Newbie Question - Standalone or Integrated Designer?

[MrsPie]

I'm building a VB 6 program for distribution. I'm now building reports and purchased Crystal Reports 10 (developer edition).

I'm using the data environment connections in VB6 hitting Access 97 tables.

I just learned that if I use CR designer integrated in VB, I can't preview my reports without running my VB program itself. This will make the design work much slower. If I build standalone reports, print preview is available making it easier to design the reports, but I can't use the same Data Connections I'm using in VB for my program.

How easy is it to build standalone reports, and then access them within VB? If I do, will the fact that they have their own, separate data connection cost me efficiency or cause me any other problems?

Where do most CR users (working in VB) build their reports - standalone or in the integrated environment?

Thanks much!

 

[vidru]

I prefer using standalone reports for several reasons:

1) If a report has to change, don't need to recompile the application
2) If a client is using one of my apps and wants to drop in a report they created, they can just put it in the application's Reports folder, or upload the report file into the database.
3) If a client wants to make changes to a report, they can do it themselves and resave/replace the existing report.

You can get the sample apps here:

http://support.businessobjects.com/communityCS/TechnicalPapers/apps_rdc.pdf

-dave