Is Crystal Reports Backwards Compatible? 3

[JasGrand]

Hello, I have another question. I was wondering if Crystal Reports was backward compatible (meaning would reports created in crystal 7.0 work in version 9.0 - including on the web)?


Thanks again,


Jason

 

[dgillz]

Your example would be forward compatible, not backwards compatible.

Crystal is forward compatible, any report created in an earlier version of Crystal, when saved in a newer version of crystal, will automatically prompt the user to save in the most current version.

There is an exception to this in terms of a VB application. Starting with crystal v9, the only supported VB use of crystal is the report designer component (RDC). Previous projects using the Active X control and other means of writing crystal reports in VB will not convert, they will need to be rewritten.

In terms of backwrds compatibility, only versions 8 and 8.5 have the ability to "save as" a prior version report, and only back to version 7.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

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[JasGrand]

Hello, thanks for ansering. What we do here at the Ministry is create the report in Crystal Reports then we re-crystalize the report (which makes a .asp and a .htm page). Would these reports still work if we saved the report as a version 9 report?

 

[Ngolem]

I would say a qualified yes....in general reports written in CR7 can be run on CR9.

I say qualified in that you may have used a function in your CR7 report that is no longer supported in CR9. In this case you would have to modify your report accordingly. Off the top of my head I cannot think of any...there certainly are many if you were using CR6.

You will find out the problems if they exist pretty quickly once you try to run the old reports on CR9

Jim Broadbent

 

[chelseatech]

Some old versions of CR had functions that were removed in a later version becuase there was a better way to do that function. The Fetch/Store and RT functions are examples of theses.

However, these can be added to the latest versions. They are UFL's, so just find the DLL and install that in the new version.

Also, from memory, CR6 and CR5 shared the same rpt format, so could exchange between the two. Otherwise CR is Upwarrds compatible, and only rarely backwards compatible.


Editor and Publisher of Crystal Clear

http://www.chelseatech.co.nz/pubs.htm

 

[janiceconrad]

I have a situation where I need to have cr7 reports run on the same machine as cr9. This is a web environment.

I have been told this is possible without converting the cr7 reports. Has anyone done this. I am now being told all cr7 reports need to be saved as cr9 reports and that the install of cr9 on the web server will not allow cr7 dlls to be accessed.

Has anyone had any experience in making these two compatible.

 

[chelseatech]

Cr9 is the only version of CR that can co-reside with another version. So install both CR7 and Cr9 on the machine and run them side by side.

I've been using CR8.5 and Cr9 on the same machine and it's been going great.

Just make sure that you don't SAVE your Cr7 reports with CR9 or you can never look at them again with Cr7. Cr9 to view reports is fine, but just don't SAVE the report.

Editor and Publisher of Crystal Clear

http://www.chelseatech.co.nz/pubs.htm