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vb.net : Frustration and Excitement with Crystal Reports
Getting the former. Not the latter.
As some of you may know (Terry...btw thanks for all your help), I have been battling a Crystal Reports problem. I have recently made the discovery that my "Current Connections" or ADO.NET options for the database expert in CR are not working with my project. IF I create a new connection to my Access DB(DAO) or use OLE DB(ADO) connection I will receive correct data (results) on my report for the first time. Whew Hoo! If I use my ADO.NET Dataset connection from my "Current Connections" or from my project, I GET N-O-T-H-I-N-G. By 'nothing' I mean when the report is shown in the report viewer, not one piece of data shows up. I cannot use the ones that work unfortunately because when this entire project is complete, the Access DB may reside on a network drive (ie. M:\InventoryManagement.mdb) These paths that are created, I wouldn't know where to begin to modify them. How do I fix this $%^&*#@ problem?? Tony K
I know this will sound flippant, but I think the solution is to ditch Crystal
and write your report in VB. I struggled with Crystal for over a year. For simple single-table queries it is fine, but once you want a little bit more than that, you would be better off spending the time learning VB than arguing with Crystal. Many reports require record-by-record processing, and Crystal is spectacularly bad at that. Your particular problem would disappear with VB, too, since you could specify your connection string using a path loaded from an INI file. -- David Streeter Synchrotech Software Sydney Australia [quoted text, click to view] "Tony K" wrote:
> Getting the former. Not the latter. > > As some of you may know (Terry...btw thanks for all your help), I have been > battling a Crystal Reports problem. I have recently made the discovery that > my "Current Connections" or ADO.NET options for the database expert in CR > are not working with my project. > > IF I create a new connection to my Access DB(DAO) or use OLE DB(ADO) > connection I will receive correct data (results) on my report for the first > time. Whew Hoo! If I use my ADO.NET Dataset connection from my "Current > Connections" or from my project, I GET N-O-T-H-I-N-G. By 'nothing' I mean > when the report is shown in the report viewer, not one piece of data shows > up. > > I cannot use the ones that work unfortunately because when this entire > project is complete, the Access DB may reside on a network drive (ie. > M:\InventoryManagement.mdb) These paths that are created, I wouldn't know > where to begin to modify them. > > How do I fix this $%^&*#@ problem?? > > > Tony K
Hi again Tony,
I am not sure I understand the problem. Is CR not able to connect to the Db? Seems like you would get some error if that was the case. Are you sure you are setting your parameters corretly - sounds sort of like the query is running and returning an empty result set. Try doing a report that takes no parameters and see what happens. As I pointed out in a prior email, if it is a connection problem, maybe the way to go is to populate a dataset yourself and then have CR report on the DS and not go to the Db. If you create a dataset and add a tableadapter based on the query that CR is trying to run. There is a way in CR to change the datasource from the query to the DS (w/o having to redo the whole report). You could then fill the DS yourself and 'shove'it to CR so CR will never have to connect to the Db. BTW, I just started working with CR a couple of months ago - so I am no expert, but it sure beats the VB PrintDocument (to me anyways). I really struggled with it for the first month and was abut to &%% can it when I finally started getting somewhere. The documentation really sucks but if you stick with it - it will save you a lot of time in the long run. -- Terry [quoted text, click to view] "Tony K" wrote:
> Getting the former. Not the latter. > > As some of you may know (Terry...btw thanks for all your help), I have been > battling a Crystal Reports problem. I have recently made the discovery that > my "Current Connections" or ADO.NET options for the database expert in CR > are not working with my project. > > IF I create a new connection to my Access DB(DAO) or use OLE DB(ADO) > connection I will receive correct data (results) on my report for the first > time. Whew Hoo! If I use my ADO.NET Dataset connection from my "Current > Connections" or from my project, I GET N-O-T-H-I-N-G. By 'nothing' I mean > when the report is shown in the report viewer, not one piece of data shows > up. > > I cannot use the ones that work unfortunately because when this entire > project is complete, the Access DB may reside on a network drive (ie. > M:\InventoryManagement.mdb) These paths that are created, I wouldn't know > where to begin to modify them. > > How do I fix this $%^&*#@ problem?? > > > Tony K
I find the problem with Crystal is that it is not very good at handling
