Implementing error handling and logging within SSRS

 Implementing error handling and logging in SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) involves several approaches since SSRS itself does not provide built-in comprehensive error handling or logging mechanisms. Here are some strategies to handle errors and implement logging in SSRS:

1. Using Try-Catch in SQL Queries:

   • Within your SQL queries, use TRY-CATCH blocks to handle exceptions. You can log errors to a table in your database.

   sql
   BEGIN TRY
       -- Your SQL code here
   END TRY
   BEGIN CATCH
       INSERT INTO ErrorLog (ErrorMessage, ErrorSeverity, ErrorState, ErrorLine, ErrorProcedure)
       VALUES (ERROR_MESSAGE(), ERROR_SEVERITY(), ERROR_STATE(), ERROR_LINE(), ERROR_PROCEDURE());
       -- You can also raise the error again if needed
       THROW;
   END CATCH;

2. Custom Code in SSRS Reports:

   • You can write custom code in SSRS reports (using VB.NET) to handle certain errors and log them. Go to the Report Properties and add your custom code under the 'Code' tab.

   vb
   Public Function LogError(ByVal errorMsg As String) As String
       ' Write your custom error logging logic here
       ' For example, write to a file or a database table
       Return errorMsg
   End Function
   

   • Call this function in your report expressions to handle and log errors.

3. SSRS Event Handlers:

   • Use SSRS event handlers in the Report Server to capture and log errors. This involves creating custom extensions or using Report Server event handlers.

4. Using Report Server Execution Logs:

   • SSRS includes execution logs that can be used to monitor and troubleshoot report execution. These logs include information about report execution times, parameters, and errors.
   • Configure and query the ReportServer database’s ExecutionLog3 view to analyze report executions and errors.

   sql
   SELECT *
   FROM ReportServer.dbo.ExecutionLog3
   WHERE Status = 'rsProcessingAborted' OR Status = 'rsRuntimeError'

5. Custom Logging Tables:

   • Create custom logging tables in your database to log report parameters, execution times, and errors manually.

   sql
   CREATE TABLE ReportExecutionLog (
       ReportName NVARCHAR(255),
       ExecutionTime DATETIME,
       Parameters NVARCHAR(MAX),
       ErrorMessage NVARCHAR(MAX),
       Status NVARCHAR(50)
   );
   

   • Insert logs into this table at appropriate places in your reports or stored procedures.

   sql
   INSERT INTO ReportExecutionLog (ReportName, ExecutionTime, Parameters, ErrorMessage, Status)
   VALUES (@ReportName, GETDATE(), @Parameters, @ErrorMessage, @Status);

6. Configuring Report Server Logging Options:

   • Configure the SSRS Report Server to log more detailed information by modifying the RSReportServer.config file. Increase the logging level to capture more detailed information.

   xml
   <Configuration>
       <LogLevel>Verbose</LogLevel>
   </Configuration>

7. Using Subscriptions and Notifications:

   • Set up report subscriptions to send notifications when a report execution fails. This can help in proactive error handling.

By combining these techniques, you can create a robust error handling and logging mechanism for your SSRS reports. Each approach has its specific use cases and can be tailored to meet the needs of your reporting environment.