Archives for years 2005 - 2009:

Volume 2009.12

• Surfing Gecko offers "all you can eat" viewer for $129
• Selecting multiple objects (to copy or align)
• Formula editor window disappears
• Formula field tree that won't dock
• Calculating a Distinct Sum at the top of the report (or) 
• Building arrays WhileReadingRecords
• Using Crystal Reports in VB.NET Express Edition
• Other recent blog articles:
• The Joel Test: 12 Steps to Better Code
• New prices for mapping layers (zip/county)

Volume 2009.10

• Master topic index for my guides and course books
• Customizing Crystal Reports Start or Splash screen
• Rounding bug mimics 'banker' rounding
• Crystal Reports and the color orange
• Merge, Split and Rotate PDF Files (for free)
• Formula for todays date in contract format
• Other recent blog articles:
• SAP solves the Zebra printer issue?
• CR 2008 Web viewers lose text rotation
• Crystal Reports 2008 Service Pack list
• Clarion/Topspeed ODBC fails (and is solved) in XI/2008

Volume 2009.09

• Do-It-Yourself license audit from SAP
• Master topic index for my guides
• Rundown on 3rd party products
• Save 25% on CR Chart
• PeachTree finally allows SQL (OLEDB)
• Cross-Tabs with multiple initial columns
• Date parameters in a Command with DateTime fields
• Other recent blog articles:
• The 8-minute Crystal Reports program startup
• Using Business Objects Query Builder
• VB Express editions don't support CR integrationTroubleshooting Duplicate Records

Volume 2009.07

• NEW - Expert Techniques Volume 4
• Troubleshooting Duplicate Records
• Converting seconds (Universal Time) to a DateTime value
• IT World Canada weighs in on CR licensing
• SAP/BO 2009 User Conference
• Refreshing reports hosted on CrystalReports.com
• Other recent blog articles
• Formula trouble using "Integer Divide" (the backslash)
• SAP users experiencing "performance" problems
• Lawson structure documentation on the web
• Changes in the BOCP registration process
• CR2008 SP1 is incompatible with SP0

Volume 2009.05

• Free DLL with new Crystal formula functions
• Expert's Guide to Formulas updated for CR 2008
• Make your Crystal Reports Pornography before you upgrade!
• On-Demand Subreports that use saved data (no refresh needed)
• Reporting on data that isn't there Part 2
• Other recent blog articles:
• Moving values backward in a report (Wormhole)
• Showing wide cross-tabs in a subreport
• Calculate your share of a billion dollar expenditure (US taxpayers)
  

Volume 2009.03

• New license restrictions for Crystal Reports
• Expert Techniques vol. 2 updated for CR 2008
• New options for Web app developers
• Finding old (and new) downloads on the SAP site
• Reporting on data that isn't there Part 1 
• Other recent blog articles
• Mapping versions to Service Packs
• Gag orders in software contracts?
• Founder of Business Objects goes open source
• Free DataDirect ODBC drivers v5.3 for CR 2008
• CR 2008 SP1 is released
• SAP 'fully integrates' Business Objects sales

Volume 2009.01

• SAP resurrects the "screenshots" issue
• Expert Techniques vol. 1 update for CR 2008
• Using AutoComplete in Crystal Reports formulas
• Shared variables from a suppressed subreport
• Ranking based on a ratio
• Other recent blog articles
• Global variables fail in multi-page cross-tabs
• Converting text to date or datetime
• The original creators of Crystal Reports try again
• More label printer problems

Volume 2008.11

• Changes to CrossLoop TOS
• Email hoaxes
• Extra rows and columns in Excel export
• Checking Dependencies
• InnoScript/Inno Setup handle Crystal Reports dependencies
• Overridden Qualified Table Names
• Grouping by a non-calendar week

Volume 2008.09

• Problems with SAP/BO support changes
• Crystal Reports Server 2008
• New viewer for Crystal Reports
• Training and courseware on CR 2008
• CR 2008 parameter features added to the "Experts Guide"
• Temporarily ignoring the grid and guidelines
• Using the Report Explorer
• The effect of dashes on the VAL() function
• Other recent BLOG topics
• Updates to third party products
• Crystal Reports Viewer 2008
• CR 2008 doesn't like Zebra label printers?
• Public classes using my 3-day accelerated format
• Adding business hours/minutes to a start DateTime

Volume 2008.07

• Article comparing the big BI vendors
• Crystal Reports knowledge base moved to SAP support
• Listing of free trials from Business Objects
• Associate available for Business Objects Enterprise and CR Server
• Cascading page breaks (page breaks on interior groups)
• Multi-value parameters for commands and stored procedures
• "Sticky" buttons for the Format Painter and other controls
• Free PDF generators

Volume 2008.05

• Article comparing the big BI vendors
• CR Server XI for $2,495 (CR Server 2008 coming?)
• Displaying chosen parameter values with descriptions
• Moving/sizing objects with Shift-Arrow and Ctrl-Arrow (and crashing CR)
• Conditional page footer
• Expert's Guide to Cross-tabs (CR 2008 Update)
• Recent Blog Articles:
  
