Create ASP.NET Web API Service

20 Feb 20196 minutes to read

In this section, you will learn how to create a Web API Service for Report Viewer using the new ASP.NET Empty Web Application template.

1.Open Visual Studio 2012, from the File menu, select New Project.
2.Select the Visual C#, Web project type from the project type, then select the ASP.NET Empty Web Application project type. Set the project name and click OK.

Creating a new ASP.NET Empty Web Application Project

List of dependency libraries

The Web API service configuration requires reporting server-side assembly references.

1.In the Solution Explorer, right-click the References and click Add Reference.
2.Add the following mentioned libraries to the application from the installed location or GAC (Global Assembly Cache).

NOTE

If you have installed any version of Essential Studio, then the location of Syncfusion libraries is System drive:\Program Files (x86)\Syncfusion\Essential Studio\JavaScript\28.1.33\Assemblies.

System.Web.Routing
System.Web.Http
System.Web.Http.WebHost
System.Net.Http
System.Net.Http.WebRequest
System.Net.Http.Formatting
Syncfusion.Linq.Base
Syncfusion.Compression.Base
Syncfusion.EJ.ReportViewer
Syncfusion.Pdf.Base
Syncfusion.XlsIO.Base
Syncfusion.DocIO.Base
Syncfusion.Shared.Wpf
Syncfusion.Chart.Wpf
Syncfusion.Gauge.Wpf
Syncfusion.SfMaps.Wpf

NOTE

If you have not installed any version of Essential Studio, then you can add the above assemblies from the Syncfusion NuGet package Syncfusion.Web.ReportViewer. The Syncfusion reporting NuGet packages are published in public NuGet.org. So, any additional configurations are not required to utilize the Syncfusion.Web.ReportViewer NuGet package.

IMPORTANT

Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you refer to the Syncfusion assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, include a license key in your projects. Refer to this link to learn about registering Syncfusion license key in the ASP.NET application to use our components.

3.Install the Newtonsoft.Json NuGet package via the NuGet package manager console.

Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json -Version 9.0.1

NOTE

It is a mandatory package for the report viewer to serialize and deserialize the JSON data and the package version should be 9.0.1 or higher.

4.Make sure to add <bindingRedirect> for Newtonsoft.Json inside the <configuration> tag in the project’s web.config file.

<runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-9.0.0.0" newVersion="9.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>

Add Web API Service

1.Right-click the project and select Add > New Item from the context menu.
2.In the Add New Item dialog, select Web API Controller class and name it as ReportsApiController, and then click Add.
Adding a new controller to the project

NOTE

While adding Web API Controller class, name it with the suffix Controller that is mandatory.

Inherit IReportController

The IReportController interface contains the required actions and helper methods declaration to process the report. The ReportHelper class contains methods that help to process Post or Get request from the control and return the response.

1.Open the ReportsApiController and add the following using statement.

using Syncfusion.EJ.ReportViewer;

2.Inherit the IReportController interface, and implement its methods (replace the following code in newly created Web API controller).

public class ReportsApiController : ApiController, IReportController
    {
        //Post action for processing the rdl/rdlc report 
        public object PostReportAction(Dictionary<string, object> jsonResult)
        {
            return ReportHelper.ProcessReport(jsonResult, this);
        }

        //Get action for getting resources from the report
        [System.Web.Http.ActionName("GetResource")]
        [AcceptVerbs("GET")]
        public object GetResource(string key, string resourcetype, bool isPrint)
        {
            return ReportHelper.GetResource(key, resourcetype, isPrint);
        }

        //Method will be called when initialize the report options before start processing the report        
        public void OnInitReportOptions(ReportViewerOptions reportOption)
        {
            //You can update report options here
        }

        //Method will be called when reported is loaded
        public void OnReportLoaded(ReportViewerOptions reportOption)
        {
            //You can update report options here
        }
    }

Add Routing Information

The following steps guide you to configure the routing to include an action name in the URI.

1.Right-click the project in the solution explorer and select Add > New item.
2.In the Add New Item window, select Global Application class and name it as Global.asax, and then click Add.
Adding Global.asax file

3.Open the code-behind file Global.asax.cs and add the following using statement.

using System.Web.Http;

4.Then add the following code to the Application_Start method:

protected void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            System.Web.Http.GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
                name: "DefaultApi",
                routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{id}",
                defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional });
        }

NOTE

For more information about routing tables, see Routing in ASP.NET Web API.

5.Compile and run the Web API service application.