Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services (Database) [Paperback]

Brian Larson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0072232161 | ISBN-13: 978-0072232165 | Publication Date: May 21, 2004 | Edition: 1

Design and deliver insightful and interactive Web-based reports

Transform your company’s valuable data into easily shared information with help from this definitive resource. Written by a member of the development team, this hands-on guide covers everything from installation to administration and shows you how to create visually appealing reports with ease and accuracy. You’ll get a firm understanding of the entire report-building process by following a case study throughout the course of the book. Learn first-hand how to extract data using Query Builder and master key tools such as the Report Wizard and Report Manager. Leverage the power of Microsoft’s most powerful server-based reporting solution to improve business decision-making and facilitate company-wide--even worldwide--communication.

Essential Skills for Database Professionals

• Follow steps to prepare for a smooth installation process
• Explore the ins and outs of the SELECT query and ensure data integrity
• Create cleanly designed interactive reports and deliver them in a timely manner
• Generate reports with the aid of the Report Wizard and from scratch
• Work with line, text box, and rectangle controls
• Add polish to your reports with images, color, and charts
• Control the properties of a report item using Visual Basic expressions
• Use the Report Manager to share information in a secure, managed environment

About the author: Brian Larson, MCSD, MCDBA, is a well-known industry expert and member of the Reporting Services development team. He has written for SQL Server Magazine and is the Chief of Technology for Superior Consulting Services in the Twin Cities.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Transform your company's valuable data into easily shared information with help from this definitive resource. Written by a member of the Reporting Services development team, this hands-on guide covers everything from installation to administration and shows you how to create visually appealing reports with ease and accuracy. You'll get a firm understanding of the entire report-building process by following a case study throughout the course of the book. Learn first-hand how to extract data using the Query Builder and master key tools such as the Report Wizard and Report Manager. Leverage the power of Microsoft's most powerful server-based reporting solution to improve business decision-making and facilitate company-wide, even worldwide, communication.

This book covers all aspects of Reporting Services from designing your Reporting Services installation to deploying your reports and configuring their security and execution parameters. There is something for all levels of user, from the novice (basics of database querying and report design) to advanced (incorporating .NET assemblies into a report and a detailed example of the implementation of a custom security extension).

From the Back Cover

Design and deliver insightful and interactive Web-based reports

Transform your company’s valuable data into easily shared information with help from this definitive resource. Written by a member of the development team, this hands-on guide covers everything from installation to administration and shows you how to create visually appealing reports with ease and accuracy. You’ll get a firm understanding of the entire report-building process by following a case study throughout the course of the book. Learn first-hand how to extract data using Query Builder and master key tools such as the Report Wizard and Report Manager. Leverage the power of Microsoft’s most powerful server-based reporting solution to improve business decision-making and facilitate company-wide--even worldwide--communication.

Essential Skills for Database Professionals

• Follow steps to prepare for a smooth installation process
• Explore the ins and outs of the SELECT query and ensure data integrity
• Create cleanly designed interactive reports and deliver them in a timely manner
• Generate reports with the aid of the Report Wizard and from scratch
• Work with line, text box, and rectangle controls
• Add polish to your reports with images, color, and charts
• Control the properties of a report item using Visual Basic expressions
• Use the Report Manager to share information in a secure, managed environment

About the author: Brian Larson, MCSD, MCDBA, is a well-known industry expert and member of the Reporting Services development team. He has written for SQL Server Magazine and is the Chief of Technology for Superior Consulting Services in the Twin Cities.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 704 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media; 1 edition (May 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072232161
• ISBN-13: 978-0072232165
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,716,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian Larson is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, with degrees in physics and computer science. Brian has worked in the computer industry since 1985 and has been a consultant creating custom database applications since 1989. He is currently the Vice President of Technology and BI Practice Manager for Superior Consulting Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota (http://www.teamscs.com). Brian is an MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer 2008 and a Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA).

Brian served as a member of the original Reporting Services development team as a consultant to Microsoft. In that role, he contributed to the initial code base of Reporting Services.

Brian has presented at national conferences and events, including the SQL Server Magazine Connections Conference, the PASS Community Summit, and the Microsoft Business Intelligence Conference, and has provided training and mentoring on Reporting Services and business intelligence across the country. He has been a contributor and columnist for SQL Server Magazine.

