What version of Crystal Do I need to use to distribute my reports.

[gazzat]

I have been using Crystal Reports Professional Version 9 to develop a large number of reports. I now wish to distribute these reports to a number of PC's. (Under Version 8 I could do this with the Runtime Distribution Expert)

How do I do this using version 9?

I still wish to have 1 executable per report.

Any help in chosing the correct version of Crystal would be appreciated.

Regards
Garry

 

[JEX]

Why do you want to distribute the reports to the PCs? Why don't you use the Report Application Server (RAS) that came with CR9? The Report Application Server can run on your web server (IIS) and acts as a central repository - 1 rpt...allowing end users to run and view those reports using just a browser.

cheers..J

 

[Triplex]

JEX,

I encountered the same problem with Gazzat, you say that we
need to use the Report Application Server (RAS). Am I going to install this into our Server? Can you give me a guideline on how to do this? or any any site that can guide me in doing this?

Thanks... GOD BLESS...

Triplex

 

[gazzat]

Hi Jex,

Thanks for the reply. Well the reason I don't wish to use the RAS is because I have several clients I develop reports for and I really just want to be able to give them an .exe file like I have in the past.

So the procedure in the past was:
(1) Develop a report for a clients specific database using Crystal Version 8.5.
(2) Compile and Distribute that report using the Distribution expert.
(3) Email the setup to the customer or give them a setup CD (4) Install the .exe on the customer PC
(5) They then run the .exe whenever they want.

It worked wonderful. Now of course I want to keep doing the same thing but using Crystal Version 9.


Regards
Garry

 

[chelseatech]

CR9 does not include a Distribution wizard, so you cannot create an EXe for each report.

You might need to consider a 3rd party report viewer like my cView.

Ken Hamady has a great summary of the various methods of report distribution on his site at

http://www.kenhamady.com

Editor and Publisher of Crystal Clear

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

 

[gazzat]

Thank you for the reply Chelseatech,

Yes. I understand that Crystal Version 9 doesn't include a Distribution wizard.

So what I am probably trying to establish is can I write a Visual Studio .Net (Visual Basic) Program that is basically a Crystal Report Viewer. The aim would be to write a Menu Program that would call any of the Crystal Report Version 9 reports that I design.

Is this approach feasible?

If so then what products would I require. Crystal Reports Version 9 Developer and Microsoft Visual Studio .net Professional.

and then of course I am assuming runtime royalty free from Crystal.

Am I on the right track?

Regards
Garry Torto

 

[chelseatech]

My cView is written in VB6, but I see no reason you couldn't write a report viewer in .NET. I'm currently migrating my report scheduler to that environment at the moment.

You will need Visual Studio.NET and CR9 Developer edition. There might even be a sample application you could use for report viewing.

But think about how much time you will spend on this task and if it might be cheaper to use someone elses work. You don't need to reinvent the wheel.

Contact me at bruce@chelseatech.co.nz if you are interested in discussing further. Editor and Publisher of Crystal Clear

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

 

[alor]

can i use Report Application Server (RAS) that came with CR9 with crystal 8


thanks

 

[JEX]

If you have Crystal Reports created in earlier versions, like 8, you can use RAS to view them. If you actually open those reports with CR9 and then save them, they will be converted to CR9 format.

Regarding Gazzat's original question, Chelseatech is correct in that you can use CR9 Developer and .Net to create a very simple report viewer application.

cheers...J

 

[chelseatech]

RAS is a web based report viewer that works well in CR9.

However the free license is only for 3 active viewers at a time. A VB or .NET program is a windows app doesn't have that limitation.

If you view your word documents and your excel spreadsheets in a browser then viewing your reports is fine. But if you use a window app for those file formats, why not another one for RPT files from the DB? Editor and Publisher of Crystal Clear

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