.NET News

Preserve Report Formatting for Sharing with MHT

April 19, 2024
Export .NET 8 WPF reports to the broadly compatible MHTML format, maintaining layout fidelity and enabling offline viewing.

MHT (MHTML or MIME HTML) is a web archive format that bundles a web page's HTML code and all its resources such as images, stylesheets, and scripts into a single file that can be viewed offline or in applications that don't require an internet connection. Exporting to MHT format gives you a single archive file that contains your webpage and all its necessary components. This format is especially beneficial for preserving the exact state of a web page at a specific point in time, allowing for offline storage and easy sharing without losing the original design and functionality. Additionally, it simplifies the management and transfer of web content by consolidating multiple files into a single entity.

Several .NET 8 WPF reporting components allow you to export to MHT, including:

  • ActiveReports.NET by MESCIUS enables .NET 8 WPF applications to export complex reports to MHT for easy archival and offline viewing.
  • List & Label Enterprise Reporting Edition by combit facilitates the distribution of single-file MHT archives, and can be used with WPF applications in .NET 8.
  • Stimulsoft Reports.Wpf is a .NET 8 reporting component that offers MHT export capabilities for easy report distribution through a web browser.
  • FastReport WPF by Fast Reports offers efficient MHT file generation from reports within .NET 8 WPF applications, enhancing portability and file management.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of .NET 8 WPF reporting components.

Compare .NET 8 WPF Report Components

Effectively Visualize Proportional Data in Blazor

April 18, 2024
Pie charts allow users to see the relative sizes of different categories in a data set, offering a clear view of the whole set and its constituent parts.

Pie charts are a useful and easily understood tool for visualizing data breakdowns at a glance, particularly when representing percentages of a whole. Their strength lies in highlighting the relative proportions between a small number of categories within a dataset. While less effective for complex comparisons or trends over time, pie charts can be an effective choice to communicate compositions and dominance within a dataset.

Several Blazor Chart controls offer Pie charts including:

  • DevExpress Blazor Chart (Part of DevExpress ASP.NET and Blazor) empowers you to create informative pie charts with customization options for clarity.
  • ComponentOne Charts for Blazor (part of ComponentOne Studio Blazor Edition by MESCIUS) offers visually striking pie charts to effectively communicate data proportions.
  • Telerik Blazor Chart (part of Telerik UI for Blazor) facilitates clear and interactive pie charts, enabling viewers to grasp data relationships.
  • Syncfusion Blazor Chart (part of Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise) allows you to design compelling pie charts that effectively showcase data breakdowns.
  • Infragistics Blazor Charts (part of Infragistics Ignite UI) empowers you to create user-friendly pie charts, making complex data easily digestible.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our Blazor Chart controls comparison.

Compare Blazor Chart Controls

Let Grid Users Input Non-Latin Characters

April 17, 2024
Grid controls with Input Method Editor (IME) support allow users to generate characters that are not natively available on their input devices.

An Input Method Editor (IME) facilitates the entry of complex characters and scripts not directly supported by standard keyboards, which is especially vital for languages with extensive character sets like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. When integrated into a grid component, an IME enables users to input text directly into data cells using phonetic or syllabic methods that are converted into the desired characters. This integration streamlines the data entry process in applications requiring multi-language support, significantly enhancing usability and efficiency. It simplifies the development of applications targeting global markets by providing native language input support, thereby improving the user experience and reducing the need for external language input tools.

Several WinForms grid components offer Input Method Editor (IME) support, including:

  • DevExpress WinForms Data Grid (part of DevExpress WinForms) includes an IME which is enabled when an end-user switches the desktop key input to a supported language.
  • FlexGrid for WinForms (part of ComponentOne Studio WinForms by MESCIUS) offers built-in IME support, facilitating efficient entry of complex characters in diverse languages.
  • Telerik UI for WinForms GridView (part of Telerik UI for WinForms) integrates IME capabilities, enabling straightforward input of extensive multilingual character sets.
  • Infragistics WinDataGrid (part of Infragistics Ultimate UI for Windows Forms) also boasts input method editor support for effortless text input in globalized WinForms applications.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of WinForms grid components.

Compare WinForms Grid Components

Visualize Geographic Data in Blazor Apps

April 17, 2024
Harness the power of clear location-based information with interactive map components to inform and empower your users.

Map component extend your Blazor app's functionality by facilitating the display of geographic information. This allows you to visualize data with real-world location context, enhancing user understanding and engagement. Blazor map components often integrate with popular map providers and support features such as markers, layers, and customization, allowing you to create interactive and informative map experiences within your web application.

Several Blazor UI suites feature map components including:

  • Telerik UI for Blazor provides a feature-rich Blazor map component for visualizing geospatial information with various layer options and extensive customization.
  • Infragistics Ignite UI offers an interactive map component empowers visualization of geographic data from view models or shapefiles on customizable imagery maps.
  • Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise includes a Blazor map that utilizes OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, or Bing Maps, and supports custom shapes and bubbles.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our Blazor UI Suites comparison.

Compare Blazor UI Suites

Edit WPF Spreadsheet Data Directly in the Cell

April 16, 2024
In-cell editing makes data entry and modification quicker and more intuitive by eliminating the need for separate data entry fields.

In-cell data editing refers to the functionality within spreadsheet software that allows users to directly click on and modify the contents of a cell without the need for separate data entry forms or pop-up dialogs. This feature allows for quicker and more direct changes to the data displayed on the screen, enhancing productivity by reducing the steps required for data manipulation.

Several .NET 8 WPF spreadsheet controls support in-cell data editing including:

  • DevExpress WPF Spreadsheet (part of DevExpress WPF), lets you directly edit cell data with robust validation and conditional formatting options in the WPF environment.
  • Spread WPF (part of Spread.NET by MESCIUS) facilitates seamless in-cell data manipulation and real-time calculation updates, enhancing productivity for WPF applications.
  • Telerik WPF Spreadsheet (part of Telerik UI for WPF), enables efficient data entry and editing within cells, complete with support for formulas and data formats in WPF.
  • MindFusion.Spreadsheet for WPF allows users to easily modify and manage cell content interactively, supporting complex data types and customization in WPF.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of .NET 8 WPF Spreadsheet Controls.

Compare .NET 8 WPF Spreadsheet Controls