Generate and Attach Multiple PDF's to an email

[daughtd]

I have created a shopping cart to hold the selected pdf PrimaryID to be emailed to a user. But I'm not sure how to go about creating the selected PDF from data residing in the database and attaching them to an email. I need to pull the data from the database based on the primaryID in the shopping cart(datatable in a session variable) and attach the pdf to the email. I'm new to ASP.NET so any information is deeply appreciated.

 

[ca8msm]

You could try using Crystal Reports. There are quite a few examples on google and this site if you do a quick search for them.


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[jshurst]

Since you are new to asp.net this might be a little over your head (no offense ;-) ) but I've written a few FAQ's that could be combined to accomplish this, so here they are...

faq855-5919 Using the SQL Reporting Services Web Service
faq855-5920 Sending an email with Attachment through a web service

You can use the Reporting Services web service to create the file and save it in a location (probably a temp file somewhere), then use another web service (doesn't have to be a web service though) to send the email with an attachment.

Good luck.

 

[jshurst]

Well, I sort of had to do the same thing today, so I'm going to make another post...

Anyway, I created a report (a .rdlc file). You need to create a datasource as well for this file (the wizard will create the datasource for you - an .xsd). Then I did the following to create a file in a temporary directory. I put this in the page_load, but I don't really want to open a separate page just for file creation, so I'll probably put it as a sub, or class somewhere.

Anyway, here is the code that I used.

 Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms


Partial Class Reports_TemporaryReports
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page


    Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load

        Dim ReportViewer1 As New ReportViewer()
        ReportViewer1.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Local
        ReportViewer1.LocalReport.ReportPath = Request.PhysicalApplicationPath & "Reports\ArrestWorkSheet.rdlc"

        Dim myDataSource As New ObjectDataSource("MCCJISSERVICE.MCCJISWebService", "GetArrestWorkSheet")

        Dim parameter As New QueryStringParameter("ArrestNumber", "ArrestNumber")
        myDataSource.SelectParameters.Add(parameter)

        Dim myReportDataSource As New ReportDataSource("DataSet1_Usp_MCCJISWEB_Select_ArrestWorkSheetReport_NEW", myDataSource)

        ReportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(myReportDataSource)


        Dim warnings As Warning() = Nothing
        Dim streamids As String() = Nothing
        Dim mimeType As String = Nothing
        Dim encoding As String = Nothing
        Dim extension As String = Nothing
        Dim bytes As Byte()

        bytes = ReportViewer1.LocalReport.Render("PDF", Nothing, mimeType, encoding, extension, streamids, warnings)

        Dim fs As New FileStream(Request.PhysicalApplicationPath & "Reports\TemporaryReports\NewFile.pdf", FileMode.Create)
        fs.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length)
        fs.Close()

    End Sub
  
End Class

Also, if you have a problem with the Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms namespace, then add something like the following to the .aspx page...

<%@ Register Assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03ffeefeasd"
    Namespace="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms" TagPrefix="rsweb" %>

Now if I could send this directly to the printer I would be happy, but I'm working on that...
[/code]

 

[daughtd]

Oh no offense taken. I feel like my grand father is teaching me how to swim by throwing me overboard about a mile from shore..haha. But I guess thats the best way to learn because I'm learning a lot of other stuff while digging through.

But thanks anyway the info is very useful.

 

[jshurst]

Sink or swim! Just kidding, that's what the forum is for...to help you out when you get stuck (and I get stuck all the time - luckily we have some .Net guru's around here).

There might be an easier way, but I don't know it. Just remember, you need some kind of formatting to occur so that you can present it on a PDF, that's why I'm using the reports.

I'd forget my first example (the FAQ's). You'll need to have a reporting services server to use that stuff. My second post should be more helpful - but you'll need to create a report first.