Report Designer

[JamesM]

Is It possible to create a stand alone report unattached to a data environment?

I have tried, but the error I get is: Invalid Data Source. But I don't want to link it to a data source, any suggestions?

[JamesM]

Anyone know how to create an unbound data report?

[JamesM]

Maybe I should give up on Report Designer in vb6 and go Crystal?

[Parasu Raman]

Hi JamesM,
In VB6, how can I use Crystal Reports. Is that a separate software (Crystal) or does it comes with VB6?
Cheers,
Parasuraman

[JamesM]

Parasu Raman

I think Crystal ships with Visual Studio, but you can also buy it stand alone.

Regards

James

[Parasu Raman]

James,
Im afraid I can't find Crystal with Visual Studio. Anyways, thankx

Parasuraman

[zsombor]

Crystal report is not an microsoft product. It's not an
element of VB6.

You can't create an unbound DataReport.

Tip.: Bound it to the blank database or table, or any table... You don't have to use its fields...

[Parasu Raman]

zsombor,
Can i create a report without using the report designer or data environment or crystal report. Creating a report only using code? Is that possible.

Thanx in advance

Parasuraman

[zsombor]

You can print directly to printer.. But i think is too hard..

The simplest way is the datareport.. Don't give up!!
First time when I used the DataReport I got a lot problem too.. BUT NOW IT WORKS WELL..

[Parasu Raman]

zsombor,
But, I heard that data reports can't handle complexed conditions and other functionalities. Is that true? Is data reports enough for performing all the activities a compled report needs? Pls let me know where i could find all about data reports (other than msdn)

Cheers,
Parasuraman

[zsombor]

Yes, maybe the DataRep is not the best tool to create reports. But I don't have any other..
I learned it from MSDN.

I tried to get a crystalreport, but i couldn't download it.
I heard its very good. If you find it somewhere pls. reply me. I need it too...

[Parasu Raman]

zsombor,
Thanx for that. I'll surely let u know when i come across crystal report.
But, my friend told me that he is using code for generating reports - no de, no data reports etc.
Any idea about this?

parasu

[zsombor]

Sorry but no..

I think to create reports without designer is too much work.. I will never do that..

But, You know....

[Parasu Raman]

I too don't have any idea about that. Anyway, I'll try carrying on with data reports and try to go into it as far as possible.

And pls check my thread - Invalid data source. See if u can help.
Cheers and thanx a lot for ur advise

Parasuraman

[LAURENS]

You can find crystal reports on disc 3 of visual studio 6.
It's in <your drive>:\common\tools\vb\crysrept.

I'm not sure what version it is but I think it's 4.6.

[Parasu Raman]

Hi Laurens,
Thanx for that info. I can't find any folder for Crysrept. Anyway, I'll check out with the person who is incharge of the software installation.
Can u pls tell me that thing u say is the crystal report builder or an object kinda thing??
And do u have any idea of doing reports using code alone, without data report, crystal, data environment etc.

Thanx again

Cheers

[zsombor]

Ohhh...

Crystal Reports really on CD.

You can find on Visual Studio Disc3 !!!!

Thnks.. Im looking for it for a long time.....

[dchen000]

Can anyone here help me?

I am using the datareport to print 1000 copies.
And using the following code:

for i = 1 to 1000
datareport1.printreport
doevents
unload datareport1
next i

I can get 1000 copies of datareport in InkJet printer.
But It can only print one report in MicroLine 321 printer.
what's wrong with MicroLine printer???

[Achichincle]

James,

What you may want to try is creating a disconnected recordset and then setting that as the datasource for the datareport.

What I've done is create a new class to serve as my 'datasource' and created a property of type recordset which is then assigned as the datasource of the datareport.

CReportDS - class to serve as datasource
(you'll need to reference ADO)

Option Explicit

Private mrsData as RecordSet

Private Sub Class_Initialize()
    Set mrsData = New RecordSet
    With mrsData
            .Fields.Append "name"
            .Fields.Append "address"
    End with
End Sub

Public Sub AddRecord(objPerson as Person)
     With objPerson
             mrsData.AddNew
             mrsData("name") = objPerson.Name
             mrsData("address") = objPerson.Address
             mrsData.Update
      End With
End Sub

Public Property Get Data() as RecordSet
     Set Data = mrsData
End Property

You just instantiate this object and keep calling it's AddRecord method to keep adding records to the recordset.

Now to print the report use the following code:

Public Sub PrintReport(objDataSource as CReportDS)
     Dim objReport as DataReportYouCreated
     
     'this is where you set the datasource
     objReport.DataSource = objDataSource.Data

     objReport.PrintReport

     'this is so that you'll loop here until the report is done
     'printing, otherwise you get some memory exception
     'errors
     Do While objReport.AsyncCount
          DoEvents
     Loop

     Set objReport = Nothing
End Sub

Of course you don't have to use a separate class for this. You could just create the recordset, fill it with data, and then assign it directly to your DataReport from within a single procedure. This just worked out better for the way my project was setup.

I hope this helps.