Crystal Reports: The Complete Reference Series

Crystal Reports 10: The Complete Reference

Table of Contents

Part I Designing Reports				1: Getting the Feel of Crystal Reports 10 Introducing Crystal Reports 10 Crystal Reports Screen Elements Starting Out: Opening or Creating a Report Using the Report Wizards Using the Blank Report Option The Database Expert The Design Tab and Field Explorer Report Sections Previewing the Report Moving and Sizing Objects Formatting Objects Customizing Crystal Reports Behavior The Report Explorer 2: Enhancing Appearance with Text Objects The Field Heading Text Object Combining Database Fields Combining Special Fields The Can Grow Formatting Option Formatting Individual Parts of Text Objects Importing Text from a File 3: Sorting and Grouping Sorting Your Report Grouping Records Manipulating Existing Groups The Group Expert Adding Summaries Multiple Groups Specified Order Grouping Drilling Down on Data Grouping on Date Fields Customizing Group Name Fields Grouping on Formula Fields Top N Reporting Hierarchical Groups 4: Creating Geographic Maps Different Map Types Adding a Map The Data Tab The Type Tab The Text Tab Drilling Down on Maps Changing the Map View The Map Navigator Resolving Data Mismatches Map Layers 5: Using Formulas The Formula Workshop The Formula Expert The Formula Editor Data Types Creating a New Formula Editing, Renaming, or Deleting an Existing Formula Number Formulas Order of Precedence String Formulas The ToText Function Picking Apart Strings Date/Time Formulas Number of Days Between Dates Number of Hours and Minutes Between Times Month, Day, Year, Hour, Minute, and Seconds Functions DateValue Function If-Then-Else Formulas Data Types in If-Then-Else Formulas Multiple Actions with One If-Then-Else Statement Helpful Built-in Functions for If-Then-Else Formulas Other Crystal Reports Logic Constructs Select Case Statement For Loop While Do Loop Boolean Formulas Variables in Formulas and Evaluation Times Declaring a Variable Variable Scope Assigning a Value to a Variable Displaying a Variable’s Contents Evaluation Times and Report Passes When Not to Use Variables User Function Libraries Running Total Fields 6: Creating Custom Functions Custom Functions Defined Creating Your Own Custom Functions Extracting Custom Functions from Existing Formulas Creating Custom Functions from Scratch Modifying Existing Custom Functions Sharing Custom Functions with Other Users Using Custom Functions in Your Formulas 7: The Repository The Repository Defined New Version 10 Repository Explorer Features Adding To/Updating the Repository Creating Folders Adding and Deleting Objects Adding Repository Items to Reports Text Objects or Bitmap Graphics Custom Functions SQL Commands and Business Views Changing Repository Items on Your Report Updating Repository Versions of Objects Controlling Repository Rights Controlling Rights at the Crystal Management Server Level Controlling Rights at the Folder and Object Level Migrating a Version 9 Repository to Version 10 8: Analyzing with Advanced Selection Criteria The Select Expert Refreshing the Report Versus Using Saved Data Record Selection with Date Fields Manipulating the Record Selection Formula Directly Limiting Data with a Group Selection Formula Performance Considerations with Record Selection 9: Making Your Reports Visually Appealing General Formatting The Formatting Toolbar The Format Editor The Highlighting Expert Conditional Formatting Formulas Absolute Versus Conditional Formatting Creative Use of the Suppress Property Special Fonts, Graphics, and Line Drawing Using Special Fonts Using Bitmap Graphics Line and Box Drawing Text and Paragraph Formatting Format Editor Paragraph Formatting Tab The Crystal Reports 10 Format Painter Report Alerts Basing Report Formulas or Conditional Formatting on Report Alerts Crystal Reports Templates The Template Expert Creating Your Own Templates 10: Using Sections and Areas Formatting Sections with the Section Expert The Section Expert Creating Summary and Drill-Down Reports Drill-Down Reports Multiple-Column Reports for Labels and Listings Using Multiple Sections Conditionally Suppressing Sections Printing a Bonus Message for Certain Records Printing a Different Page Header on Page 2 and Later Printing Odd and Even Page Headers or Footers Underlaying Sections 11: Analyzing with Cross-Tabs Creating a Cross-Tab Object Editing an Existing Cross-Tab Creative Use of Grouping and Formulas Multiple Rows, Columns, and Summarized Fields Reordering Fields in the Rows, Columns, or Summarized Field Boxes