I am fairly new to MS SQL and SSRS and am hoping to get some info on the correct steps to take while moving forward.
I was provided with MS SQL server 2008 R@ as part of project along with the SSRS functionality to fulfill a reporting need that i had on this project.
I was a little confused with the lack of options in the Visual studio 2008 that was part of this package, but was reassured by those who provided it that it would do everything i needed. I therfor econtinued to move forward.
I successfully set up the databases and tables and have created about a dozen or so reports with SSRS. Once this was done i had a need to create a user interface for some data manipulation as well as manual data entry. The visual studio version i have, that came with MS SQL Server 2008 did not have these features. I was trying to use c#.
I was told to get a free version of C# by downloading Visual studio Epxress 2013. I did this, and used C# to crate a few Windows forms for the above requirements.
Once the forms were done and the all the data was verified i felt it was a good time to set-up automatic back-ups on my database now that it was actually being used. I found that the "free" version did not supprot automatic back-ups and i would need to purchase an licensed version. I was recommended ot purchased MS SQL Servers 2014 and i am now installing that.
While I was waiting for this purchase to take place ( i work for the government ;-(, i figured i would take a look at my options for setting up the subscriptions on SSRS to auto dispatch my reports on a schedule. I found out that that feature is not supported on the Free version that i received with MS SQL 2008.
I stopped working on this and figured i might as well set up the SSRS manager and get the reports on our network so they can be used, no problem there, except that i have so functionality for printing the reports or viewing them in page view, or e-mailing them. I am assuming this is due to the "Free" software.
Since this was not working, i decided to jsut try and link my Win Form to the SSRS and use it to print them, and i now know that the express version does not have the ability to work with SSRS.
Long story longer, all this "free" software and advice is getting old and i would like to just buy what i need
I know i need the following "features":
Back-up feature for MS SQL (hoping that this is being taken care of with the update to 2014)
One Visual studio software that will let me use SSRS to create reports as well as use C# to create Win forms, but also offer some flexibility in the future with new requirements. I don't know what those requirements might be since i am fairly new at this, but i don't mind buying a little more than i need at this point, since the "free" stuff is only giving me headaches.
Ability to trigger report printing via a Win Form as well as create small reports in a win Form.
Will the SSRS that comes with my new "licensed" 2014 version of MS SQL Server allow me to have the full functionality of SSRS, for example access to subscriptions, email protocol to e-mail reports and access to the basic buttons on the Web banner that let me view reports in page view as well print and the other basic features that i got used to using when i was in preview mode in VS 2008 while i was building my reports.
Thank You in advance to anyone who can offer some direction or advice.