• Actuate Migration (written by Actuate)
• Adding the Euro symbol to reports
• SAP retiring overlapping products
• "Free" vendor compliance management
• CR 2008 Service Pack 0 breaks Xbase Connector
• Field names containing dashes add nodes to the Field Tree
• Prevent Crystal from requesting an Internet connection at startup

Volume 2008.03

• BO refuses to fund UG meetings based on the speaker
• PeachTree 2008 table changes
• Cascading parameters that lose values
• Cascading parameters with duplicate field names
• Converting a decimal to a fraction
• Recent Blog Articles:
  
• Convert Nulls and Selecting Nulls
• Appending Strings in v8.5 when going over 256 Chars
• Trouble with Business Objects ESD licensing system
• Mystery calendar for date parameters in v10 on Vista
• Business Objects releases Viewer XI for Linux
• Recent Upgrades for third party utilities

Volume 2008.01

• NEW - The Expert's Guide to SQL Expressions, Options and Commands
• Things you wont find in Crystal Reports 2008:
• RDC (COM) integration  
• Xtreme sample MDB
• VB UFL functions
• BO price increases
  
• The index that ate my data
• Getting vertical lines to stop at the bottom of a group
• Suppressing vertical lines based on a condition
  

Volume 2007.11

• Crystal Reports 2008 (Version 12)
• SAP purchases BO/IBM Purchases Cognos
• Free Crystal Reports Viewer with scheduling and Email (Logicity)
• Free Trial of "Mass Verify"
• PDF eXPLODE fails on Vista
• Coming - The Expert's Guide to SQL Expressions, Options and Commands
• Create a formula library in Phrase Express
• Free MICR font turns blank security paper into check stock (GnuMICR)
• Store a value today and use it in a different report tomorrow (CUT Light/Share DLL)

Volume 2007.09

• Understanding "named user" licensing for Crystal Reports 
• The new Authorized Consulting Partner (ACP) designation
• Spell check or "verify database" for a batch of reports
• Don't rouse sleeping tables
• Multi-page cross-tabs missing page numbers
• Blog highlights:
      Crystal Reports admin position in Richmond
      Crystal Reports v8.x and Vista
      Crystal Reports Viewer XI officially released
      An Introduction to Eclipse for Visual Studio users
      Calculating periods in 5-4-4
      Printing check marks and other symbols from formulas
  
  

Volume 2007.07

• Expert Techniques for Crystal Reports Volume III
• User Group takeover attempt in the Detroit area
• BO updates the Offline viewer
• My favorite utilities 
• Canadian holidays formula
• New - Certified associates to teach your on-site classes
• Free options for desktop sharing
• Finding a stray formula or parameter in your report
• ToNumber ()  vs Val ()

Volume 2007.05

• Expert Techniques for Crystal Reports Volume III
• User Group takeover attempt in the Detroit area
• Launching reports from MS Access (VBA)
• BO settles with Michigan former partner
• $99 XI Upgrade offer extended
• Independent Cognos instructor available
• Using table inflation to generate multiple labels
• Recent BLOG articles
• Creating a Bill of Materials with Crystal Reports
• Installing Crystal 7 on Vista
• Creating VERY wide Crystal Reports
• Help Beta test 2 new Crystal Reports utilities
• New features of Visual Cut
  

Volume 2007.03

• Expert Techniques for Crystal Reports Volume III 
• Upgrade to Crystal Reports XI for only $99
• Convert Crystal Reports to SSRS XML files
• Recent BLOG articles
  
  • Daylight Saving Time this weekend!
  • Are you LinkedIn?
  • Oracle buys Hyperion
  • Crystal Decisions is back - BO Enterprise 'lite'
  • Crystal Reports Web App licensing & throughput clarified
  • Business Objects XIr2 wins a "prestigious" CODiE award
• Help Beta test a new viewer
• Side by Side running Totals give different values

Volume 2007.01

• Email reports and other documents by "printing" them
• Stop struggling with your reports, let me help
• BO cuts off support for an independent consulting firm
• I am now Ken Hamady, LLC
• Business Objects acquires Nsite Software
• My Library of Crystal Reports Guides
• Linking tables vs Appending tables
• Correction for Holidays formula
  

Volume 2006.11

• Visit the Crystal Reports Underground BLOG
• New Data Dictionary builder (MyDataDictionary) is released
• Keep up with my BLOG via Email
• New Associate Trainers in Vancouver/Seattle and Detroit
• BO partners with IBM 
• Recover a corrupted RPT File
• Best FREE utilities recommended by Ian "Gizmo" Richards
• Formula naming tips

Volume 2006.09

• Visit the Crystal Reports Underground BLOG
• Deploy Crystal on the Web using RippleStone
• New Associate Trainers in Boston, Phoenix and Indianapolis:
• Crystal Reports for Eclipse Update:
• "Official" v8.5 support scheduled to end this month
• A line that grows based on a condition
• When "Repeat Group Header" won't repeat

