Datasource & dataset difference in Reporting Services

[duanecwilson]

I am new to reporting services and have a database named MHC. I used this as a datasource for some reports. I am getting confused now as I used MHC as a dataset as well, and I have an idea of the difference, but not a complete understanding. Could someone explain this to me? Is a dataset really just a SQL Select statement on a larger datasource? Or what? I am using the Reporting Services part of Business Intelligence Development Studio. I complete a report and then upload it to the ReportServer website. That site has datasources, too, and I don't understand the relationship between these two, either. Does this site have to have the same dataources as the report that cam from Business Intelligence Development Studio.

Duane Wilson

 

[Crowley16]

a data source is essentially a link to your data, in most cases, just a connection string.

a data set is an arbitary set of data that is returned to a client, i.e. the results from your sql.

The data set for a report is embedded within a report during build time, however a report can be set to use different data sources, i.e. dev in Visual Studio and Live on SSRS. It's really up to you how you want to setup your environment.

p.s. there is a specific forum for reporting services...

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Procrastinate Now!

 

[duanecwilson]

Thank you. And I didn't know there was a reporting services forum. Maybe you can answer this one question: Can I use the SQL statement from another report from another system as a dataset for my new SQL Server Report (as long as the syntax is correct? The reason I ask is that there is a place to enter the SQL for the dataset and another place to enter the query SQL for the report. I am not sure what I need to place and where.

Duane Wilson