Implementing a SSRS ReportViewer control in MVC consists of two problems:

1. Minimally, you'll need to add the right dependencies, handlers, and **configuration for the ReportViewer control** (regardless of project type). 
2. The trickier hurdle is in **Mixing WebForms and MVC**. We need a way of rendering and routing incoming requests so they will be handled by WebForms pages, controls, and actions. 

## Problem 1 - Configuring the `ReportViewer`

If you've done a lot with setting up ReportViewer controls in the past, this might be old hat and you can skip to section 2.

1. **Add package/reference** - The [`ReportViewer`][1] control lives in the `Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms.dll`. You can include in your project by adding the [`Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms`][2] package from nuget: 

 [![Nuget - Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms][3]][3]

2. **Web.config Handlers** - Per this article on [Web.config Settings for ReportViewer][4], and [this SO question][5] you'll need to add the following to your `web.config`:

 
 
 <system.web>
 <httpHandlers>
 <add verb="*" path="Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd" 
 type="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.HttpHandler,
 Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,
 PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
 </httpHandlers>
 </system.web>
 <system.webServer>
 <handlers>
 <remove name="ReportViewerWebControlHandler" />
 <add name="ReportViewerWebControlHandler" preCondition="integratedMode"
 verb="*" path="Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd" 
 type="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.HttpHandler, 
 Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,
 PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"/>
 </handlers>
 </system.webServer>

 Per [this question on duplicate keys][6], it's typically easiest to remove and then re-add webserver configs

3. **Fix broken Image Requests** - there's a known defect in ReportViewer with [`blank.gif` images not loading][7] so you can add the following fix to your `global.asax.cs`:

 
 
 protected void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 HttpRequest req = HttpContext.Current.Request;
 if (req.Url.PathAndQuery.StartsWith("/Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd") &&
 !req.Url.ToString().ToLower().Contains("iteration") &&
 !String.IsNullOrEmpty(req.QueryString["ResourceStreamID"]) &&
 req.QueryString["ResourceStreamID"].ToLower().Equals("blank.gif"))
 {
 Context.RewritePath(String.Concat(req.Url.PathAndQuery, "&IterationId=0"));
 }
 }

4. **IgnoreRoute .axd** - If it's not already there, make sure to [allow ScriptResources][8] in your `RouteConfig.cs`:

 
 
 routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

5. **Add ReportViewerPage.aspx** - Add a WebForm page that will hold an instance of the ReportViewer control. In order to work, that control needs to find a `ScriptManager` control and be placed inside of a `<form runat="server" >`. 
 So your new .aspx page should look something like this:

 
 
 <%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" CodeBehind="ReportViewerPage.aspx.cs" Inherits="MVCAppWithReportViewer.ReportViewerPage" %>
 <%@ Register TagPrefix="rsweb" Namespace="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms" Assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" %>
 
 <!DOCTYPE html>
 <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
 <head runat="server">
 <title>Report Viewer</title>
 </head>
 <body>
 <form id="form1" runat="server">
 <rsweb:ReportViewer ID="ReportViewer" runat="server" 
 Height="100%" Width="100%" 
 SizeToReportContent="True" ProcessingMode="Remote" />
 <asp:ScriptManager ID="ScriptManager1" runat="server" />
 </form>
 </body>
 </html>

6. **Wire up ReportViewer on `Page_Load`** - Assuming, you already have an SSRS report fully deployed to a reporting server which is available at an address like this: 

 <code>http&#58;//ReportServerName/Reports/Pages/Report.aspx?ItemPath=%2fCompany%2fClientReport</code>

 Then your code-behind in your new WebForm page should look like this:

 
 
 public partial class ReportViewerPage : System.Web.UI.Page
 {
 protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 if (!Page.IsPostBack)
 {
 // confirm report properties (also setable in attributes)
 ReportViewer.ProcessingMode = ProcessingMode.Remote;
 
 // config variables
 var reportServer = "ReportServerName";
 var reportPath = "/Company/";
 var reportName = "ClientReport"; 
 
 // report setup
 var serverReport = new ServerReport();
 serverReport = ReportViewer.ServerReport;
 serverReport.ReportServerUrl = new Uri($@"http://{reportServer}/ReportServer");
 serverReport.ReportPath = $@"{reportPath}{reportName}";
 
 // report input
 var parameters = new List<ReportParameter>();
 parameters.Add(new ReportParameter("User_uid", "1"));
 serverReport.SetParameters(parameters);
 
 // run report
 serverReport.Refresh();
 }
 }
 }

7. **View Report** - At this point you should be able to view your report on it's own by selecting **View in Browser** or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>W</kbd>

 [![View in Browser][9]][9]

## Problem 2 - Mixing WebForms and MVC 

First, let's quickly dissect the routing differences between how these controls are loaded and subsequently updated

* **MVC** routes will look something like this `{controller}/{action}/{id}` where the routing engine will automatically find a `Controller` and `Action` with the specified name and incoming requests will be handled by that method. On any page request, whether from page load, form submit, button clicks, anchor navigation, or ajax calls, the exact method being executed is always specified in the url `{action}`.

