Crystal Reports 9?

**jhermiz** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 09:02 AM

Does anyone have or use Crystal Reports 9?

Is it true now that end users also need a license? That kind of defeats the purpose. I read something that there is no longer a viewer and all end users need a license to view / print crystal reports.

Please let me know..since this is a big decision by upper mgmt to purchase or not of this tool.

Thanks,
Jon

**techgnome** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 09:50 AM

I don't know the answer, but wouldn't their website have this info?
IF anyone knows FOR SURE the answer to this, please post it..... I'd be interested too.... since it's concievable that we may upgrade later....

**jhermiz** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 09:53 AM

tech sorry for not posting back...

I contacted them...they said that only developers need a license to create the reports...HOWEVER...only 3-5 concurrent users can view the report in V9. After that the next user gets an error message...this may be upgraded. This is based on concurrency though..so chances are slim that 3-5 users have the same report open. Version 9 is much like version 8-8.5 except there no longer is that free viewer..they are now using an e-Portfolio thing.

Im going to get an email with more info shortly...Ill see if i can post them here afterwards.

Jon

**techgnome** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 09:57 AM

Thanks, that sounds nutty...... what's this ePortfolio thing? Sounds like it would mean a total re-write of our current report architecture in our app..... not a good or easy thing....

**jhermiz** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 09:57 AM

Ill post back once he send me the info.

I had called them...he said he'd send me detailed information.

**jhermiz** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by techgnome
I don't know the answer, but wouldn't their website have this info?
IF anyone knows FOR SURE the answer to this, please post it..... I'd be interested too.... since it's concievable that we may upgrade later....

Tech,

I jsut got a call from them finally...
Version 9.0 does NOT include the viewer anymore. The programmer must mimic this functionality via code. They no longer support it. You also cannot save reports in a lower version of crystal reports..so no backward compatibility issues. Only 3 reports can be run concurrently..any more will flag an error to the nth user over 3. I dont know if I like any of this...

Jon

**SkiNLaB** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 07:40 PM

Im using Developer edition V9, (first time user of CR) if u want me to test anything out, let me know

**jhermiz** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 10:32 PM

I dont want anyone to test...I need to know if you need to purchase a license for all end users? How do you run crystal reports are they executables? What is the requirement to run them, i.e does one need crystal report software on the client side?

Jon

**SkiNLaB** · Apr 22nd, 2003, 11:54 PM

I use it within my VB app. yes there are components that need to run on your clients computer (which are packaged into the VB app) or you can publish the reports online, and for detailed reports, some activex component may need to be installed for that to happen?

Since i have developer edition, i can write reports, and include them in my app as many times as i want to (AFAIK) my customer doesnt have to pay for any license etc.

There are however some reserved parts of CR9 for which each end user must pay a license fee, these are controls and API's which the end user can use to design his own reports in detail...

but i dont use them.

**jhermiz** · Apr 23rd, 2003, 07:11 AM

Originally posted by SkiNLaB
I use it within my VB app. yes there are components that need to run on your clients computer (which are packaged into the VB app) or you can publish the reports online, and for detailed reports, some activex component may need to be installed for that to happen?

Since i have developer edition, i can write reports, and include them in my app as many times as i want to (AFAIK) my customer doesnt have to pay for any license etc.

There are however some reserved parts of CR9 for which each end user must pay a license fee, these are controls and API's which the end user can use to design his own reports in detail...

but i dont use them.

Finally someone who set me straight...this is exactly the info I needed. So basically when I create the reports they are packaged with the visual basic project...so that when the application opens they can run the reports.

Thanks,
Jon

**jhermiz** · Apr 23rd, 2003, 07:13 AM

One last thing...do you use any references or books that you could suggest? Im using VB6 with SQL Server 2k.

Thanks,
Jon

**SkiNLaB** · Apr 24th, 2003, 01:00 AM

I found crystal's help files really good actually. but i always lose patience with guides, so i usually jump straight into the samples (it comes with heaps!) and i poke at them for a while.

i wish i was using sql server, im stuck with access and mysql

**fungi** · May 5th, 2003, 10:36 AM

I'm looking into using CR9 with my VB6 thick-client app that will be for commercial sale.

I have questions about end-user licencing and based on what has been said here and from
what I've extrapolated from their web-site, it appears that if I have a developer edition I
can distribute viewable reports royalty-free.

However there seems to be some scary issues with this version, such as only 3-reports being
viewed at the same time and a run-time viewer no longer there.

The 3-report limitation is definitely a problem if it is for any report and not just the
same report. I don't know what the missing viewer means to me.

So would I be better off with a prior version? Or even another product?

Thanks for any more insights...

**fungi** · May 6th, 2003, 02:04 PM

Surely someone can tell me something about my CR9 concerns!

purdy please...

**jhermiz** · May 6th, 2003, 02:43 PM

I actually like CR 9.0 and would never go back a version..besides if you go back a version you wont be able to go up to viewing those reports in 9.0. 9.0 is a lot sleeker..much more options including conditional formating, print directly to pdf, there's a ton more I haven't even touched on..including a much wider range of data sources, and the use of commands.

I just got it about 2 weeks ago and have had nothing but good luck with it. Yes only 3 reports at one time IN a client server application...if your reports are distributed with your project this does NOT pertain to you...which doesnt affect me. Meaning if you have a fat client (vb6 front end, with a SQL Server back end) then your reports still sit on the client side and you do NOT have to worry about this 3 report at one time deal.

The viewer comes as a component in CR9 for VB6. So all you do is add the viewer to a form and a little bit of vb code which has been posted in various threads and voila. Bruce and tech have given me a lot of help..so I certainly can't take all the credit...but this should set you straight a bit.

Jon

**fungi** · May 6th, 2003, 02:51 PM

Thanks Jon

You've convinced me to part way with a few hundred bucks!

I'm sure I'll be back for some hand-holding later...

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