SQL Server Reporting Services
In 2004, Microsoft’s SQL Server Reporting Services team approached SoftArtisans
to fill a functionality gap. As a result, SoftArtisans released OfficeWriter for
Reporting Services, permitting developers (and even end users) to design reports
directly in Microsoft Excel and Word. Users never need to learn how to use some
complicated reporting package ever again; they can simply use the OfficeWriter toolbar
that’s integrated inside the Microsoft applications with which they are already
familiar.
This new version of OfficeWriter has even better support for Reporting Services,
and the improvements are likely to continue well into the future since SoftArtisans
continues to work closely with Microsoft to improve features and integration.
The OfficeWriter designer renders actual Reporting Services (RDL) files, preserving
all Excel features in the process (which is more than can be said about the comparatively
simplistic export features included with Reporting Services). There is no support
for Word exports in standalone Reporting Services, which makes OfficeWriter a must-have
product if you need such functionality.
The Complete Package
In addition to the great documentation and samples that are included with the product,
there are also a variety of handy support options available on the SoftArtistans
Web site. These options include extra helpings of sample code, always up-to-date
documentation, answers to frequently asked questions, online forums (visited frequently
by knowledgeable staff), and a knowledge base.
In the unlikely scenario that you can’t find an answer through all those free sources,
SoftArtisans also provides support subscriptions, maintenance plans, per-issue support,
and various training options.
Although ExcelWriter and WordWriter can be purchased separately, OfficeWriter unites
both into one suite deal. The Excel piece of OfficeWriter is the most mature, currently
at version 6. OfficeWriter comes in two editions. The Standard Edition lets you
open existing files and populate them with data. It also permits updates to charts
and formulas and provides good Reporting Services interoperability. The Enterprise
Edition adds the ability to create new documents and spreadsheets from scratch,
and provides a lot of extra Excel functions that aren’t included in the Standard
Edition. It also allows you to use spreadsheets as data sources by providing the
ability to read spreadsheet data. Extra charting capabilities are thrown in, as
well. Prices start at US$1,495 per CPU for the Standard Edition, so this thing isn’t
cheap. But if you’re serious about cranking out high-quality spreadsheets and documents
for your corporation, this is the tool for you.
Rating:
éééé
Web Site:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com/officewriter.aspx
Price: Starting around $1,495
Review Date: Q4 2005