* **WebForms** routes to code by finding the physical .aspx page address, and then uses ViewState & PostData to wire up and fire events on that page / control.

 Here's an [illustration of different routing formats in WebForms][10]. And here's a simple button click event which will submit a post back to the parent page and raise the appropriate events within the page based on the event data submitted:

 [![ASP.NET WebForms - Postback][11]][12]

This is a pretty big constraint on our solutions available. Nothing is special about the `ReportViewer` control. It's just a sophisticated set of UserControl classes that respond to click and other input events by posting back the current address along with the ViewState and Event info. So whatever assumptions were baked into the routing and navigation of the ReportViewer will need to persist into our MVC wrapper.

1. **Option 1 - Add Route for .aspx page**

 As of MVC 4.0+, you can use [URL Routing with WebForms][13]. This mixes well with MVC by adding a [<code>MapPageRoute</code>][14] *(note the **Page** part)* to map a route to a physical file. So add the following to your `RouteConfig.cs`:

 

 routes.MapPageRoute(
 routeName: "ReportViewer",
 routeUrl: "ReportViewer/{reportName}",
 physicalFile: "~/ReportViewerPage.aspx"
 );

 The report will run when you navigate to the address `~/Reports/reportName`. This will probably be invoked from inside a controller action, perhaps with some user entered parameters or web.config connection strings. There are lots of [ways to manage state in ASP.NET][19] and [Pass Values to ASP.NET Web Forms Pages][20]. One option would be to stash the info in the Session and Redirect like this in your controller:

 
 
 HttpContext.Session[reportSetup.ReportName] = new ReportSetup() {ReportName = "ClientReport"}; //reportSetup;}
 return RedirectToRoute("ReportViewer", new { reportName = reportSetup.ReportName});


 Then, inside the .aspx page, and you can grab the `reportName` from the RouteData Values and any setup params from the session:

 

 // get report name from route
 string reportName = Page.RouteData.Values["reportName"].ToString();

 // get model from session and clear
 ReportSetup setup = (ReportSetup)HttpContext.Current.Session[reportName];

 **Pros**:

 * Most of the routing seems to work by default, and AJAX controls work fine, so you can set `AyncRendering=True`

 **Cons**:

 * It's hard to [use an ASP Web Form with a Razor MVC Layout][22] so rendering will take users out of the flow of the rest of the application. 
 * Also, report values have to be exposed as part of the URL or passed indirectly via session (as opposed to hydrating directly onto the object).

2. **Option 2 - Nest `.ascx` inside `PartialView` on your Page**

 Adapted from [How can I use a ReportViewer control with Razor?][21], you can consume `.ascx` controls in PartialViews as long as they inherit from [`System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl`][23].


 Create a new Web Forms User Control called `ReportViewerControl.ascx` that looks like this:

 
 

 <pre><code>&lt;%@ Control Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" CodeBehind="ReportViewerControl.ascx.cs" Inherits="MVCAppWithReportViewer.ReportViewerControl" %&gt;
 &lt;%@ Register TagPrefix="rsweb" Namespace="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms" Assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" %&gt;
 
 &lt;form id="form1" runat="server"&gt;
 &lt;rsweb:ReportViewer ID="ReportViewer" runat="server" 
 Height="100%" Width="100%" 
 SizeToReportContent="True" ProcessingMode="Remote"
 AsyncRendering="False" /&gt;
 &lt;asp:ScriptManager ID="ScriptManager1" runat="server" 
 EnablePartialRendering="false" /&gt;
 &lt;/form&gt;
 </code></pre>

 > **Note**: You must set **`AsyncRendering="False"`** and **`EnablePartialRendering="false"`**

 In the code behind you'll need to replace the inheritance type from `System.Web.UI.UserControl` to `System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl`. 
 
 And on `Page_Init`, you'll need to set the [`Context.Handler`][24] to `Page` so events are registered properly. 

