How can I set the folder description during deployment with Visual Studio?

Question

We use SQL Server 2012 Enterprise and have a lot of Reports using the SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). We use Visual Studio 2012 / 2013 for deploying the Reports to different Servers. We have a solution file with different project.

Each Project has a different target folder.

Everything works fine except that I don't know how to set a Folder Description using Visual Studio deployment.

Answer 1

I wrote a Stored Procedure which sets the description. I need to run the Stored Procedure after deployment which is kind of a workaround but I'm fine with this solution.

Here is the code:

-- Folder Description: QC - Internal Reports
UPDATE  DBReporting.dbo.Catalog
SET     Description = 'restricted to department QC'
WHERE   Type = 1 -- Folder
        AND Name = 'QC - Internal Reports';

Bonus: You can also hide (Sub)Reports using the Catalog Table in the Reporting Database. I use the Report description in Visual Studio to identify the reports which i want to hide.

-- Hides Reports
UPDATE  DBReporting.dbo.Catalog
SET     Hidden = 1
WHERE   Type = 2 -- Report
        AND Description = 'Hidden';

-- Hide Datasource Folder
UPDATE  DBReporting.dbo.Catalog
SET     Hidden = 1
WHERE   Type = 1 --Folder
        AND Name = 'Data Sources';