reports where you need to compare records with each other in the same table. For example, if you want to find the newest record before a certain date, where the date is selected from a different table. It's difficult to make calendars, too. For example if you have an appointment database that only has records for those days that have appointments, it is hard to show the days without appointments because Crystal's reporting model needs a record to display. My preferred reporting model is to have a VB program output an MS Word document. The VB PrintDocument object model is great, but it doesn't allow you to save the printout in a useful format. -- David Streeter Synchrotech Software Sydney Australia [quoted text, click to view] "Terry" wrote:
> Hi again Tony, > I am not sure I understand the problem. Is CR not able to connect to the > Db? Seems like you would get some error if that was the case. Are you sure > you are setting your parameters corretly - sounds sort of like the query is > running and returning an empty result set. Try doing a report that takes no > parameters and see what happens. As I pointed out in a prior email, if it is > a connection problem, maybe the way to go is to populate a dataset yourself > and then have CR report on the DS and not go to the Db. If you create a > dataset and add a tableadapter based on the query that CR is trying to run. > There is a way in CR to change the datasource from the query to the DS (w/o > having to redo the whole report). You could then fill the DS yourself and > 'shove'it to CR so CR will never have to connect to the Db. > BTW, I just started working with CR a couple of months ago - so I am no > expert, but it sure beats the VB PrintDocument (to me anyways). I really > struggled with it for the first month and was abut to &%% can it when I > finally started getting somewhere. The documentation really sucks but if you > stick with it - it will save you a lot of time in the long run. > -- > Terry > > > "Tony K" wrote: > > > Getting the former. Not the latter. > > > > As some of you may know (Terry...btw thanks for all your help), I have been > > battling a Crystal Reports problem. I have recently made the discovery that > > my "Current Connections" or ADO.NET options for the database expert in CR > > are not working with my project. > > > > IF I create a new connection to my Access DB(DAO) or use OLE DB(ADO) > > connection I will receive correct data (results) on my report for the first > > time. Whew Hoo! If I use my ADO.NET Dataset connection from my "Current > > Connections" or from my project, I GET N-O-T-H-I-N-G. By 'nothing' I mean > > when the report is shown in the report viewer, not one piece of data shows > > up. > > > > I cannot use the ones that work unfortunately because when this entire > > project is complete, the Access DB may reside on a network drive (ie. > > M:\InventoryManagement.mdb) These paths that are created, I wouldn't know > > where to begin to modify them. > > > > How do I fix this $%^&*#@ problem?? > > > > > > Tony K
Seems to me, both cases are good examples of where you would want to suck the
data into a DataSet, add records programatically (calendar) or filter based on some other data and then after doing the manipulation - shove the DS to CR to report on. That way you can concentrate on the logic and not spend time with a ruler trying to figure out where to place a piece of data on the report. -- Terry [quoted text, click to view] "SurturZ" wrote:
> I find the problem with Crystal is that it is not very good at handling > reports where you need to compare records with each other in the same table. > For example, if you want to find the newest record before a certain date, > where the date is selected from a different table. > > It's difficult to make calendars, too. For example if you have an > appointment database that only has records for those days that have > appointments, it is hard to show the days without appointments because > Crystal's reporting model needs a record to display. > > My preferred reporting model is to have a VB program output an MS Word > document. The VB PrintDocument object model is great, but it doesn't allow > you to save the printout in a useful format. > > -- > David Streeter > Synchrotech Software > Sydney Australia > > > "Terry" wrote: > > > Hi again Tony, > > I am not sure I understand the problem. Is CR not able to connect to the > > Db? Seems like you would get some error if that was the case. Are you sure > > you are setting your parameters corretly - sounds sort of like the query is > > running and returning an empty result set. Try doing a report that takes no > > parameters and see what happens. As I pointed out in a prior email, if it is > > a connection problem, maybe the way to go is to populate a dataset yourself > > and then have CR report on the DS and not go to the Db. If you create a > > dataset and add a tableadapter based on the query that CR is trying to run. > > There is a way in CR to change the datasource from the query to the DS (w/o > > having to redo the whole report). You could then fill the DS yourself and > > 'shove'it to CR so CR will never have to connect to the Db. > > BTW, I just started working with CR a couple of months ago - so I am no > > expert, but it sure beats the VB PrintDocument (to me anyways). I really > > struggled with it for the first month and was abut to &%% can it when I > > finally started getting somewhere. The documentation really sucks but if you > > stick with it - it will save you a lot of time in the long run. > > -- > > Terry > > > > > > "Tony K" wrote: > > > > > Getting