 So the `ReportViewerControl.ascx.cs` should look like this:

 
 
 public partial class ReportViewerControl : System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl
 {
 protected void Page_Init(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 // Required for report events to be handled properly.
 Context.Handler = Page;
 }
 
 protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 if (!Page.IsPostBack)
 {
 /* ... report setup ... */ 
 serverReport.Refresh();
 }
 }
 }

 In order to render the report, add the following to your controller view:

 
 
 @Html.Partial("ReportViewerControl", Model)

 And then in the ReportViewerControl.ascx.cs Page_Load event, you can retrieve the passed in model from the [`ViewUserControl.Model`][26] property like this:

 
 
 ReportSetup setup = (ReportSetup)Model;

 **Pros**: 

 * Can build into master `_layout.cshtml` and consume in regular views
 * Can pass model directly

 **Cons**:

 * `AsyncRendering` must be set to false, so interactions like pagination and sorting cause full page refreshes and are sometimes wonky. Brian Hartman's has a blog just for ReportViewer and talks about [AsyncRendering and all the Baggage that Comes With It][25].


**Further Reading**:

* [How can I use a reportviewer control in an ASP.NET MVC 3 razor view?][16]
* [How do I render a remote ReportViewer aspx page in MVC 4?][17]
* [MVC 5 & SSRS ReportViewer - How to Implement?][18]


 [1]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer "Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.ReportViewer"
 [2]: https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms/
 [3]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/BYva8.png
 [4]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms251661.aspx
 [5]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/36409922/1366033
 [6]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/49011204/1366033
 [7]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/27233316/1366033
 [8]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/9016704/1366033
 [9]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/C9dCJ.png
 [10]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/xpdns.png
 [11]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/lcflt.png
 [12]: https://imgur.com/a/vp2i4ak
 [13]: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2009/10/13/url-routing-with-asp-net-4-web-forms-vs-2010-and-net-4-0-series.aspx
 [14]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.Web.Routing.RouteCollection.MapPageRoute "System.Web.Routing.RouteCollection.MapPageRoute"
 [16]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/6144513/1366033
[17]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/15422124/1366033
[18]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/30709782/1366033
[19]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/75x4ha6s.aspx
[20]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/6c3yckfw.aspx
[21]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/15208437/1366033
[22]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/30872822/1366033
[23]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl "System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl"
[24]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.Web.HttpContext.Handler "System.Web.HttpContext.Handler"
[25]: https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/brianhartman/2010/01/21/asyncrendering-and-all-the-baggage-that-comes-with-it/
[26]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/aspnet/web-frameworks/mt172252%28v%3dvs.118%29

Is there a way to put a SQL Server Reporting Services report viewer control on an ASP.net MVC view? If not...what is the best way to accomplish this? 

Viewing SSRS Reports in an ASP.net MVC Site

Here are a couple solutions. Number two is much better as it doesn't require needlessly duplicating your assemblies.

### Solution 1 (okay)

As added to the question itself and described in the post [Visual Studio 2010 Report Viewer - Object Datasource][1], just create a separate library for the project and add the rdlc file there. This appears to be a bug with the MVC Web Application project type itself so any other project type (like a Class Library) should work. The data source configuration wizard should now look like this:

![data source configuration wizard][3]

### Solution 2 (better)

As figured out in [Can't see or add Website Data Sources in RDLC report in ASP.NET MVC][2], you can just add an **.aspx** page anywhere to the MVC project in order to trick Visual Studio into pulling in the right design time libraries. 

Just do the following:

* Close all windows
* Clean & Rebuild Solution
* Add WebForm1.aspx to the Project
* Open up the RDLC file and choose a DataSource from the dropdown:

 ![DataSource Dropdown][4]


[1]: http://wraithnath.blogspot.com/2011/02/visual-studio-2010-report-viewer-object.html
[2]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/2923569/1366033
[3]: http://i.imgur.com/n44iRKu.png
[4]: http://i.imgur.com/qGkHTNu.png

I've created more projects using ReportViewer 2005 and 2008 in local processing mode than I can count on my hands. All Visual Studio 2005 or 2008 ASP.NET web forms projects. I always used some flavor of Object data source for the reports.

Tonight, I attempted to add the same functionality to a Visual Studio 2010 MVC 2 project and am failing miserably. First, the Add New Item > Reporting > Report is now a 2008 RDLC and not a 2005 RDLC report. Secondly, when trying to add a DataSet, my usual method of create a data proxy class with static methods that return `IEnumerables(Of Stuff)` will not show up as sources in the DataSources drop down

![Empty Data Source][1]

Thirdly, my *only* option is to add a Database connection. There is no "Object Data Source" to pick from:

![Database connections only][2]

I'm stumped. Like I kind of alluded to, I have no problems whatsoever actually rendering a report using the ReportViewer control. What I can't do is figure out how set up a Data Source in these new-fangled 2008 reports with Visual Studio 2010 so that I can pump a list of domain objects into the ReportViewer and display the report.