Brian began his writing career collecting rejection letters for some very bad science fiction short stories. Brian got the last laugh on all of those cruel editors by sneaking a bit of science fiction into his Reporting Services books. The sample company used in all of the examples is an intergalactic shipping company staffed by robots and employing faster than the speed of light travel to offer previous day delivery. The company back story may be fanciful; the business examples, however, are all down to earth!

Brian lives with his wife Pam in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota. Pam will tell you that their first date took place at the Luther College computer center. If that doesn't qualify someone to write computer books, then I don't know what does.

Brian can be contacted at [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but could have been better, October 3, 2004

By 

ueberhund "ueberhund" (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services (Database) (Paperback)

SQL Server reporting services are a relatively new feature of SQL Server 2000, so I was quite excited to pick up a copy of this book. While this is a good beginning book for learning SQL and the basics of SQL Server reporting services, I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in both the presentation and depth of content this book provides. Again, this book provides some good explanation, however, the reader should be prepared for an introductory book, certainly not an advanced text.

The first section of the book provides a very good introduction to SQL and SQL Server. However, this is still very introductory information, and will only be useful for very beginning readers. In fact, the author doesn't begin discussing the books topic until page 161. Again, this introductory information is quite necessary to understand the rest of the text, I was just hoping for a more abbreviated version of the introductory material.

The rest of the book is actually much better and much more met my expectations. The author then proceeds to discuss how to generate reports. While much of the work involved in creating reports with SQL reporting services involves the use of a wizard, the author does a good job demonstrating how to expand reports beyond the default. The last section of the book goes through many of the more advanced options found in reporting services. There is a good discussion on exporting reports to different formats (including PDF, TIFF, and CSV). The final two chapters of the book are excellent, which discuss such advanced options as configuring subscriptions for reporting services and ASP.NET Code Access Security (CAS).

This is really a good book, it's just not as advanced as I was hoping for. While it's certainly a valuable resource for anyone working on SQL Server reporting services, it would have been preferable if the introductory content wasn't quite as extensive. In spite of this complaint, I would still recommend it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the SQL RS Guide, April 3, 2005

By 

DBL (Hattiesburg, MS USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services (Database) (Paperback)

I started reading this book when first toying with Reporting Services. I found another book that I thought did a better job. However, when I was actually having to professionally use Reporting Services and produce results, I had totally different questions and found my way back to this book. It was amazing how each question that I had was now being answered simplistically and accurately allowing me to satisfy my client and learn a new tool. This is the book to use to bring the power of Reporting Services to life.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A guide for newbies and veterans alike, June 15, 2004

By 

"shane_sargent" (St. Louis Park, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services (Database) (Paperback)

I found Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services by Brian Larson to be both entertaining and highly informative. The three main attributes that I like were the assumed knowledge level of the reader, the order in which Mr. Larson worked through the examples he provided, and the business need paradigm which frames the whole book.

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services assumes very little knowledge on the part of the reader, but manages to provide explanations and detail procedures in a manner that doesn't belittle the novice nor frustrate the more advanced user. Mr. Larson avoids the trap into which many other technical writers have fallen: abandoning the novice as the book advances. As the complexity of the examples increases, so does the assumed knowledge base of the user, but there is always a well defined trail of bread crumbs leading the novice back to the appropriate spot in the book where the skill was originally explained.

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services works through concepts in a way that I found effective. First, Mr. Larson tells us what Reporting Services features are to be explored. Next, the business/reporting need is explained, followed by an overview of how the reader will meet that need. We then work through a task list with detailed, step-by-step instructions including images and screenshots. This is accomplished both within the confines of the friendly Visual Studio wizards, and without the wizard so the reader is exposed to what's happening behind the scenes. Finally, Mr. Larson provides the reader with further context and explanations for why tasks were necessary or why they were performed in the manner and order in which they were performed.

Finally, the entire book is framed by a desire to meet the business needs of a fictitious shipping company. Though the business and business model are highly entertaining, and I caught myself laughing aloud on several occasions, the needs of its employees are much the same as any terrestrial, real world company. Because of this, the reader stays grounded, and is led to think of ways to apply the examples, and the skills or features they illustrate, to their own business environment. In my opinion, it is this aspect of Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services that is the most valuable.