The Crystal Reports Underground News - Volume 2003.09 (September 2003)
an independent source for Crystal Reports Information by Ken Hamady
Contents for September, 2003:
** NEW - Expert Techniques for Crystal Reports Vol II
** Free copy of Crystal Enterprise 9 Professional
** Encrypting RPT files (protect your source code)
** Enhancements to Crystal Ease
** "..used terms I could understand"
** An "Open Source" version of a Crystal Reports viewer
** Bugs in v9 with .NET
** Adding repository folders for Custom Functions
** New PDFs on Crystal object models
** The Expert's Guide to Crystal Reports Formulas
** Business Objects user Conference
** Getting Column Breaks in a multi-column report
** "..solved my problem within 2 minutes"
** Read back issues at http://www.kenhamady.com/news.html
NEW - Expert Techniques for Crystal Reports Volume II:
Last month I released 30 of my favorite Crystal techniques in the Expert Techniques for Crystal Reports Volume I. Volume II is now ready with another 30 articles, many with tricks you won't find anywhere else. Things like including an opening balance, creating a "case flow" report, or conditional column breaks in a Crystal Report. This last technique is discussed briefly in an article below.
The material is in PDF format, and includes and 40+ sample reports, each saved with data. The techniques and sample reports can all be used in Crystal versions 8, 8.5 and 9. Most can even be used in version 7. Volume II is only $19 and can be downloaded immediately from my web site.
Here is the list of articles in Volume II:
31. Find everyone that has a specific combination of records
32. Calculating Prior Period balances
33. Keep growing objects together within their sections
34. Forcing records to duplicate
35. Grouping subtotals into ranges
36. Reporting on the data that isn't there
37. Group Header/Footer prints with at least one Detail
38. Dragging on object past the edge of the design screen
39. Disabling Drill-Down for an entire section
40. Wormhole technique for moving a value backwards in a report
41. Carving a memo field into smaller pieces
42. Expanding the design area in Crystal Reports
43. Reading an external BMP file at runtime
44. Selection rules with an OR that encounter NULL values
45. Eliminating duplicate mailing labels (one label per group)
46. Printing the report File Name, without the path.
47. Orphaned Report Headers
48. SQL Expressions using unlisted functions
49. Putting a Password on a report
50. Case flow in a time period (Begin/Open/Close/End cases)
51. Printing a Random sample of records
52. Printing the message „No Records Found“
53. Embedding a field into the „Total“ text of a cross-tab
54. Different Drill-Downs from one row of the report
55. Select the entire group when one record meets the criteria
56. Select Groups that are missing a specific type of record
57. Force column breaks in a multi-column report
58. Suppress the Group Footer or change properties on Drill-Down
59. Removing extra pages at the end of the report
60. Numbers that won’t align to the right
See the link below for more details:
http://www.kenhamady.com/expert.html
Free offer of Crystal Enterprise 9 Professional:
If you live in Canada or the US, and you own a copy of Crystal Reports v9 Professional, Developer or Advanced, then Crystal Decisions will give you a free copy of Crystal Enterprise Professional v9. This is a step up from Crystal Enterprise Standard Edition which they have been giving away Crystal Reports Advanced Edition. The new free offer comes with 5 named users, and includes group and folder level security. Of course this is not the same as 5 CALS (Concurrent Access Licenses). You will be limited to 5 specifically named people, not any 5 people at the same time.
One interesting note. They say that this promotional package with 5 named users is worth $3,000. But, in March I was told that the minimum number of named users you could buy was 25 which is about $18,000, plus 20% for annual maintenance. So, before you decide to deploying CE in production, confirm with your sales rep that your next expansion step is not straight to $20K.
So why this burst of generosity? This is probably an indication that Version 10 is going to be coming out soon. I have heard rumors that it might be out this Winter, but CD never gives an official release date in advance of the actual release.
See my LINKS page for the link to this offer.
Encrypting RPT files (protect your source code):
There is currently no easy way to make a report file secure from user exploration or modification. Programmers have the option of using DSR files and compiling the reports inside their application. However even these reports can often be exported to RPT format, which can be opened by any copy of Crystal Reports. The same goes for reports run from Crystal Enterprise.
Ido Millet of Millet Software has added a new feature to the Data Link Viewer (DLV) that provides a very clever solution. DLV now allows you to encrypt an RPT file into an "RPZ" file. You keep the RPT and distribute the RPZ. DLV decrypts the RPZ file at runtime and runs it as if it were an RPT. And, DLV won't let the user export an RPZ to either Crystal Reports (RPT) format or even to "Report Definition" format. Since RPZ files can't be opened in Crystal Reports, your report programming is secure. Of course, the only way to run an RPZ is to use the Data Link Viewer, so your users would need to own a copy of DLV. While DLV isn't free, it costs $25 or less per user.
See my LINKS page for the link to Data Link Viewer.
Updates to Crystal Ease
SurfingGecko software has added a few handy features to the Deluxe Edition of the Crystal Ease viewer. Like a context menu that allows you to print, export or view an RPT file with a right click on the file. They have also added a "drop-zone" on the tool bar where you can drag and drop an RPT file to open it. Note that if you want to Print or Export from Crystal Ease you need to get the Deluxe Edition. The Standard Edition only allows preview.
