Inserting Bookmarks Dynamically

What is this page about?

This page explains how to insert bookmarks dynamically in reporting templates.

You can insert bookmarks to your reports dynamically using bookmark tags. Syntax of a bookmark tag is defined as follows.

<<bookmark [bookmark_expression]>>
bookmarked_content
<</bookmark>>

Here, bookmark_expression defines the name of a bookmark to be inserted during runtime. This expression is mandatory and must return a non‑empty value. While building a report, bookmark_expression is evaluated and its result is used to construct a bookmark start and end that replace corresponding opening and closing bookmark tags respectively.

Note – A bookmark tag cannot be used within a chart.

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FAQ

1. Q: How do I define the name of a bookmark dynamically?
   A: Place an expression that evaluates to the desired bookmark name inside the bookmark tag, e.g., <<bookmark [Customer.Id]>>. At runtime the expression is evaluated and the resulting string becomes the bookmark name.

2. Q: Can I use the bookmark tag inside a table, list, or other container elements?
   A: Yes. The bookmark tag works inside tables, lists, paragraphs, and most other document elements. The only restriction is that it cannot be placed inside a chart.

3. Q: What happens if the bookmark expression returns an empty string or null?
   A: The tag is ignored and no bookmark is created. Because the expression must return a non‑empty value, an empty result will cause the engine to skip the bookmark insertion without raising an error.

4. Q: How can I reference a bookmark that was created dynamically later in the same report?
   A: Use the standard Aspose.Words field syntax, such as a REF field: <<field REF [bookmark_name]>>. The [bookmark_name] part should match the expression used when the bookmark was created, allowing you to cross‑reference the dynamic bookmark elsewhere in the document.