PDF for SSRS - trial license - new extensions do not show in Report Manager

liviu.ciofu · July 27, 2021, 7:46pm

Hi,
I just downloaded and installed Aspose.PDF for Reporting Services.
We got a temporary license
We need to be exporting reports in PDF/A format.

Server info:
SSRS 2005 Enterprise x64

I donwloaded DLL only version 19.7.0.0
Took the dll from the SSRS2005 folder and I manually copied in bin folder of my SSRS instance.
Entered the security policy in rssrvpolicy.config the following way:

<CodeGroup class=“UnionCodeGroup” version=“1” PermissionSetName=“FullTrust”

Name=“Aspose.PDF_for_Reporting_Services” Description=“This code group grants full trust to the AP4SSRS assembly.”>

IMembershipCondition class=“StrongNameMembershipCondition” version=“1” PublicKeyBlob=“00240000048000009400000006020000002400005253413100040000010001000734cc24bfcebd7aa8c6e2bf8af5c2b95c7a7e6092abb60d68a7d9efde285cf7dce7f354b44cf3064e8ad85bddfe405ad1e51855d9a1367c15cb34529988feeee0c3279caecdb6dfd7f94c5364d2bd282c4f93493d56d33df36f97da8fd71bb7dc4b0e7f1428b926291cdea7cec1085aa9cc0f6771e4fc2f5772603eee3afaaa” />

But when I open the report in web report manager, there is no extension from Aspose present in the export drop down list.
Additionally I get this error in SSRS log:

w3wp!extensionfactory!1!07/28/2021-08:55:44:: e ERROR: Exception caught instantiating APPDF report server extension: System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly ‘Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices, Version=19.7.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=716fcc553a201e56’ or one of its dependencies. Failed to grant minimum permission requests. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131417)
File name: ‘Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices, Version=19.7.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=716fcc553a201e56’ —> System.Security.Policy.PolicyException: Required permissions cannot be acquired.
at System.Security.SecurityManager.ResolvePolicy(Evidence evidence, PermissionSet reqdPset, PermissionSet optPset, PermissionSet denyPset, PermissionSet& denied, Boolean checkExecutionPermission)
at System.Security.SecurityManager.ResolvePolicy(Evidence evidence, PermissionSet reqdPset, PermissionSet optPset, PermissionSet denyPset, PermissionSet& denied, Int32& securitySpecialFlags, Boolean checkExecutionPermission)
at System.Reflection.Assembly._nLoad(AssemblyName fileName, String codeBase, Evidence assemblySecurity, Assembly locationHint, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection)
at System.Reflection.Assembly.InternalLoad(AssemblyName assemblyRef, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, Boolean forIntrospection)
at System.Reflection.Assembly.InternalLoad(String assemblyString, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, Boolean forIntrospection)
at System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(String assemblyString)
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.ExtensionClassFactory.LoadAssembly(String name)
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.ExtensionClassFactory.CreateExtensionObject(Extension extConfig)

can you please help me fix this.

liviu.ciofu · July 28, 2021, 6:39am

Same error on SSRS2016:

extensionfactory!ReportServer_0-1!d4c!07/28/2021-09:30:08:: e ERROR: Exception caught instantiating APPDF report server extension: System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly ‘Aspose.PDF.ReportingServices’ or one of its dependencies. Failed to grant minimum permission requests. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131417)
File name: ‘Aspose.PDF.ReportingServices’ —> System.Security.Policy.PolicyException: Required permissions cannot be acquired.
at System.Security.SecurityManager.ResolvePolicy(Evidence evidence, PermissionSet reqdPset, PermissionSet optPset, PermissionSet denyPset, PermissionSet& denied, Boolean checkExecutionPermission)
at System.Security.SecurityManager.ResolveCasPolicy(Evidence evidence, PermissionSet reqdPset, PermissionSet optPset, PermissionSet denyPset, PermissionSet& denied, Int32& securitySpecialFlags, Boolean checkExecutionPermission)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly._nLoad(AssemblyName fileName, String codeBase, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly locationHint, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoadAssemblyName(AssemblyName assemblyRef, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly reqAssembly, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoad(String assemblyString, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean forIntrospection)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoad(String assemblyString, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, Boolean forIntrospection)
at System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(String assemblyString)
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.ExtensionClassFactory.LoadAssembly(String name)
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.ExtensionClassFactory.<>c__DisplayClass2.b__0()
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.RevertImpersonationContext.<>c__DisplayClass1.b__0(Object state)
at System.Security.SecurityContext.runTryCode(Object userData)
at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeHelpers.ExecuteCodeWithGuaranteedCleanup(TryCode code, CleanupCode backoutCode, Object userData)
at System.Security.SecurityContext.Run(SecurityContext securityContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.RevertImpersonationContext.Run(ContextBody callback)
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.ExtensionClassFactory.CreateExtensionObject(Extension extConfig, Boolean typeOnly)

liviu.ciofu · July 28, 2021, 8:29am

I used your config exe tool, and it seems that the PublicKeyBlob is different now than the one I copy-pasted from your online tutorial, and it worked.

