Crystal Reports9....easier??!!

[VB4fun]

I am using VB6 and upgrading an app I made a few years ago. At the time, I used Crystal Reports4, and some simple commands, and everything reported fine...

I thought I would upgrade to Crystal Reports9, with a hope of simplifying things and helping to connect to a 2002.mdb.

However, I am having nothing but issues. I try to print and get nothing. I go to the Crystal Decisions site and it tells me to switch from OCX to RDC....and the instructions for doing all of this seem overkill.

All I want to do, is use my reports from CR4, and create one new one within CR9, and have a simple command to print the darn thing....

I am using one database for each report, with no more than three tables.

But I am frustrated beyond belief....

Anyone have ANY resource that would help my quest, before I go bald..??

[ARPRINCE]

Well I know what you are going to since I also recently switched from the version that came with VB6 to CR9 (developer edition).

I still remember when what I used to do is to populate an empty database (template for my report) then call a few commands (see sample below) and PRESTO - you get the report!!!

         '-TRANSFER DATA INTO CRREPORT TABLE
         Call REPORT_K5
         '-PREPING THE REPORT
         CR1.ReportFileName = "Q:\K5 - REPORT.RPT"
         CR1.Connect = "dsn=SQLOLEDB;uid=cptech;pwd=letmein"
         CR1.RetrieveDataFiles
         CR1.Destination = crptToWindow
         CR1.Action = 1

Honestly though, that version did not give me flexibility to design and populate report with data using different methods. Also, I needed other functionalities working on a multi-user environment that CR4 did not provide.

You could still design your report outside VB then just call it within VB itself later. I agree that there's more to it that it meets the eye (like you need a separate form to preview the report) but this version really rocks in more ways than one!!! imho.

Here are some references:

http://support.crystaldecisions.com/...to_rdc.pdf.asp

http://support.crystaldecisions.com/...torial.pdf.asp

http://support.crystaldecisions.com/kbase/c2007176.asp

[VB4fun]

ARPRINCE,
Thanks for the comments....
I have reviewed the one article already, and will look at the others you have mentioned....

No matter how I try, I seem to have nothing but problems, trying to use the report I already have made.....frustrating...

One of the biggest things, now that I at least have paper printing through the printer, is the strange characters it is printing. Almost as though it doesnt understand what my default printer is...

Everything previews fine, when I am in the CR9 development enviroment....but, you should see what I get after the printer deals with it...

Thanks for your input, and because of your opinion, I will continue on my quest...to conquer the Crystal Reports Monster!

[VB4fun]

ARPRINCE

Spent hours reviewing the documentation.
Spent hours reworking the code.

I agree, that once you have the understanding, the possibilities are greater.

However, NOW...I have printing issues. One printer will print the report fine. A different printer will print the layout and fonts fine, but the characters are wacky. CR support isnt much help, unless you want to spend the evening with 23 pages of documentation that doesnt solve anything. I have downloaded drivers, and downloaded service packs.

The characters are still strange.

In addition, the processing time to get the report to print seems to have more than doubled, (users arent excited about that)... and CR wants me to check it on a couple more machines before they can try to assist me.

Honestly, I would rethink the whole upgrading thing....especially if you are going to get the full blown editions.

It was so much easier, when all I wanted to do is create a report my users could call.....and they could go on with the day.

imho. stay with the version that comes with VB. If you need FULL scale flexibility....maybe do some more research before you just take for granted (as I did), CR....IMPROVED...the product.

ps.
if anyone has had issues (resolved) with printing.....I would be VERY grateful.....in any assistance. (it is either that or buy all my users HP's and try to sell the Xerox's)

[NewbieVB2003]

Printing reports is a tedious job and it worsens if one uses different printer settings or Viewers .

Since you would have probably designed Report using some "default" printer ,the report would work fine only using that specific printer ;else the page settings would get altered 'coz a report is Printer-Driver specific. So,I would like to suggest to stick to a particular Printer only for designing and Printing Reports ;else you would have to create two reports with the same template and different Printer Settings.

Also, the Viewer being used to design a report needs to be considered to view the report. I would like to recommend ActiveX Viewer for this purpose as I personally feel that it gives the same Output as the Report at the Design time.

Hope this helps.

[VB4fun]

I agree. Printing reports is a tedious job, when you first approach it.

When I wrote this app, a few years ago, I worked through the issues and felt good as I made accomplishments along the way.

I have distributed the app, over the years, to hundreds of customers who are enthusiastic about what I have done. Using suggestions I have gathered, I recently updated the app. Since I was updating, I changed my mdb's from 97 to 2000, makes sense right?

Thinking to myself, I want the best for my customers, I spent the $$$$$ to upgrade CR to 9. This would help with the mdb's and provide the latest tech for my program.

Silly me. (didnt do enough research).

With the previous version of CR, I have not had a single instance reported of strange characters printing. (not to mention, I do not have this issue with a previous version of my app, using the same .rpt file......ON THE SAME PRINTER)

So, now my project deployment is being delayed, with not even a hint of remedy in sight.

It would be great to create this app/report for one specific printer. However, in this situation that is just not possible.

I have taken out everything I can, after trying everything, to have only the bare minimum working. This includes removing the option of previewing the reports, as you have suggested. And while yes, it should give me the same output as the report, the preview looked wonderful......but the print out... definately not WYSIWYG.

Thanks for your suggestions.....and I agree with most of your thoughts, guess that is what is making this so frustrating.

In 4.6, everything worked GREAT!....now, in 9, the same .rpt is wacko....