Volume 2006.07

• NEW - The Expert's Guide to Cross-Tabs
• Depositions start this week in the BO commissions lawsuit
• BO loses SAP as on OEM Reseller
• Associate Trainers for Boston, NYC, Philly, Chicago, L.A. and Toronto:
• BO starts to look at 'mid-size' business.
• BO (finally) announces plans for Google OneBox partnership
• Build a Data Dictionary, automatically from your reports
• Printing "Continued on Next Page"
• Date parameters in a command with DateTime Fields
• One parameter for 2 different commands

Volume 2006.05

• BO hosts free Crystal Reports portal
• Google OneBox partners with Cognos, SAS, Oracle and FINALLY BO
• Associate Trainers for NYC, Philly, Chicago, L.A. and Toronto
• Former partner sues BO over commissions
• Crystal extends support for older versions
• New viewer adds scheduling and email distribution
• Viewer that allows "in-place" drill-down and one-click resort
• Setting section height numerically
• Can't copy parameters in XI
  

Volume 2006.03

• Crystal Reports XI and Cold Fusion
• Update to my "Don't Pay Twice" Campaign
• Buying Older Versions of Crystal
• Mapping by County or Zip Code
• Copying Objects Within a Report
• Copying Objects to Another Report
  

Volume 2006.01

• Crystal Reports Plug-In for Eclipse (released)
  
• DC Area User Group Meeting
• Crystal Reports for Eclipse preview release
• BO Leasing Software
• Crystal Excelsius
• CUT and CUT Light now prompt for comments after the report is run
• Crystal Translator 3.01
• Conditional Drill-Down
• Cross-tab percentages simplified

Volume 2005.11

• Crystal Reports Plug-In for Eclipse
• Course Books Available
• An Independent Crystal Instructor in Canada
• Crystal Reports for Eclipse
• Updates on the "Don't Pay Twice" campaign:
• BO Conference in November
• Data Link Viewer 5.1001 with print scheduling
• How to format a paragraph with a "hanging indent"
• Online Faxing solutions
  

Volume 2005.09

• Crystal Reports Plug-In for Eclipse
• BO Loses Patent Lawsuit against Microstrategy
• Updates on the "Don't Pay Twice" campaign:
• BO Conference in November
• Using Formulas that rely on Subtotals in your Cross-tabs
• Chart on a Parameter Value

Volume 2005.08

• The Expert's Guide to Totals in Crystal Reports
• Crystal Reports Server XI for Linux
• Security Vulnerability for XI Web Deployments
• Updates on the "Don't Pay Twice" campaign
• BO official response contradicts Dan Klein's letter
• Article in ITBusiness.ca
• OEM classes to be targeted next
• Crystal Experts weigh in at Tek-Tips.com
• Free Mailing Label templates from WorldLabel
• Business Objects conference in November
• No way to default TODAY for XI date parameters
• Formula for finding the first and last day of a month

Volume 2005.07

• Updates on the "Don't Pay Twice" campaign
• Why I fight a policy that could increase my own revenue
• DC Users Group responds in writing to BO's new policies   
  
• Companies that have decided to ignore BO's new license fees
• BO refuses to clarify the existing Crystal license   
  
• Court ruling allows use of Screenshots without permission
• Article in ITBusiness.CA about BO's new policy
  
• Watch out for overpriced training manuals
• Inexpensive Web Deployment using Reportal CR
• A New MS Access Report Converter
• Force groups to start on the odd page number
• Suppress column headings on the last page when there are no details
• New Page After" on group 2 orphans group footer 1

Volume 2005.06

• BO attempts to restrict user group speakers
• The "Don't Pay Twice" campaign to educate Crystal and Enterprise users
• Business Objects Enterprise XI configurations and prices
• Crystal Reports Server vs building your own application
• Crystal Wizard official download
• New XI features added to the Expert's Guide to Subreports, Parameters and Alerts
• Eliminating extra rows and columns in Excel exports
• Copying and pasting cross-tabs to Excel

Volume 2005.05

• Are independent training and consulting license violations?
• CDUGNA is no more
• CrystalWizard was gone in v11, but is available again
• Enhanced ODBC export in Visual Cut
• More complaints about v11 parameters
• Some tricks I learned from my students
  

Volume 2005.03

• Crystal Reports Server
• BO Enterprise XI
• No Broadcast License?
• Another complaint about CR XI
• Another comparison of SSRS and CR
• A formula that finds Easter for any year
• An improved formula for getting the report file name

Volume 2005.02

• Detailed list of new features in CR XI
• Is CR/CE too expensive for small/medium size businesses?
• Are independent courses/courseware a violation of BO's license?
• A new comparison of CE and SSRS
• Another free Bar-Code Font
• .rpt Inspector 3 Enterprise Suite, and 25% off for my readers
• Getting reports from spreadsheet data

Volume 2005.01

• Highlights of Crystal Reports 11
• The end of concurrent licenses
  
• Expert's Guide to Subreports, Parameters and Alerts (New)
• Selecting an ODBC Connection at runtime
• Data Link Viewer 4.5001 Released