Crystal Report with NO DESIGN TIME DATASOURCE

[gollnick]

Having to use Crystal Reports
I am looking at how to create an .rpt file laying out my fields and labels and headers and all that. I want to be able to assign, via the property box the "output" field names. I need this because I want to tie this report to a dataset created at run time using several different tables on my AS400 (iseries) using the IBM data provider. This is a web application as well. Don't really care if it goes to a veiwer first or nit. Just looking at creating it as a PDF file that the client can save.

thank you

gollnick

[wes4dbt]

Can't you add the dataset to your project? Then you could use that for designing the report. Here's a link to the SAP forums http://scn.sap.com/community/crystal...ype~objecttype[thread] if it can be done someone here will know.

[gollnick]

Well .. the dataset would need to be comprised of 3 or 4 different tables.
Instread (in a class) I would use a primary table dataset and add fields colums to it on the fly from several other tables. So I might have
Emp Master and then add to that several fields from the attendance master and several fields from the payroll master and maybe several more from the HR master. Now in the Class I might do an SQL join whichwould work BUT I am not using ADO or ODBC but the IBM dataprovider to the ISeries.

[wes4dbt]

Well .. the dataset would need to be comprised of 3 or 4 different tables.

that's not a problem, I have a dataset with about 30 tables.

I don't don't know anything about the IBM dataprovider, so I can't help you with that.
Good luck

[gollnick]

I know I can "join" tables during the dataset definition section. But as far as I can tell CR takes connections that are ADO or JET or ODBC. The IBM DataProvider is like ADO to connect to a SQL engine (DB2 in this case on the AS400/ISeries). This is where I am stuck. Bosses do not want ADO or ODBC connections to the engine.. only IBM type. Thus.. I can not define a dataset against all my tables at Design Time.

gollnick

[wes4dbt]

You don't have to join any tables when you create a dataset. Just add the tables to the dataset. CR does not need a connection.

At runtime,
Load the tables in the dataset with the records you want to show on the report.
Set the reports datasource to the dataset you just filled.

        Dim ds as new MyAppDataSet
        taU.FillByUserIdRange(ds.users, Me.UserStartComboBox.Text, Me.UserEndComboBox.Text)
        taGrp.FillByNoDoubles(ds.groups)
        taL.FillByNoDoubles(ds.lots)
        taO.Fill(ds.owners)

        Dim rpt As New GroupsByUserId
        rpt.SummaryInfo.ReportTitle = clsCoInfo.CompName & vbNewLine & clsCoInfo.Address1
        rpt.SummaryInfo.ReportComments = "123 north street"
        rpt.SummaryInfo.ReportAuthor = "report author"
        rpt.SetDataSource(ds)
        frm.CrystalReportViewer1.ReportSource = rpt
        frm.ShowDialog()

[gollnick]

My issue still is I do not have available ANY information on my dataset at design time. I have no fields to drag/drop into my report .. header or detail or footer. I want to be able to layout the report.. putting lables and output fields to my hearts content and give them each a DATANAME that will be referenced at run-time to load data and fill report. These fields will come from a class that is connected at run-time and will pass me back my dataset as a application variable


Header
MyReport Customer Listing
MyDate

Detail
address1 address2 city state zip nbr_open_orders
ditto
ditto
ditto

Trailor
number of records 184




gollnick