Customizing Cross-Tab Appearance The Style Tab The Customize Style Tab Labels or Legends with Cross-Tabs Conditionally Formatting Cross-Tabs New Version 10 Formatting Options 12: Creating Charts Types and Layouts of Charts Chart Type Chart Layout Creating Charts with the Chart Expert The Type Tab The Data Tab The Axes Tab The Options Tab The Text Tab Placing and Sizing Charts Modifying Existing Charts Zooming In and Out on Charts Drilling Down on Charts Finer Points of Chart Formatting Conditional Chart Formatting Customizing Charts with Chart Options 13: Using Subreports Unlinked Subreports Drilling Down on Subreports Linked Subreports Linking Based on Formula Fields Subreport Formatting with the Format Editor On-Demand Versus In-Place Subreports Passing Data Between Main Reports and Subreports Handling Empty Subreports Performance Considerations 14: Viewer Interaction with Parameter Fields Creating a Parameter Field Setting Up a Pick List Responding to Parameter Field Prompts Value Type Considerations Using Parameter Fields in Record Selection Displaying Parameter Fields on the Report Special Parameter Field Features Multiple Values Range Values Controlling Parameter Field Data Entry Conditional Formatting with Parameter Fields Highlighting Data Based on Parameter Fields Conditional Suppression Based on Parameter Fields Using Parameter Fields with Formulas Using a Parameter Field for Partial Text Matches Using a Parameter Field to Change Sorting or Grouping Using a Parameter Field to Control Top N Reporting 15: Exporting Reports Exporting Reports to Office Applications Exporting to Different File Formats Exporting and Launching an Application Exporting to an ODBC Data Source Exporting to XML Sending Reports Electronically 16: Reporting from SQL Databases Logging On to SQL Databases Direct Database Drivers ODBC OLE DB Choosing the Database Changing SQL Options Changing to a Different Database Adding Additional Tables to the Report Removing Unused Tables from the Report Linking Tables Database Expert Links Tab Using Multiple Database Types in the Same Report Join Types, Link Types, and Join Enforcement Viewing the SQL Query Crystal Reports SQL Commands Creating the SQL Command Using a SQL Command in a Report Using SQL Stored Procedures Choosing Stored Procedures Working with Stored Procedure Parameters Using SQL Expression Fields Creating SQL Expressions Grouping on the Database Server Enabling Server-Based Grouping What’s Required to Use Server-Based Grouping Effects of Drill-Down Performance Considerations Let the Server Do the Work Use Indexed Fields 17: Creating and Using Business Views Business Views Overview Business Views Objects Creating Business Views The Business View Manager Data Connection Dynamic Data Connection Data Foundation Business Element Business View Object Integrity and References Exporting and Importing Business Views Using the Repository Explorer Using Business Views with Crystal Reports Row and Column Security 18: Accommodating Database Changes and Field Mapping Recognizing Database Changes Verify Database Using Set Datasource Location Mapping Old Fields to New Names 19: Reporting from OLAP Cubes What Is OLAP? Crystal Reports OLAP Capabilities Supported OLAP Systems OLAP Report Creation Methods Using the OLAP Report Creation Wizard Adding an OLAP Grid to an Existing Report Adding an OLAP Grid Object Changing the OLAP Database Location Controlling OLAP Grid Appearance New Version 10 Formatting Options Interacting with the OLAP Grid The OLAPWorksheet 20: Reporting from Proprietary Data Types Reporting from Microsoft Outlook Reporting from the File System Data Reporting from the Windows 2000/XP Event Log Reporting from Web Server Logs Crystal Reporting with XML Crystal Reports Custom Data Sources
Part II Crystal Reports 10 on the Web				21: Crystal Reports Web Alternatives Crystal Reports Web Alternatives Compared Exporting to Static HTML Hyperlink Capabilities Cascading Style Sheet Support Navigating and Viewing Report Parts Using Navigation Displaying Report Parts 22: Crystal Reports with ASP and ASP.NET The Report Designer Component and Active Server Pages Active Server Pages and VBScript Overview Preparing for RDC-based ASP Applications The RDC Object Model in ASPs RDC Report Viewers Report Viewers Compared Choosing and Customizing RDC Report Viewers What Is CleanUp.ASP? Web Integration with CE Embedded Edition Basic CE Embedded Operation Customizing CE Embedded at Run Time with the RAS SDK Controlling General Report Behavior with the RAS SDK Viewing the Report Web Integration with Visual