See my LINKS page for the link to Crystal Ease.
"..used terms I could understand" - Intro Class - July 2003:
If you are reading this on Monday morning, I am probably teaching my Leesburg class at the moment. My Frederick class has been rescheduled for October. You can use the link below to review dates, course outlines and registration info:
http://www.kenhamady.com/public.html
Or better yet - schedule a private class at your office, with your data. This is my favorite way to teach, and I charge about half of what Crystal charges for on-site classes. I have personally taught over 1500 satisfied students from Tampa to Anchorage so don't assume that you are too far away. Call for more information at (540) 338-0194.
An "Open Source" Crystal Reports Viewer:
Kevin Groff has released the source code for Crystal Passage (report viewer/manager) under the GNU GPL license. This is the same license model used by many Linux projects (and despised by Microsoft). You can now download and use his source code in your own application, as long as the source code for your application is also released, for free, under the same GNU GPL license. The compiled application and the source code are now hosted by SourceForge, the largest site dedicated to Open Source software.
One note of caution. The runtime files from Crystal (downloaded with the compiled application) are NOT Open Source files, because they are copyrighted by Crystal. So, to use the source code you must have a licensed copy of Crystal Reports 9 Developer Edition.
See my LINKS page for the link to Crystal Passage.
Bugs in v9 for .NET:
If you are using the the copy of Crystal that comes with Visual Studio.NET, you have a limited version of Crystal Reports. If you want to upgrade to the full copy of Crystal Reports you need to get CRv9 Developer Edition. However I have recently found that the original version of CRv9 Developer was not fully compatible with VS.NET. So, if you have CRv9.2.0.x Developer Edition, you should call Crystal Decisions and they will send you a free CD of CRv9.2.2.x Developer Edition. If you aren't sure what version you have - go into "Help - About".
And, if you plan to use ADO.NET data sets in your application, you should also patch your system as specified in KB article c2013231.
Adding repository folders for Custom Functions:
I have been puzzled for some time by one aspect of storing Custom Functions in the repository. How do you set up new folders? For some reason, folders for functions aren't added the same way as the folders for other repository objects. Crystal recently posted an article on how to do this on their web site. See KB article c2013360 for details.
New PDFs on Crystal Object Models:
Crystal has also posted an interesting comparison of the object models for .NET, RAS and Crystal Enterprise. It includes the official recommendation for when each should be used. You can download this PDF from the LINKS Page of my web site.
The Expert's Guide to Crystal Reports Formulas:
Learn to write and understand formulas like a Pro with "The Expert's Guide to Crystal Reports Formulas". I take you from the basics all the way through variables, arrays and looping logic - further than any other guide I have seen. I explain HOW, WHY and WHEN to use these techniques and provide tips and tricks that are rarely taught in classes.
The guide includes 28 annotated reports and 45 no-nonsense pages of detailed explanations. The cost is only $36 and you can download it immediately with most Credit Cards. For more details, visit my website at:
http://www.kenhamady.com/form00.html
Business Objects User Conference:
Now that Crystal is owned by Business Objects, some of you might be tempted to attend the Business Objects conference on Nov 9-12, 2003 in Phoenix. Apparently they are going to have special sessions geared to Crystal users (maybe how to 'upgrade' to Business Objects?). Anyway, I would love to hear from anyone who goes to one of these sessions. For more info go to the following link on the BO web site:
http://www.businessobjects.com/userconference/
Column Breaks:
Here is a free sample taken from Expert Techniques Volume II. Crystal doesn't give you a way to directly control column breaks in a multiple column report. I recently read a Tek-Tips post, where a user found that setting the Group Footer to "Print at Bottom of Page" would cause the next group to start at the top of a new column, giving you indirect control of column breaks. This simple technique works pretty well.
But, I took that bit of inspiration and spent most of a day experimenting with variations. I found several ways to make the technique work better. My improved techniques are described, and demonstrated, in Expert Techniques Volume II.
"..solved my problem within 2 minutes..":
Two recent comments from purchasers of my VB Quick Reference Guide:
"..solved my problem within 2 minutes of opening the reference. I was at my wits end. I have to admit that I was skeptical and all ready to say hey I want my $16 back, but I am very satisfied with the material."
Aileen H. - July 2003
"I trawled through 4 different VB6 Bibles and guides without finding a solution that I could understand. I finally gave in and downloaded your 'Quick Reference Guide to Crystal Reports in VB' and within 2 hours had the solution working and installed. Thanks for writing a worthwhile document, well worth the $16".
Simon L. - July 2003
For a clear and simple guide to Crystal Reports in Visual Basic go to:
http://www.kenhamady.com/vbref.html
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Contact Information
Ken Hamady, MS
525K East Market St. PMB 299
Leesburg, VA 20176
(540) 338-0194
ken@kenhamady.com
http://www.kenhamady.com
Copyright 2003 by Ken Hamady
All rights reserved - Republishing this material requires written permission