the former. Not the latter. > > > > > > As some of you may know (Terry...btw thanks for all your help), I have been > > > battling a Crystal Reports problem. I have recently made the discovery that > > > my "Current Connections" or ADO.NET options for the database expert in CR > > > are not working with my project. > > > > > > IF I create a new connection to my Access DB(DAO) or use OLE DB(ADO) > > > connection I will receive correct data (results) on my report for the first > > > time. Whew Hoo! If I use my ADO.NET Dataset connection from my "Current > > > Connections" or from my project, I GET N-O-T-H-I-N-G. By 'nothing' I mean > > > when the report is shown in the report viewer, not one piece of data shows > > > up. > > > > > > I cannot use the ones that work unfortunately because when this entire > > > project is complete, the Access DB may reside on a network drive (ie. > > > M:\InventoryManagement.mdb) These paths that are created, I wouldn't know > > > where to begin to modify them. > > > > > > How do I fix this $%^&*#@ problem?? > > > > > > > > > Tony K
Terry,
I did try just a simple report with 3 fields from 1 table. I know there was/is data in the table I was trying to create a report on. Started from scratch (with a new form, new viewer...even tried selecting the form from the smart tag for the CRViewer. I got nothing. It was then I tried, just for the heck of it, to create a new connection in the Set DataSource Location from the field explorer. When I noticed that connecting to an Access/Excel file I could get data using the same form. Without changing the properties of the fields. Now, I made another connection to connect to a Jet/OLE DB and that also works. I can view this information by doing the following. Right click on the Database Fields (from Field Explorer). Select "Set Datasource Location". Click on the + next to report to expand. Click on the + next to the database. Click on the + next to properties. View the Database Type. If it is an ADO.NET Dataset or...from my current locations "Inventory_management_databaseDataSet" I do not receive any data. If I create a new connection as a Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 Provider / OLE DB (ADO) Database Type with a path such as "C:\Users\Tony\Documents\...." I can view the difficult query you helped me on last week. It works GREAT... Until I deploy to another laptop because the database is not in the same location as on my laptop. (ps. I have a registry entry I programmed for if the user wants to move the DB to another location. That is why I would prefer my "current connection" under the Set Datasource Location. I hope this explains my dilemma. Again...thanks for the great info on the parameters. If you would like, you can email me your email address, I can zip my solution and you can see my messy code...but it does work. Tony K [quoted text, click to view] "Terry" <TerryL@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:525D7980-60B0-42E6-816B-D9233E04A60A@microsoft.com... > Hi again Tony, > I am not sure I understand the problem. Is CR not able to connect to > the > Db? Seems like you would get some error if that was the case. Are you > sure > you are setting your parameters corretly - sounds sort of like the query > is > running and returning an empty result set. Try doing a report that takes > no > parameters and see what happens. As I pointed out in a prior email, if it > is > a connection problem, maybe the way to go is to populate a dataset > yourself > and then have CR report on the DS and not go to the Db. If you create a > dataset and add a tableadapter based on the query that CR is trying to > run. > There is a way in CR to change the datasource from the query to the DS > (w/o > having to redo the whole report). You could then fill the DS yourself and > 'shove'it to CR so CR will never have to connect to the Db. > BTW, I just started working with CR a couple of months ago - so I am no > expert, but it sure beats the VB PrintDocument (to me anyways). I really > struggled with it for the first month and was abut to &%% can it when I > finally started getting somewhere. The documentation really sucks but if > you > stick with it - it will save you a lot of time in the long run. > -- > Terry > > > "Tony K" wrote: > >> Getting the former. Not the latter. >> >> As some of you may know (Terry...btw thanks for all your help), I have >> been >> battling a Crystal Reports problem. I have recently made the discovery >> that >> my "Current Connections" or ADO.NET options for the database expert in CR >> are not working with my project. >> >> IF I create a new connection to my Access DB(DAO) or use OLE DB(ADO) >> connection I will receive correct data (results) on my report for the >> first >> time. Whew Hoo! If I use my ADO.NET Dataset connection from my "Current >> Connections" or from my project, I GET N-O-T-H-I-N-G. By 'nothing' I >> mean >> when the report is shown in the report viewer, not one piece of data >> shows >> up. >> >> I cannot use the ones that work unfortunately because when this entire >> project is complete, the Access DB may reside on a network drive (ie. >> M:\InventoryManagement.mdb) These paths that are created, I wouldn't >> know >> where to begin to modify them. >> >> How do I fix this $%^&*#@ problem?? >> >> >> Tony K >>