**UPDATE**

With some more research, I've found that MVC projects do not allow object data sources to be used within them. One solution for my issue is to create a separate project in the solution -- a web application, a service, or even just a class library, to add the report to and design it accordingly.

I'm still looking for alternatives here.

  [1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/0fLnN.png
  [2]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/7cptm.png

Visual Studio 2010 Local SSRS Report (.rdlc) with Object Data Source

The current solution will mask the issue, but won't address the underlying problem, which is that when browsers besides IE are composing the request for the gif (which SSRS just uses to replace padding), they don't know to include the `IterationId` query string parameter.

As [SQL Reporting Services Viewer broken in Non-IE Browsers][1] points out, if you're using the ReportViewer, you can fix this in your application routing under `Application_BeginRequest` like this:



 protected void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 // Original fix credit to Stefan Mohr
 // Bug fix for MS SSRS Blank.gif 500 server error missing parameter IterationId
 // https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/556989/
 HttpRequest req = HttpContext.Current.Request;
 if (req.Url.PathAndQuery.StartsWith("/Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd") &&
 !req.Url.ToString().ToLower().Contains("iteration") &&
 !String.IsNullOrEmpty(req.QueryString["ResourceStreamID"]) &&
 req.QueryString["ResourceStreamID"].ToLower().Equals("blank.gif"))
 {
 Context.RewritePath(String.Concat(req.Url.PathAndQuery, "&IterationId=0"));
 }
 }

[1]: http://coffeestain-it.blogspot.com/2011/08/sql-reporting-services-viewer-broken-in.html

I'm using `ReportViewer` 10.0. In Google Chrome, the lines come with a broken image called `blank.gif`. But IE and Firefox are working fine.

Here's an example with the images circled:

![Screnshot](http://i.imgur.com/JOV3rKR.png)

Any ideas on how to fix this?

ReportViewer showing broken images in Chrome

SSRS doesn't natively have a Watermark function, but you have a couple workarounds.

### Fix 1 - Background Image

1. Create an image with the watermark you want ([save as .bmp][1])
2. Add the image to the report
3. Set the Report Body Background property to use the image. 
 [Body Properties][5]


**For Step 1, I like the following method**:

1. Create a Word Document
2. Go to Page Layout > Watermark > Custom > and add whatever watermark you want 
 ![Printed Watermark][2]
3. Save the Word Document as PDF.
4. Open the PDF and Select "Copy File to Clipboard" 
 ![Copy File to Clipboard][3]
5. This will create the correct sized image at 612x792. Paste into MSPaint and save as a bitmap. Here's a [sample generated image][4] that just says "TEST" that you can use.

**Conditionally Applying**:

Most times you have a watermark, you want to eventually remove it. Let's say you have a test and production report and you want to toggle the watermark. You can do it like this:

1. Add a Boolean Parameter, here called `IsTest`. It should look like this: 
 ![Report Data][6]
2. On the Body Properties menu, set the background image to use the following formula:

 =iif(Parameters!IsTest.Value,"TestWatermark","")

 ![Background Image Expression][7]

3. When you're calling the report, make sure to pass in the parameter like this:

 report.SetParameters(New ReportParameter("IsTest", appSettings.IsTestEnvironment))


### Fix 2 - Text Field

Alternatively, you can do this with a text field for a little less heavy handed of an approach, but it cannot be rotated at a 45o angle.

1. Add a text field to the report. Make it large and grey.
2. Right click on the text field and click Send to Back so it appears behind all the other elements.
3. Make sure that any other fields with a white background have a transparent background, otherwise you'll get a blotchy display.

### Further Reading

* [Watermark printing in SSRS report][8]
* [How To Watermark your Report With Custom Image][9]


[1]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/27533461/1366033
[album]: http://imgur.com/a/DieWd
[2]: http://i.imgur.com/OyEmAxb.png
[3]: http://i.imgur.com/6gxD0Nw.png
[4]: http://i.imgur.com/egeTTTq.png
[5]: http://i.imgur.com/C21V485.png
[6]: http://i.imgur.com/lhfPxud.png
[7]: http://i.imgur.com/E7Ji5I4.png
[8]: https://virams.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/ssrs/
[9]: http://basireddysubbareddy.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-to-watermark-your-report-with.html

I know i can watermark an image with reportviewer 2012 in the body part of the page.
My report has header and footer, i need watermark an image in angle for the full page, from the bottom-left to the top-right and that will include the header, body and footer.

Any Idea? Thank you.