Create a shared datasource in VS2012 for SSRS - reporting-services

Question

I'm just looking to create a shared datasource in VS2012 without selecting an entire database scheme. We'll mostly put doing all the dataset queries by sql query.
I found this but i'm still unable to create a shared datasource.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms159165.aspx
For an embedded data source, verify that Embedded connection is selected. Does not exists.
So how do you create a shared datasource in VS2012 with just a connection string?

Answer 1

A DataSource is just a connection string in an element in an xml structure as far as SSRS is concerned. A shared one is just one kept as it's own object and then the rdl elements(reports) have a reference in their xml to that object. Think of an rds file (data source for SSRS) as this very similar to .NET standard connection strings:
Data Source=(server);Initial Catalog=(database)
Plus you can store credentials to mock who is running the report. Thus you can make a proxy user to run the database connection. However SSRS does this through a GUI called 'Business Intelligence Development Studio' it is an add on to Visual Studio that is generally SQL Server version matches that VS version EXCEPT FOR 2012. That one creates a shell Visual Studio of VS 2010 just meant for BIDS.
To my knowledge you should be creating these directly in BIDS and not try to hack the RDS file directly unless you get the ReportService2010.asmx web service to mess with it's properties in .NET (which is a lot more work.).
To add one you just do this:
Go into BIDS with a report project
Expand a project
Right Click 'Shared Data Sources'> 'Add New'
Click 'Edit...' next to connection string
You get a menu very similar to ADO.NET standard connection string creator
Put in ServerName
Put in DatabaseName
8*** Optional put in default credentials.
Click OK
Generally SSRS has three parts to everything it does
Datasource = connection string (rds file when not embedded)
Dataset = select query or proc results or other data source return (rsd file when not embedded)
Report = resultant xml display of elements such as parameters, tables, matrices, etc. (RDL file when working on hosted report)
Generally reports can have everything embedded or else just reference everything they use. References are often easier for deployments sake as SSRS is designed to look if DataSources first exist and NOT OVERWRITE them by default. Thus if you reuse a datasource it is much easier in the long run as long as policy for it is set up correct.
If you want to just know the structure of an rds file they look like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RptDataSource xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" Name="Test">
<ConnectionProperties>
<Extension>SQL</Extension>
<ConnectString>Data Source=TestServer;Initial Catalog=TestDatabase</ConnectString>
</ConnectionProperties>
<DataSourceID>45be0ac1-80a8-4d5c-906b-c13b03298e0a</DataSourceID>
</RptDataSource>