Urgent - Generate Report in pdf format using CE8

[nijeesh]

Hi,
I want to generate the reports in pdf format and re-direct the user to the pdf file.
This is basically to avoid the license being locked up when a user views a report in CE8.
Has somebody done this before?
Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks & Regards,
Nijeesh.

 

[2techie]

Hi Nijeesh,

You can export the report to PDF format from CE8.0 and inform users about physical location of PDF file.

If you are looking for sending pre generated PDF file to users mail box, that feature is not available in CE8.0. Either you need to go for CE8.5 which has this feature or look for some 3rd part tool. Apos Inc provides these kind of features.

If you are looking for sending only a hyperlink to users, so that they can go and see the report, you need CE9.0 which got released last week.

However, you will loose all the drill down capabilities in PDF format.

Vishal

 

[nijeesh]

Hi Vishal,
My requirement is this... Now I'm invoking the reports using this url,

http://<srvName>/cgi-bin/wcscgi.cgi...se&promptex-loginUserName=&quot;Nijeesh&quot;

This locks up the license until the user closes the report...

Instead, when the end-user clicks on a button, I want to generate the report as a pdf file in the server and re-direct them to the pdf file generated.

Thanks & Regards,
Nijeesh.

 

[2techie]

Hi Nijesh,

There is an option for exporting to different formats. I dont remember that option top of my head. Look in the export section of help and try to append that value in the hyperlink you provided. I am not sure if that will work.

Let me do some more research and I will get back to you by tomorrow.

Vishal

 

[2techie]

Hi Nijesh,

Try appending cmd=EXPORT&EXPORT_FMT=U2FRTF%3A0 in your hyperlink. I dont know if that would be possible in CE8.0 as I have CE8.5 on my machine and could not test with CE8.0.

CE8.5 does give you the option of scheduling [even viewing] to different formats. However I have never tried this option.

Hope this would be helpful.

Vishal

 

[roatis]

The above suggestions might work, but you need to reread your license agreement. Exporting to pdf or any other format does not exclude you from CE licensing. There is something called a Report distribution license that is just as binding in an audit the the standard named, concurrent, or processor licenses.

If you use any Crystal product to create an output other than an rpt file, you are agreeing to the report distribution license rules. See below:

4.4 Report Distribution License. You may use the Software to regularly deliver, distribute or share
Reports to persons outside of the Crystal Enterprise environment (for example, to e-mail recipients
using the Schedule to Destination feature) (a) to persons who are assigned a Named User license,
(b) to a number of persons that does not exceed 10 times the number of Concurrent Access Licenses
you have acquired, or (c) if you have a processor license, to an unlimited number of users. You
may not use the Software to regularly deliver, distribute or share reports to users outside of the
Crystal Enterprise environment other than as provided above, unless you have acquired a Report
Distribution License from Crystal Decisions. A Report Distribution License is not required for: (a)
distribution of Reports in hard copy form, including distribution of paper copies by facsimile; or (b)
manual distribution on a one-time or ad hoc basis. If you acquire a Report Distribution License, you
may use the Software to regularly deliver, distribute or share Reports outside of the Crystal
Enterprise environment to an unlimited number of users.

Rod Oatis
Venturi Technology Partners
Crystal Decisions Certified
Trainer/Consultant/Developer/Implementor
Rod_Oatis@hotmail.com