# I hate Reporting Services for MS SQL/.NET **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 18, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906 "2005-04-18T16:07:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/1 "2005-04-18T16:07:49Z")
Fucking hate it. Hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it. Stupid piece of shit, I hate it. Fucking hate it. Every goddamned moron involved in the making of this piece of shit needs to be raped by goats, with Pan himself acting as the fluffer. Hate it. This public service announcement has been brought to you by a months worth of frustration with this progams “idiosyncracies” and inability to do even the most basic of things (like its inability to put report fields in headers _or_ footers). Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/2 "2005-04-18T19:27:03Z")
Pttttttttttt. I’m putting together a website and trying to get FrontPage and [VisualStudio.NET](http://VisualStudio.NET) to play nice together. I’m succeeding (so far), but damn it has been a royal pain in the ass! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/3 "2005-04-18T19:33:58Z")
No! My problems are more important than yours! Go away! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/4 "2005-04-18T19:49:53Z")
I try to help a brother out and bump his thread, but does he appreciate it? Noooooo. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/5 "2005-04-18T20:44:42Z")
> [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > I try to help a brother out and bump his thread, but does he appreciate it? Noooooo. 😉 Wanna help? 😉 1. Can somebody\* explain to me why the fuck it is SOOOOO wrong to put fields in report headers/footers? 2. Can somebody explain to me why the stupid idiotic piece of shit program does NOT recognize “landscape” as a viable, “hey I want to do this ALL the time rather than setting my print setup properties EVERY GODDAMNED TIME I WANT TO PRINT OUT A GODDAMNED TEST PAGE???” alternative? Even if you tell it that the report body is 11X8.5, it’ll still print portrait-style - 8.5X11. 3. And I love the crashes. Oh, I just _love_ the crashes. 4. Can somebody explain to me why the column function works like shit? I have a basic two-column report. I want the items centered _just… so_ and have no problem getting it correct. But just on the left column of page 1. Whatever I do, I can’t get the right column in page 1, or the rest of the columns in the following pages to look like the left column in page 1. Goddamned piece of shit. 1. Would it have been so impossible to program a goddamned zoom function in the Layout tab (which is where you get to design your reports). You get the zoom in Print Preview, but _not when you’re designing your reports_. Has the thought ever occurred to the dipshits at Microsoft that when you’re drawing lines, you might want to zoom in a bit? \*I didn’t want to use your name: no need to make it sound as if I’m yelling at _you_, **Ponder**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/6 "2005-04-19T00:19:05Z")
Try using Crystal Reports for a few days. Believe me you will come to appreciate what you are using now. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/7 "2005-04-19T03:07:29Z")
And after that, try Oracle Reports. You have to do like 5 different things, in the proper order, to just move a field around if it’s in a tight location. And that’s on a good day. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/8 "2005-04-19T04:03:11Z")
Ummm, perhaps this thread would get more responses if you would explain what all is going on for individuals that aren’t as well versed in all of the technological terms. I think you’re pitting Microsoft’s new software development tools, or something, but I’m not positive. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/9 "2005-04-19T04:09:51Z")
FYI, I’ve forwarded your comments to the product design team for Reporting Services. I can’t guarantee that the issues will get fixed, but I can guarantee that your comments will be reviewed and the issues will be investigated. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/10 "2005-04-19T13:02:56Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > Ummm, perhaps this thread would get more responses if you would explain what all is going on for individuals that aren’t as well versed in all of the technological terms. > > I think you’re pitting Microsoft’s new software development tools, or something, but I’m not positive. Naw, this was just a rant so I could blow off some steam. Not looking for a lot of responses, really, perhaps from some others who’ve had problems with this thing (or perhaps it’s just me.) Yeah, it’s one of MS’s new (?) software development tools that I’m bitching about - Reporting Services for Visual Basic .NET. There’s not much about it on the web, the online “manual” barely deserves the name, and it’s just damned frustrating, especially as I’ve spent the past five-odd years doing stuff in MS Access (which has its own report designer, and enables you to do all the things I’m bitching about in my third post. Including crash. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/11 "2005-04-19T13:09:55Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > FYI, I’ve forwarded your comments to the product design team for Reporting Services. I can’t guarantee that the issues will get fixed, but I can guarantee that your comments will be reviewed and the issues will be investigated. Why, thank you Hunter! 🆒🆒🆒 My biggest problem is I’m not a programmer - I’m an operations guy who knows a lot of Access, and was asked to help design reports as the company converts from Access to SQL (5 years ago the company had 24 FT employees, today it has 125). I took a few minutes to look at RS, saw that it was “really like” Access, blithely said “No prob!”, and here I am today. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/12 "2005-04-19T13:12:37Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > FYI, I’ve forwarded your comments to the product design team for Reporting Services. I can’t guarantee that the issues will get fixed, but I can guarantee that your comments will be reviewed and the issues will be investigated. Btw… Did you, uh, remove the stuff about… you know… being raped by goats? :o Oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please… Then again, it is Microsoft - they’re probably used to it (he rationalizes.) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/13 "2005-04-19T15:05:03Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Did you, uh, remove the stuff about… you know… being raped by goats? :o > > Oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please… Then again, it is Microsoft - they’re probably used to it (he rationalizes.) 😉 Yeah, they’re used to it–it’s not like they never read anything posted on the Internet, after all. But anyway, I did omit the part about the goats. Left in some of the other profanity, though. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/14 "2005-04-19T15:16:08Z")
Well, I’m sure they can use some of that $40 billion in cash that they’re sitting on for counseling their help desk employees. 😉 Anyway, that was really considerate, what you did. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/15 "2005-04-19T15:31:46Z")
_Lowly Microsoft employee_: “Goat-rape? Hey, there’s a monopoly just asking to be abused! I could make it big with this one!”" ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/16 "2005-04-20T06:12:10Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > _Lowly Microsoft employee_: “Goat-rape? Hey, there’s a monopoly just asking to be abused! I could make it big with this one!”" Yeah, but bear in mind that since it takes Microsoft three tries to get a product right, you’ll have to settle for something like “overly affectionate marmots” till around SP2. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/17 "2005-04-20T11:52:51Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > Yeah, but bear in mind that since it takes Microsoft three tries to get a product right, you’ll have to settle for something like “overly affectionate marmots” till around SP2. Hmmm … this explains the behavior of **Hal Briston** ’s Robogoat … must be a Microsoft product! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-reporting-services-for-ms-sql-net/299906/18 "2005-04-22T14:22:01Z")
Oh, another things. People use Avery labels. Avery Labels, have, in fact, evolved to be the leading standard here in the US. Avery Labels, in fact, are so standard that every product, from Publisher to Excel, from Word to Access to Works, that MS writes that is capable of printing data has either Avery Label templates or Avery Label wizards. Except one.