Is there an api that can be used to create a crystal report programmatically? I have reports written in Powerbuilder that we need to convert to Crystal and I would like to automate the conversion.
Crystal does have a report creation API, but I believe you have to have a license to their report server product to use it> I tried to find a link to this info on their site, but it is pretty well hidden.
Review the Crystal Reports SDK. There are COM, .Net, and Java 'flavors'.
For an example of converting an RPT file to XML, review this Google Code project: RptToXml
For .NET based languages, there's a Crystal Reports SDK available from Microsoft. They expose the object model and an SDK to create Crystal Report files.
Take a look at http://crystalreports.co.uk/developer-zone/ and select the appropriate platform (Java or .NET) and this will take you to a list of links into the SAP website.
The list is maintained by the one of the partners so should be up to date.
Related
Is it possible to run from a script running in Cygwin in any way a crystal report with parameters and get the report back in pdf format?
What i am trying to do is - I created a crystal report and I need it to run at night from a "scheduler".
I need to know if it is possible to run the report from a script (including sending the report 2 parameters) and have the report save to a PDF file automatically?
Thank you!
There are Crystal Reports SDKs for .NET and Java, available on the official download pages: https://www.crystalreports.com/download/
And, of course, a wide variety of third-party tools that promise to support scheduled report generation – I'd suggest to google after "crystal reports scheduler" or take Ken Hamady's list as a starting point: https://www.kenhamady.com/productlinks/
I'm looking for some simple editor to test out some formulas used in Crystal Reports.
I don't want to download the entire Crystal Reports application, I just need a small, simple application or an online editor that can parse functions Crystal Reports is using.
I just need to test a few functions used in the reports and calculate the values based on the parameters I provide.
Is there anything like that?
You can export the report to a report definition format.
3rd-party report inspection tools (see list here) provide more powerful options such as mass inspection.
I'd like to know whether crystal reports allows url access to render reports? I know we can create webpages that host a reportviewer object. However, I plan on using C# windows service to access the report, i.e. through a url.
The report I wish to generate needs to be in MHTML/HTML and PDF format. So if I could do something that URL access that RSSQL can do, with Crystal Reports. That would help immensely.
Regards,
Shameegh
If you report has been deployed to BusinessObjects Enterprise, you can use Url Reporting. If not, you will need to write your own interface.
If you write your own interface, base it on the Url Reporting interface and add the project to code.google.com. ;)
SQL Server Reporting Services allows you to access reports via a URL. You can select various options for the report (Excel, PDF, etc...). Then just have a hyperlink on your page to pass parameters or use as a web service behind the scenes. You could have the same report show PDF or HTML based upon the query string option.
To learn more about Reporting Services see: http://alexduggleby.com/2008/07/18/sql-server-reporting-services-2008-tutorial-in-5-minutes-or-how-to-send-my-boss-a-report-from-a-view-quickly/
We're creating a metamodel of our report definitions within our central metadata repository. We know how to "harvest" SSRS reports since they are XML. IS there any easy way to do the same for Crystal Reports. We're interested in getting to anything CR understands about the report (similar in concept to the SSRS RDL Model)
TIA,
Paolo
Use the Crystal Reports SDK (Java or .Net version) to convert the object hierarchy to an XML representation.
Samples:
Visual Basic .Net: RptToXml
C# .Net: RptToXml
PowerShell: PsCrystal
You can get a report definition text file if you export the crystal report as...you guessed it "Report Definition(TXT)" It has the crystal version and lots of info for each section such as datafields, formatting, etc...
Check http://www.reportminer.com/, it includes a diff tool (although after exporting to text you can use the diff'er of your choice).
AFAIK, there is no way to do this. CR files are in a closed and proprietary format. :-(
I used something like this once to debug a Crystal problems, it might help:
rpt Inspector
RptToRdl.Com (http://www.RptToRdl.com) will do this for you for $25. Check out their FAQ, and you can get one done for free.
I'm in an environment where I have created reports in CrystalReports 10 and only want my users to view the report from an external application. The application is already set up to open the report with crystal, but I don't want my users to be able create or change the report. I can't seem to find a command line option to do this. Is there a runtime only version of Crystal?
embed crviewer and craxdrt components in your app (delivered with CR developer's edition, free to distribute) so that you'll be able to view reports without modifying them. Basic manipulations (zoom, search, export to pdf, display/hide details or groups) can still be done.
If you must launch this viewer from a command line, I'd advise you to embed it in an office document/file and manage it through VBA. You could for example launch the runtime version of Access (free to distribute) that will contain one generic form for Crystal Reports display.
There are Crystal Reports viewer components which you can use in your projects. They are coming with the Crystal Reports Developer editions and you can use them in almost every programming language. There you can define the report as view only if you want.
Go to SAP.com and search for "Crystal Reports Viewer". It may or may not do what you want.
Also take a look at "Crystal Reports Server". CRS XI is a nice reporting portal with many useful server-side features. Schedule reports to run and auto-publish. Generate PDF or Excel output. Limit access to reports (or groups of reports) by specific users, etc. But for your application you can use HTTP access within your application to the published results. This is a good solution for example when you have a large number of users viewing the same reports.
What about marking the file as read-only? If the viewer opiton isn't open to you.