But I cannot see PDF via Aspose option.
XPS and EPUB options did appear, so it loaded aspose dll, I made them visible false because I don’t need them.

render settings now include this:

  Extension Name="APPDF" Type="Aspose.PDF.ReportingServices.Renderer,Aspose.PDF.ReportingServices" Visible="true"/>
  Extension Name="APXPS" Type="Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices.XpsRenderer,Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices" Visible="false" />
  Extension Name="APEPB" Type="Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices.EpubRenderer,Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices" Visible="false" />

How can I make PDFA option show? thank you.

The error I get is:

extensionfactory!ReportServer_0-1!19cc!07/28/2021-11:24:12:: e ERROR: Exception caught instantiating APPDF report server extension: Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.Utilities.ServerConfigurationErrorException: The report server has encountered a configuration error.

liviu.ciofu · July 28, 2021, 10:07am

I got it to work by modifying PDF to Pdf in the namespacese above.
Got the idea when looking at the ones for Epub and Xps.

But now what I get is not a PDFa1a file, just a plain regular PDF 1.3 file.

I added in ssrs config the folloowing setting which I found on the forum, still no dice:

Can you please help us get PDFA working?
And which standard is supported in this version of AsposePDF? thank you

asad.ali · July 28, 2021, 8:04pm

@liviu.ciofu

It is good to know that you were able to sort out the issue and have integrated the extension successfully. We regret to share that the feature to export PDF/A format needs to be investigated. Support of PDF/A format was added in 2.9 version of the API at the very start. However, we need to check whether it is retained in the newer version(s) or not.

Please note that we have not been maintaining or adding new features to the API for a long time. We have however logged an investigation request as PDFRS-33582 in our issue management system for your requirements. We will surely check its feasibility and let you know once the ticket is resolved. Please give us some time.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

liviu.ciofu · July 28, 2021, 10:48pm

Hi, thank you for the reply.
According to this page

Aspose does support exporting to PDFa1a and PDFa1b.
Also here: Export PDF/A from SSRS Report Manager/ Report Viewer - #5 by codewarior
on the forum there is a refference that there was an issue with PDFa1a and it was fixed.

Can you please check these and let me know?
It would be usefull to use Aspose to export PDFA from SSRS.

Best regards,

asad.ali · July 29, 2021, 12:12am

@liviu.ciofu

Thanks for pointing out to the related topic and sorry for the confusion made. We already have updated our earlier response and added more appropriate information. The functionality to export to PDF/A format in newer version(s) needs to be checked and investigated. As shared earlier, the API was not being maintained. So, we need to double check whether this functionality is still present in the API or not.

asad.ali · April 28, 2024, 8:45pm

@liviu.ciofu

When configuring extensions in the rsreportserver.config file, it’s important to ensure that the file remains valid XML, specifically - that all configuration tags are properly closed. In case of your request, the tag wasn’t closed, and it prevented the Report Server from loading the extension.

Here is an example of configuring the extension to export PDF/A-1a files alongside the plain PDF files:

  <Extensions>
    ...
    <Render>
      ...
      <Extension Name="APPDF" Type="Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices.Renderer,Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices" />
      <Extension Name="APPDFA1A" Type="Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices.Renderer,Aspose.Pdf.ReportingServices" Visible="true">
        <OverrideNames>  
          <Name Language="en-US">PDF/A-1a via Aspose.Pdf</Name>  
        </OverrideNames>
        <Configuration>
          <!-- Make sure that all the configuration tags are properly closed -->
          <PdfConformance>PdfA1A</PdfConformance>
        </Configuration>
      </Extension>
    </Render>
    ...
  </Extensions>

After adding a new extension configuration it may be necessary to restart the Report Server service in order for it to recognize new export methods.

Also please note that beginning with v.24.4, Aspose.PDF for Reporting Services supports all PDF/A standards that are supported by the Aspose.PDF library, that means: PDF/A-1b\a, PDF/A-2b\u\a, and PDF/A-3b\u\a.
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