mad at Crystal Decisions/Business Objects

[yehong]

I can't believe there is no warning sign when opening an older version files in a higher version. I recently had to modify one report that was in v8.5 for one client. On my machine I have both v8.5 and 9.0. I double clicked the 8.5 report file and it opened in v9.0. I thought that the file was in 9.0 since it did not give any message or alert so I started my work. I spend about one week on it and when try to run it within an app, it won't run because invalid file. I search and find that the app is using v8.5 engine and hence can only support v8.5 reports. While the modified report was now in v9.0.
I wish BObject should add an alert to warn the version difference. Also, is there anyway I can convert my 9.0 report to 8.5? Otherwise I will have to redo all the modifications in v8.5. Another thing that BO should do is to have different report icons for different versions. Currently v9.0 and v8.0 seem to have same icon to even further the confusion.

 

[RobbieB]

Crystal XI is backwards compatible but previous versions are not. And not that this helps you but the icon for XI is different than previous versions.

 

[synapsevampire]

There isn't a warning message, and you can not save back to CR 8.5 now, CR 9 represented a major change in the file structures and methodology.

Sorry to hear of your dilema, you can always right click the RPT file and select properties to learn the version.

-k

 

[synapsevampire]

Robbie: CR XI cannot save to CR 8.5, so it is not backwards compatible.

CR XI back to CR 9 can work, but not always, as with CR 8.5 back to CR 7, it's dependent upon the functionality used in the later version being supported in the older version.

-k

 

[RobbieB]

You're right I'm sorry. Version XI is only Backwards compatible to V.9 not back to 8.5. If you open and save a document in XI you can still open it in version 9 but not in 8.5.

 

[Madawc]

If you're using a mix, it would be wise to have backup files for all of the CR 8.5s. Not a huge size if saved without data.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10