The Crystal Reports Underground News - Volume 2004.02 (February 2004)
an independent source for Crystal Reports Information by Ken Hamady
Contents for February, 2004:
** Summary of Crystal Reports v10 license options
** Comparison of Crystal to SQL Server Reporting Services
** Public Classes for March 2004
** Free ODBC driver/Data Schema for QuickBooks
** PeachTree SalesRep field moved
** My Library of Crystal Reports Materials:
Expert's Guide to Formulas
Expert Techniques Volumes I and II
Quick Reference to Crystal Reports in Visual Basic
Quick Reference to Crystal Reports in VB.NET
** OLE image objects glitch
** Visual FoxPro file Name glitch
** CDUGNA 2004 Conference
** British Columbia Users Group Meeting
** Dallas/Ft. Worth Users Group Meeting
** Read back issues at http://www.kenhamady.com/news.html
Crystal Reports v10 Editions:
I have read the v10 license and also read Crystal's web site to summarize the differences between the editions. The Business Objects web page that I used in developing this can be found on the bottom of my LINKS page. Here is the short version of what comes with each of the 4 different CRv10 editions:
Standard:
Allows report design, but only against PC databases like MS Access.
Professional:
Allows report design against virtually any database including Client-Server databases.
It also includes an introductory offer of 5 Named User Licenses of Crystal Enterprise Express (formerly the Standard Edition). This offer is limited to a single standalone deployment of Crystal Enterprise.
Developer:
Allows report design against virtually any database including Client-Server databases. Also allows you to integrate reporting functions into client based ("thick-client") applications, like Visual Basic. The function list includes 750+ royalty-free programming commands that allow you to view, , print and make limited modifications at runtime. These commands can be used and redistributed with your application at no extra cost.
There are additional API calls that allow you to make unlimited modifications to reports at runtime - including creating entire reports from scratch. To use these APIs you must purchase a copy of CR Advanced to create the application. You must also purchase a copy of CR Advanced for each company deploying the application (see note 1 below).
The Developer Edition allows you to build server based applications using the Report Design Component (RDC), Visual Basic.NET or Java. These applications can only be deployed on a single processor. You can't combine or stack licenses to connect multiple processors. If your server application is sold to a third party, then the third party must also own CR Developer or Advanced Edition. Note that the when you run under the Developer Edition your reporting engine is "throttled down" which limits the performance. You must upgrade to the Advanced Edition or a processor license to get better performance.
The Developer Edition also allows you to create and test Web applications using Crystal Enterprise Embedded Edition (which used to be called RAS). You are not allowed to deploy this application unless you either upgrade to CR Advanced or purchase a processor license for CE Embedded Edition. If your application is sold to a third party, that party must also purchase CR Advanced Edition.
Finally, CR Developer includes 5 Named User Licenses of Crystal Enterprise Professional. this also is licensed for testing purposes only. You need a production license to deploy these 5 Named Users which means buying CR Advanced. To expand beyond 5 Named Users you must buy a full Crystal Enterprise Pro License, which is pricey.
Advanced Developer:
The Advanced Edition comes with everything described in Professional. In addition it allows you to build server based applications using the RDC, .NET, Java or Crystal Enterprise Embedded Edition (formerly RAS).
They can only be deployed on a single processor. You can't combine or stack licenses to use multiple processors. If an application is sold to a third party, then that party also has to buy CRv10 Advanced.
Advanced includes 5 Named User Licenses for the Crystal Enterprise Professional. It is restricted to single standalone deployment. You cannot deploy 10 Named users by purchasing 2 copies of Advanced, or have people share a Named User License. To expand beyond these 5 Named Users you must buy a full Crystal Enterprise Pro License, which is pricey.
Also includes a production license of Crystal Enterprise Embedded Edition (formerly RAS). It is restricted to single standalone deployment and can't be added to an existing deployment or stacked with other promotional licenses. To maximize capacity you may have to upgrade to a full processor license.
Notes:
1) With prior versions, the Report Creation APIs were licensed on a named user basis at about $200 per user. The developer didn't have to purchase anything. Now, if you want to use the RCAPIs you have to buy a copy of CRv10 Advanced Edition. Also, every 'company' that will use the RCAPI application has to buy one copy of the Advanced Edition as well. This is good news for companies who would have more than 8 named users. Bad news for smaller companies and the programmer.
2) Client based applications that are deployed on a Citrix or Windows Terminal Server are then considered server-based applications and must follow the rules for server based licensing.
SQL Server Reporting Services Comparison:
I have mentioned SQL Server Reporting Services in some recent newsletters. While I haven't worked with it myself, one of my readers, John Eck, has been working with it and sent me his comparison of SSRS to Crystal Reports/Crystal Enterprise. There is a link to the complete document on the LINKS page of my web site, at the bottom.
