I have switched library on the server to 3.0.0.0 and I have some problems:

1. The font: Arial Narrow is changing to Microsoft Sans Serif in the output (it was fine for 1.1.5 and 2.x)

2. When I schedule batch update (e-g. 50 files) on data driven subscription using some multi-slide templates the generation stops at random points (e.g after 13, 15, 20 files) and in the RS server logs look as attached. If I simply generate one file  (either on the server using ReportServer/Pages/ReportViewer.aspx?/ link or generate it directly in Visual Studio Report Designer - everything works fine.
Apart from that the rendering time is much slower then previous versions and the final file size is twice as big. Memory and CPU usage at server are very low at that time.

Best Wishes
Bart

Hello Bart,

At first, I should tell Aspose.Slides for RS2005 v.3.0.0 == v.2.1.1.
We added RS2008 there. RS2005 version wasn't changed at all.

1. We will investigate Arial Narrow font export but could you please provide little more information.
RDL report and report exported as TIFF image and as PPT would be great.

2. Provided log was very helpful. I hope we will fix it soon. Thank you.

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Alexey Zhilin
Team Leader
Aspose Tyumen Team
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Hi Alexey,

At first v.2.1.1. != v.3.0.0 for me. You fixed at least problems with font resizing and double paragraph breaks removal (thanks for it by the way).
But you are right about 2.1.1. == v.3.0.0 about Arial Narrow and rendering exception errors in logs. Both versions have the same problem (but 1.1.5 doesn't). The speed of generation is also the same but much slower to 1.1.5.

1. Fortunately, I resolved first problem with Arial Narrow - the font wasn't installed on the server and it was mapped to the nearest. I wondering however how it worked with 1.1.5 version. That's why I've posted it as an error.

2. For rendering problem I attached PPT and TTF of the first failed file in the batch. As I said the was no problem of generating this as single PPT file.
For above files I attach some parts of RDL-s, as the reporting solution consists of many subreports. I included main one and all which contained graphs, which I think are possibly rendering-breakers. I experiened similar charts errors before, where there was no data in the data source and renderer failed (but reporting services preview showed blank page).

I attached also 1.1.5 logs with whole batch executed sucesfully and 2.1.1 logs with the same rendering problem issue as in 3.0.0.0 as well.

I hope that will help and I finally will switch from 1.1.5 to 3.x ;)

Best wishes
Bart

Hi Alexey,

I Forgot to add another font issue to 3.0.0.0 version (and 2.1.1, 1.1.5 as well).
Wingdings font doesn't export properly. Sample attached with all 3 versions 1.1.5, 2.1.1 and 3.0.

1.1.5 works "almost fine" because initially it shows squares but after font name refreshing the stars are shown correctly. By 2.1.1 and 3.0 squares remain forever.

Best wishes
Bart

Dear Alexey,

I found another problems in 3.0.0.0 version

1. MSI package removes libraries from Visual Studio and you can't use it in Reporting Editor.

2. I found the cause for the file size difference between. 1.1.5 and 2/3.0. All charts are now 3 times bigger and scaled down to 32%. I know that this is a good think when you print on hight resolution printer but sometimes it would be nice to have it just 100% scaled with smaller file size as it happens by the 1.1.5 version. In my case file grows from 500 Kb to 2 500 Kb. The ideal solution would let it be configurable in somewhat.

3. Since 1.1.5 one thing is still not working properly: Slide Layout. When Reporting Services creates presentations with more that one slide the first slide is formatted as Title and Text layout and all others as Title Slide layout! Obviously it should be another way around. This causes lots of problems by printing and in my case is very crucial. If it is only a simple change please apply it as soon as possible. 
If it is not possible please advice how to change read only Layout property of the slide using Aspose.Slides library.

Best wishes,
Bart

Hello Bart,

Slide Layout problem is actually issue of Aspose.Slides for .Net (not Reporting Services) and should be fixed soon.

Charts sizes and MSI installer issues will be investigated.

---

Alexey Zhilin
Team Leader
Aspose Tyumen Team
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Hi Alexey,
I don't understand why Layout it is only a Aspose.Slides library problem.

You can easily see the wrong Layout using Power Point (Design Layout) for files which were produced by Aspose Slides for Reporting Services. Just create any presentation with at least two pages. I have the same result on many presentations: First page is a body layout and any others are title slides.

Best wishes,
Bart

Hello,

Aspose.Slides for RS uses Aspose.Slides for .Net to create new slides (and for all other ppt processing).
Aspose.Slides for .Net has bug and always creates new slides with wrong Design Layout as title slides.
It will be fixed soon anyway. Sorry if my first explanation wasn't clear.

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Alexey Zhilin
Team Leader
Aspose Tyumen Team
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That's great,
I look forward getting the new version soon so :)

Bart

Hello Bart,

It took some time but new Aspose.Slides for Reporting Services is available. Created slides always have Empty design layout now instead of Body or Title. You can download new version here.

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Alexey Zhilin
Team Leader
Aspose Tyumen Team
About Us
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Thank you Alexey for the update,
I have tested the 3.0.1.0 version (the update from the post) and indeed the slided are now with blank layout which is the best solution I think.

What about other issues which I raised few weeks ago. It seams that they are not sorted yet:

1. MSI package still removes Visual Studio Assembly in upgrading mode without removing the old package.
2. Charts are still very big (resized about 32%)
3. Font sizes are made smaller if the text in the textbox doesn't fit. In my case this is inproper behaviour. Font size has to stay as it was defined. I would rather made the box as "Resize Texbox to fit"

I missed the Wingdings Font problem. Still open in 3.0.1.0 version.
The character below is a star using Wingdings.

«

But if you use is in the report and set as Wingdings font it always looks like double arrows in the output.  In Font properties in output PPT file it says that this is a Wingdings font. You need select the text in Powerpoint and switch to other font and back to Wingdings to show it correctly.

Is is something that the Font is not embedded in the output?

Best wishes,
Bart

Yes, we are still working on problems with Wingding and other Symbol fonts and Charts size. It also will be available soon.

Could you please give little more details about MSI package problem.

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Alexey Zhilin
Team Leader
Aspose Tyumen Team
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Th 3.0 MSI package problem is simple.
There is no dll installation in c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies\ so you can't use it in VS 2005 Report Viewer. The dll goes only to RS Server folder.

The 2.1.1.0 and 1.1.5.0 versions work fine.

I am also having a problem creating a star wingding in version 5.2.0. The ascii code for the character is 171. I am also getting double arrows on the output of the .ppt instead of what should be a star. Below is the code that I created: