Alternating Colors for Group Bands in Finished Reports – BridgeWorks Help Center

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Article Goal

Guide users through setting up alternating background colors for non-detail bands (such as Group Headers and Group Footers) in Finished Reports using scripts.

What / Why – Alternating Colors for Group Bands

What: Apply alternating background colors to Group Headers, Group Footers, or other non-detail bands using a script-based approach.

Why: Alternating colors improve readability and visual separation when reports rely on grouped sections instead of the Detail Band. Group bands require a different method than detail-level alternating styles.

Configuration Note

Item	Details
Applicable bands	Group Headers, Group Footers, and other non-detail bands
Method used	Script-based logic using a counter
Detail Band usage	This method does not apply to the Detail Band
Script language	Must be set to Visual Basic

For alternating colors in the Detail Band, refer to the dedicated detail-level alternating colors article.

Use Case

Scenario	Description
Grouped layouts	Visually separate grouped sections such as employees, customers, or categories
No detail band	Use alternating colors when reports rely solely on group headers or footers
Improved readability	Make grouped sections easier to distinguish during review

Steps to Set Up Alternating Colors for Group Bands

Step 1: Select the XtraReport

Select the XtraReport by using the Report Explorer or by clicking outside the report design area (outlined by the orange box).

Step 2: Change the Script Language

In the Properties pane, set the Script Language to Visual Basic.

Step 3: Select the Target Band

Select the band where you want alternating colors applied.
(This example uses GroupFooter1.)

Step 4: Open the Scripts Property

In the Properties pane, expand the Scripts dropdown.

Step 5: Add a BeforePrint Script

Add a new BeforePrint script for the selected band.

Step 6: Add a Counter Variable

Above the Private Sub section, add the following variable:

Private Counter As Integer = 0

This counter is used to toggle between background colors.

Step 7: Add the Alternating Color Logic

Paste the following code inside the BeforePrint script:

If Counter = 0 Then
    GroupFooter1.BackColor = Color.White
    Counter = 1
Else
    GroupFooter1.BackColor = Color.Orange
    Counter = 0
End If

Step 8: Verify the Script Is on the Correct Band

Confirm that the BeforePrint script is attached to the intended band.
(This example uses GroupFooter1.)

Step 9: Confirm Correct Band References in Code

Ensure the band referenced in the code matches the band you selected.

For example:

If using GroupHeader2, replace all GroupFooter1 references with GroupHeader2.

Step 10: Validate and Preview

Validate the script and preview the report to confirm the alternating colors are applied correctly.

Article Summary

This article explains how to apply alternating background colors to group-level bands in Finished Reports using a Visual Basic script. Since non-detail bands do not support style-based alternating colors, a counter-driven BeforePrint script is used to toggle background colors for each group instance. This approach improves readability and provides clear visual separation when reports rely on Group Headers or Footers instead of the Detail Band.