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One click ASP.NET export button control for Excel/CSV file

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8 Dec 20042 min read 879.6K   29.3K   212   169
An extended ASP.NET button control for exporting/downloading Excel or CSV file.

Sample image

Introduction

Microsoft has done a wonderful job of creating an extensible framework, especially for ASP.NET, by creating various server controls. This article is about extending ASP.NET Button control and adding your own functionality for ONE CLICK exporting from ASP.NET page.

Background

There are various ways one can export data using ASP.NET. Usually, it is done by coding a separate page and adding various HTTP headers and responses. (Refer: Microsoft).

Like me, most of us believe in reuse. The export functionality can be achieved by reusing the same page for various projects either by passing DataSet from the parent page, or reconnecting to the data source on the landing page and manipulating Response object.

One Click Export

You may wonder why I call it ONE CLICK EXPORT, 'because this control doesn't require intermediate page for exporting data'. Just drag the ExportButton control on an ASPX page or a user control, and set its properties at design time or runtime to hook DataView. Yup, that’s it, no more hassles of dealing to investigate HTTP headers, MIME types or encodings.

VB
'ASPX page [Design time]
…
…
<pnwc:ExportButton id="btnExcel" runat="server" 
  Separator="TAB" Text="Export to Excel" 
  FileNameToExport="Books.xls" BackColor="#E0E0E0"></pnwc:ExportButton>
….
….

'Code Behind [Run time]
    Private Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object,_
             ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim ds as dataset=filldataset()
        dgBooks.DataSource = ds.Tables("Books")
        dgBooks.DataBind()
            
        'Set Export button properties 
        btnExcel.Dataview = ds.Tables("Books").DefaultView
        btnExcel.FileNameToExport = "Books.xls"
        btnExcel.ExportType = _
          PNayak.Web.UI.WebControls.ExportButton.ExportTypeEnum.Excel
        btnExcel.Separator = _
          PNayak.Web.UI.WebControls.ExportButton.SeparatorTypeEnum.TAB

    End Sub

[Note: The ExportButton properties can either be set at design time and/or run time].

Properties Explained

  • ExportType [CSV or EXCEL]
  • Separator [Comma or TAB]
  • Delimiter [Any character]

ExportType property is used to either select CSV or EXCEL format, btnExcel.ExportType = PNayak.Web.UI.WebControls.ExportButton.ExportTypeEnum.Excel. Separator property can be used to either select TAB or Comma separator, btnExcel.Separator = PNayak.Web.UI.WebControls.ExportButton.SeparatorTypeEnum.TAB. Delimiter property is used to specify any delimiter like single quote, double quote, pipe character etc. Default is Nothing (empty string).

Demo code

The source code is provided with the sample project to test out the solution.

  1. Install is straightforward. Extract demo code zip files to a designated directory.
  2. Two directories will be created. (namely, \\PNWebControls and \\TestMyControls). Make sure they both fall under same parent directory.
  3. Create a virtual directory by either right clicking on the directory \\TestMyControls and opening properties for web share, or use IIS MMC. (Note: This is a demo project.)
  4. Open up a demo solution (TestPNControls.sln) in Visual Studio 2003. (This control also works well with VS 2002. You know the drill, just change the version numbers inside the project/solution file and open it in Visual Studio 2002).

How to use the Control in your project

You may either include the PNWebControls project and reference it in your project, or reference the assembly (PNayak.Web.UI.WebControls.ExportButton.dll). You can also add this control in Visual Studio Toolbox for design time.

[Note: This assembly also contains ExportLinkButton as some may prefer link button over regular button.]

Check out my .NET spot for more to discover.

History

  • 8 July 2004 - updated downloads.
  • 9 Dec 2004 - updated downloads and article.

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here


Written By
Web Developer
United States United States
Cranking code more than 12 years. Technical/Project lead/MCSD. Offered services to various industuries like S/W, Telecom, Publishing, Insurance etc.

When not on computer, I play/swim/read with my kids and help my better half (of course my lovely wife) to clean house. Solving challenging S/W problems is my passion. Hate non-productive meetings. Do lots of GOOGLE and Eat/Drink/Sleep around MSDN.

Comments and Discussions

 
AnswerRe: Using the export button on two different datasets on same page? Pin
Anonymous6-Aug-04 3:10
Anonymous6-Aug-04 3:10 
GeneralRe: Using the export button on two different datasets on same page? Pin
TiffanyB16-Nov-04 5:26
TiffanyB16-Nov-04 5:26 
GeneralRe: Using the export button on two different datasets on same page? Pin
Anonymous16-Nov-04 11:04
Anonymous16-Nov-04 11:04 
GeneralBinding to arraylist Pin
Nilz3-Aug-04 23:18
Nilz3-Aug-04 23:18 
GeneralLanguage specific problems... Pin
Karsten Brocksieper3-Aug-04 2:04
Karsten Brocksieper3-Aug-04 2:04 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)3-Aug-04 3:36
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)3-Aug-04 3:36 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
lhjlr6-Sep-04 0:19
lhjlr6-Sep-04 0:19 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
Member 131771319-Sep-04 22:42
Member 131771319-Sep-04 22:42 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
qqa21-Sep-04 21:10
qqa21-Sep-04 21:10 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
dunwich4214-Nov-04 11:47
dunwich4214-Nov-04 11:47 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
wsiksma6-Dec-04 12:01
wsiksma6-Dec-04 12:01 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)7-Dec-04 5:18
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)7-Dec-04 5:18 
GeneralRe: Language specific problems... Pin
Gade8-Dec-04 21:10
Gade8-Dec-04 21:10 
QuestionCan this be used outside of Sub Page_Load? Pin
Ted Nelson23-Jun-04 9:38
Ted Nelson23-Jun-04 9:38 
AnswerRe: Can this be used outside of Sub Page_Load? Pin
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)24-Jun-04 3:31
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)24-Jun-04 3:31 
GeneralRe: Can this be used outside of Sub Page_Load? Pin
Ted Nelson24-Jun-04 5:05
Ted Nelson24-Jun-04 5:05 
GeneralRe: Can this be used outside of Sub Page_Load? Pin
ganesan balachandar7-Aug-04 4:45
ganesan balachandar7-Aug-04 4:45 
QuestionCan you build it using c#? Pin
lionli21521-May-04 14:52
lionli21521-May-04 14:52 
AnswerRe: Can you build it using c#? Pin
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)24-May-04 4:43
Prashant Nayak (.Net Lover)24-May-04 4:43 

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