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/
Related
As part of my web application, i am using iReport tool to generate reports and its working fine but my doubt is, is it possible to generate xls type report in browser like pdf (we can show the pdf file in the browser)? Means I need to show reports in xls file or word document in the client machine, is it possible? Can anybody clear my doubt?
Although it is a bit late, I'll try to give a generic answer
you can fetch your data to your local Jasper Reports server via JSON.
There is a sample of JsonDataSource in the 4.5.0 version of jasperreports at *\demo\samples\jsondatasource
to run report and receive output pdf, etc. you can use REST API for Jasper Server
then you send output to end user
I want to know if there is any way to show reports without reportviewer control...
My reports are deployed on the report server. Now I want to show these reports in a web application. Please let me know if there's any other way to show reports. I do not want to use report viewer control.
using code all reports can be "exported" to all supported formats like pdf, wrod, excel etc. By export i mean as you show the reports in report viewer and click the export button on the viewer Then you can show the genereted with somekind of viewer for that format.
Best Regards,
Iordan
P.S. You will need to use the report Viewer to achive this but the use will be internal and the user won't see the report viewer as visualization control. There is no way to show report without the use of report viewer control
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.
We have a purchased application (I'm told it's .NET, it's client server, running on Windows XP, connecting to SQL Server 2005) that uses a Crystal Reports runtime and separate report files (.rpt) to do it's reporting function. I have a copy of the CR Designer program but we don't have the CR Enterprise software. I can open the reports in the designer, get to the SQL Server data source (and any others, I guess), add them to the report, run it, print it -- but I can't figure out how to use the same Datasource, which is a subset of the tables in the database that it's connecting to, to do it, and I can't figure out how to save the report files so they'll work with the application. Real gravy would be coming up with new reports.
Is this even possible?
If you open up the report and then go to Database, Set Datasource Location, under the Properties section you will find a lot of info about the datasource and where it is getting it's info from. If the purchased application is creating its own datasource internally though and supplying it to the report at runtime, the best option that I can think of is to start a trace on the SQL Server and then run a report. You should be able to see the SQL that is issued by the Datasource and replicate it in your own version.
You have the possibility to manage your connection's properties at runtime (ie while launching CR from your app). Here is a proposal: Crystal Reports Datasource remap
If you cannot access your app code, you should then do as proposed by #Anthony, by updating all your connection strings in your rpt files, save the rpt files, and copy then on the corresponding report folder of your app: you might have to find where it's located in your system.
First of all, you'd better make sure you're not violating the application's license agreement by attempting to add to it in this way.
It may simply not be possible to add reports to the app in any case - it depends how it loads them and what it does with them.
To use the same datasource, you should just be able to open one of the .rpt files, then go to File > Save As, and give it a new name. Then modify it to what you want. Of course, if you don't know the authentication credentials the app passes to the report to connect, it would be tricky to test it.
It would help greatly if you gave us the name of the purchased application, as we don't really know what you're up against.
It could be that the application is passing through a filter of the data. So when you run the report from Crystal Reports Designer you get the whole data base, however when run through the program the parameters being passed to the report restrict the data back down.
Create a backup of the report. Then edit the existing report, make the changes you require, preview the report to get an idea it looks right, save the report and run the report via the application.
Warning:
As it has already been stated some vendors may not allow you to edit existing reports, your warranty/sport may be voided by editing existing reports, or reports could even be overwritten on the next update.
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.