How to Configure Data Sources in Non-Localhost and Cloud Environments
When designing reports in Bold Reports, it’s essential to configure data sources properly to ensure reliable data access across all environments—whether development, production, or cloud-based.
Risks of Using Machine-Specific Connections
In development environments, it’s common to use localhost in data source configurations (e.g., MSSQL, Web API URLs, ODBC connections) since both the application and data source often run on the same machine.
While this setup works locally, it becomes problematic in production or cloud environments, where components are hosted separately.
Regardless of the connector type, avoid using machine-specific references—such as localhost or local IP addresses in non-localhost setups, as they can lead to connectivity issues and report failures.
How to Configure Reliable Data Source Connections
To ensure seamless report performance across different environments:
- Avoid using
localhostin non-local environments. - Host your data sources on publicly accessible servers or endpoints.
- Use valid, network-accessible URLs or connection strings that point to the actual server.
Hosting your data source externally ensures consistent connectivity and avoids environment-specific failures.
Simplify Environment Transitions with Custom Attributes
To avoid manually updating each report when moving from development to production or cloud environments:
- Centrally store environment-specific values (such as API URLs and connection strings) as custom attributes.
- Use these attributes in your report data sources during the design phase to eliminate the need for editing each report during migration.
- Simply update the custom attribute value, and all associated reports will automatically incorporate the change.
🔗 Learn how to set up custom attributes.
