Report Definition Language

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Report Definition Language (RDL) is a standard proposed by Microsoft for defining reports.

RDL files are composed of specifically structured XML. This format is primarily used with Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services. Typically they can be written using Visual Studio although third party proprietary tools exist. Optionally, the XML files may be created or edited by hand in a text editor. Microsoft Reporting Services or other 3rd party reporting frameworks are capable of rendering charts, graphs, calculations, text, images (through links) and other report objects by interpreting an RDL file.

There are three high level sections in a typical RDL file:

1. Page style - Definition of all the objects that shall be displayed including fields, images, graphs, tables.
2. Field definitions - Defines the extended attributes of fields which are populated with formulas, dynamic data, or Database derived data.
3. Parameters and Database connections - Defines parameters that maybe asked of the user or programmatically passed in from another application as well as database connections and queries for pulling data into the report.

[edit] External links

• Report Definition Language Specification
• 3rd party open source reporting framework that uses RDLs
• Data Dynamics Reports is a reporting tool for programmers that will render reports defined in RDL.

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