Hi Tony,
Sorry, but I am still confused. Some of what you are talking about is at design time and some is at run time. At design time, your DS won't have any data in it to report on. But then if you are using a DS, why does CR need to go to the Db? Don't you fill the DS in code yourself? You originally talked about having a DGV of the data - does that work? As far as moving to different machines, creating different paths to the data, you can set the connection for the report at run time, as I just did a little poking around to see - never have really done it since I am using SQL server express. Dim i As CrystalDecisions.Shared.IConnectionInfo = myrpt.DataSourceConnections(0) 'you may have to fool with the right hand side to get the right connection - 2 more overloads i.SetConnection(server, database, user, password) HTH -- Terry [quoted text, click to view] "Tony K" wrote:
> Terry, > I did try just a simple report with 3 fields from 1 table. I know there > was/is data in the table I was trying to create a report on. Started from > scratch (with a new form, new viewer...even tried selecting the form from > the smart tag for the CRViewer. I got nothing. It was then I tried, just > for the heck of it, to create a new connection in the Set DataSource > Location from the field explorer. When I noticed that connecting to an > Access/Excel file I could get data using the same form. Without changing > the properties of the fields. Now, I made another connection to connect to > a Jet/OLE DB and that also works. I can view this information by doing the > following. Right click on the Database Fields (from Field Explorer). > Select "Set Datasource Location". Click on the + next to report to expand. > Click on the + next to the database. Click on the + next to properties. > View the Database Type. If it is an ADO.NET Dataset or...from my current > locations "Inventory_management_databaseDataSet" I do not receive any data. > If I create a new connection as a Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 Provider / OLE DB > (ADO) Database Type with a path such as "C:\Users\Tony\Documents\...." I can > view the difficult query you helped me on last week. It works GREAT... > Until I deploy to another laptop because the database is not in the same > location as on my laptop. (ps. I have a registry entry I programmed for if > the user wants to move the DB to another location. That is why I would > prefer my "current connection" under the Set Datasource Location. I hope > this explains my dilemma. > > Again...thanks for the great info on the parameters. If you would like, you > can email me your email address, I can zip my solution and you can see my > messy code...but it does work. > > Tony K > > > "Terry" <TerryL@nospam.nospam> wrote in message > news:525D7980-60B0-42E6-816B-D9233E04A60A@microsoft.com... > > Hi again Tony, > > I am not sure I understand the problem. Is CR not able to connect to > > the > > Db? Seems like you would get some error if that was the case. Are you > > sure > > you are setting your parameters corretly - sounds sort of like the query > > is > > running and returning an empty result set. Try doing a report that takes > > no > > parameters and see what happens. As I pointed out in a prior email, if it > > is > > a connection problem, maybe the way to go is to populate a dataset > > yourself > > and then have CR report on the DS and not go to the Db. If you create a > > dataset and add a tableadapter based on the query that CR is trying to > > run. > > There is a way in CR to change the datasource from the query to the DS > > (w/o > > having to redo the whole report). You could then fill the DS yourself and > > 'shove'it to CR so CR will never have to connect to the Db. > > BTW, I just started working with CR a couple of months ago - so I am no > > expert, but it sure beats the VB PrintDocument (to me anyways). I really > > struggled with it for the first month and was abut to &%% can it when I > > finally started getting somewhere. The documentation really sucks but if > > you > > stick with it - it will save you a lot of time in the long run. > > -- > > Terry > > > > > > "Tony K" wrote: > > > >> Getting the former. Not the latter. > >> > >> As some of you may know (Terry...btw thanks for all your help), I have > >> been > >> battling a Crystal Reports problem. I have recently made the discovery > >> that > >> my "Current Connections" or ADO.NET options for the database expert in CR > >> are not working with my project. > >> > >> IF I create a new connection to my Access DB(DAO) or use OLE DB(ADO) > >> connection I will receive correct data (results) on my report for the > >> first > >> time. Whew Hoo! If I use my ADO.NET Dataset connection from my "Current > >> Connections" or from my project, I GET N-O-T-H-I-N-G. By 'nothing' I > >> mean > >> when the report is shown in the report viewer, not one piece of data > >> shows > >> up. > >> > >> I cannot use the ones that work unfortunately because when this entire > >> project is complete, the Access DB may reside on a network drive (ie. > >> M:\InventoryManagement.mdb) These paths that are created, I wouldn't > >> know > >> where to begin to modify them. > >> > >> How do I fix this $%^&*#@ problem?? > >> > >> > >> Tony K > >>
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