SSDT 2017 Custom Project Item Templates

2
votes

I have Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools for Visual Studio 2017, version 15.5.4. I have created a report .rdl file that I want to use as our report template. I copied this .rdl file to:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\SQL\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\SSRS\ProjectItems\ReportProject

After restarting SSDT/Visual Studio, I couldn't see any change. Just in case, I also copied an existing .ico icon file and named it the same as the report. Also I added a new line to the ReportProjectItems.vsdir file.

Still, I cannot see my report template after restarting SSDT/Visual Studio when I try to create a new SSRS project. I must be missing something, but I've gone over all of the other similar questions here, and still no luck. Has anyone figured this out?

screenshot of folder and files

screenshot of folder and files

2
reporting-servicesvisual-studio-2017sql-server-data-toolsvisual-studio-templates
That's not where docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/reporting-services/tools/… says they should go. What else have you tried? – user1531971
That article says this: To use custom reports as templates for new reports, you simply copy them to the ReportProject folder on the computer on which SQL Server Data Tools is installed. By default, this folder is in the following location: <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\IDE\Private Assemblies\ProjectItems\ReportProject. When you add a new item to the report project, your custom report appears in the Templates pane. But, I don't have a "Private Assemblies" in that location. – PatrickMcD
Well, it isn't working where you assumed it would look. What happens if you add that folder? VS is famous for having missing directories. Once you have instructions that require dropping discrete files into installer created locations you've already lost. You are going to have to resort to hacking. – user1531971
Plus, the location I mentioned in the initial question is mentioned in several other posts and it is the only one where a Report.rdl file is located and I'm pretty sure that is the main report template for SSRS. – PatrickMcD
Thanks for the suggestion. I tried creating the exact folder structure you suggested and put my .rdl there, but unfortunately still no difference after restarting SSDT/VS. – PatrickMcD

2 Answers

0
votes

From what I can see, you are saving the template.rdl file in the correct location. In order to use the new template, you would need to create a new report by right clicking on the "Reports" folder for that poject and selecting Add > New Item.

Reports > Add > New Item

From there you can choose the template .rdl you uploaded earlier.

-1
votes

Just to wade in on this one, I've been researching exactly the same thing today. The Microsoft docs (As per usual) are utter rubbish. They do not give the correct file path and the one that worked for me very similar to the one that PatrickMcd listed in his screenshot (I'm using VS2017 Professional btw):

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Professional\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\SSRS\ProjectItems\ReportProject

When I placed my template RDL in this folder, I did have to restart VS2017 but then it worked a treat and appeared as an option when adding a new report.

To reiterate, the rdl needs to go in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Professional\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\SSRS\ProjectItems\ReportProject

I can't say here what I think the MS docs are but it rhymes with white.