His conclusion was that Crystal Reports is much easier to install and use and that Crystal seems to be more powerful as a report designer. However, if you plan to distribute reports over the web then he recommends SSRS over Crystal Enterprise.
I agree with most of what John wrote. I don't see SSRS having too much of an impact on end user reporting, since you would have to have Visual Studio to use SSRS. I do see SSRS having it's primary impact on Crystal Enterprise and other web based deployment options. For Visual Studio programmers there is much to like about SSRS:
1) It is part of the Microsoft family of products
2) It is "free" (if you have Visual Studio and SQL Server clients)
3) There are no restrictions on automated distribution from Web apps
Unless Crystal Enterprise starts to lower its prices, there will be serious incentive for organizations to examine the SSRS option. If you have used SSRS or have your own thoughts to share on this topic, please let me know.
Learn from an Expert - Public Classes for March, 2004:
I have scheduled another round of public classes in March, for both Leesburg, VA and Frederick, MD. See my website for dates and details or call me at (540) 338-0194.
Free ODBC driver/Data Schema for QuickBooks:
Those of you who use QuickBooks for Accounting might also be interested in reading the QuickBooks tables with Crystal reports. To do this you will need the QODBC driver from FLEXquarters, LLC in California. They have a free version that you can download, but it only allows you to read the "List" tables. However for $99 you can upgrade to a "Read Only" Professional version which allows you to read the transaction tables as well. This version is also available in a 30-day trial download.
If you purchase the software you get 30 days of telephone support (for installation issues). In addition there is quite a bit of free technical information on their web site, including a data schema of the QuickBooks tables. See the LINKS page of my web site for the link to QODBC.
PeachTree SalesRep field moved:
Those of you who report on PeachTree data should be aware of a change made to the Peachtree tables in the last upgrade. The field called "SalesRep" has been changed to use the Employee Record Number. Not only is the new field a different data type (numeric), but the values are not something you would recognize on a report. If you need to display the person's name you will need to link this field to the Employee table.
My Library of Crystal Reports Materials:
Expert's Guide to Formulas ($36)
http://www.kenhamady.com/form00.html
Expert Techniques Vol. I ($19) and Vol. II ($19)
http://www.kenhamady.com/expert.html
Quick Reference to Crystal Reports in Visual Basic ($16)
http://www.kenhamady.com/vbref.html
Quick Reference to Crystal Reports in .NET ($14)
http://www.kenhamady.com/ntref.html
OLE Image Object Glitch:
Bill Price with EMC discovered a solution to an OLE Object image linking issue that has driven several people over the edge - why does an OLE image object show up as an Icon and file name, but no image? This happens when a file extension (like BMP) is registered to an application that is not drag/drop compliant. For instance, Bill uses IrfanView as his image viewer and has registered the .BMP extension to this program. When he inserts an OLE object he only sees the file icon thumbnail and a file name.
The solution is to associate the file extension with a standard Microsoft installed viewer (like Paint) that can be expected to be installed on the target machine. Bill says:
"It appears to me that CR OLE object linking is nothing more than a link to the image file for the purpose of updating the contents - since the image data is initially embedded into the report... [so you can] replace the original report image with a small representation 'placeholder' (e.g. few pixels wide single color background), then when the report is viewed/printed, the OLE link updates the real image (in the same path/file name). That way, the report footprint can be small and the image can be changed by substitution (e.g. substitution of customer's custom logo..)"
Visual FoxPro file Name glitch:
One of my readers found another glitch in using the Microsoft Visual Foxpro driver for dbf files. Apparently it does not handle long file names.
So, when you put the files in a folder like:
c:\data\....
the driver works fine and the data can be read by both MS Access or Crystal.
but if you use a folder like:
c:\documents and settings\....
you will see "no files" listed under the DSN. The reader tested this on both WinXP and Win98.
CDUGNA 2004 Conference:
The CDUGNA 2004 Conference dates have been changed due to a conflict with another Business Objects conference. It will still be held in New Orleans but now it will be on May 26-28. Hope you haven't already booked your flights. See the following link for details;
http://www.cdugna.org/conferences/2004/2004conference.asp
I won't be there, so if some of you want to be my reporters from the conference, I would be happy to include your thoughts in the June newsletter.
British Columbia Users Group:
The British Columbia user group (CDUGBC) is having their next meeting on Friday, March 19 from 8:30am to 12:15 pm. It will be held at BCIT in Burnaby. The meeting is free but registration is required. See the following link for details.
http://www.cdugbc.org/register.asp
Dallas/Ft. Worth Users Group:
The Dallas/Ft. Worth Users Group (DFWCUG) is having their next meeting on Tuesday March 30 at SouthWest Airlines in Dallas. For more info and directions see:
http://www.dfwcug.com/
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Contact Information:
Ken Hamady, MS
525K East Market St.
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Leesburg, VA 20176
(540) 338-0194
ken@kenhamady.com
http://www.kenhamady.com
Copyright 2004 by Ken Hamady
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