Studio .NET and ASP.NET Crystal/VS.NET Bundle Options Web Forms Viewer Integrated Report Designer VS.NET Report Customization Object Models Crystal Reports as XMLWeb Services Distributing Crystal Reports ASP.NET Web Applications 23: Crystal Reports with Java The Java Viewer Pieces to the Puzzle Things You Can Do with the Java Viewer Let’s Get Started Setting Up the Java Viewer Configuring the Java Reporting Component The Java Viewer JSP Application Exporting Reports Report Part Viewer Interactive Viewer Grid Viewer Common Viewer Properties Parameter Fields Database Login Crystal Enterprise Report Source Report Application Server (RAS) Report Source Best Practices 24: Introduction to Crystal Enterprise Crystal Enterprise Defined The Two-Tier Web Reporting Method Crystal Enterprise Multitier Reporting Method Different Crystal Enterprise Editions Crystal Enterprise 10 New Features Crystal Enterprise Architecture End-User Components for Reporting Server and Maintenance Components for Administrators 25: Using the Crystal Launchpad and Web Desktop Navigating the Crystal Enterprise Launchpad Connecting to the Web Desktop The Guest Account Creating Your Own Account Logging On and Off CE Security Model Folders, Objects, and Instances Web Desktop Hierarchy Viewing Reports: On Demand or Instance Viewing Third-Party Objects Setting Web Desktop Preferences Controlling, Printing, and Exporting Reports Supplying Database Credentials and Parameters Navigating the Report Viewers Exporting and E-Mailing Reports Printing Reports on Your Local Printer Scheduling Objects Scheduling Options Scheduling Reports Containing Alerts Organizing the Web Desktop The Favorites Folder Using the Organize Function 26: Administering Crystal Enterprise Crystal Enterprise Architecture CMS Web Component Server/Web Connector File Repository Servers Page Server Report Job Server and Report Application Server Program Job Server Cache Server Event Server Scaling Crystal Enterprise Managing Users and Groups Introducing the Admin Launchpad and Crystal Management Console Adding, Modifying, and Deleting User Accounts Adding Groups Placing Users in Groups Password Settings Integrating CE with Existing Security Environments Windows NT Windows Active Directory LDAP Controlling Access Using Rights Setting Rights Creating Folders and Adding Objects Creating Folders and Subfolders Adding Reports Adding Program Objects Adding Third-Party Objects Defining Output Destinations Creating Calendars Using Events Scheduling with Events in the CMC Enabling Auditing Creating the Auditing Database/Configuring the CMS Selecting Audit Events on Various Servers Reporting Against the Auditing Database Configuring Success/Failure/Alert Notification Success/Failure Notification Alert Notification Other General Administrative Tasks Adding Additional Licenses Viewing Server Metrics Setting Instance Limits Specifying Default Web Desktop (ePortfolio) Settings Managing Servers Managing the CMS Managing Other Servers
Part III Developing Custom Window Applications				27: Integrating Crystal Reports with Visual Basic Development-Language Options Which Development Language Should I Use? Different VB Reporting Options Crystal Reports Versus the Microsoft Data Report Designer Bundled Crystal Reports Versus the Stand-Alone Version The Report Designer Component RDC Object Model Architecture Different RDC Pieces The ActiveX Designer The Run-Time Library The Report Viewer The Embeddable Report Designer Adding the RDC to Your Project Importing an Existing Report Creating a New Report The RDC Object Model Using the ActiveX Designer Report Object Using an External .RPT File An Introduction to the RDC Object Model Providing Database Login Credentials Controlling Record Selection Record Selection Formula Tips Setting Formulas Changing Text Objects at Run Time Passing Parameter-Field Values Manipulating Report Groups Conditional Formatting and Formatting Sections The Format Event Choosing Output Destinations Changing the Data Source at Run Time Unbound Fields Customizing the Report Viewer Trapping Report Viewer Events Error Handling Other RDC Properties and Methods The DiscardSavedData Method SQL Database Control RDC Subreports Creating New Reports at Run Time Creating a New Report with Code The Report Creation Wizard Using the Embeddable Report Designer Distributing RDC Applications Distribution Overview Database Considerations File Export Considerations User Function Libraries 28: Crystal Reports with Visual Studio .NET Crystal/VS.NET Bundle Options Windows Forms Viewer Windows Forms Viewer Binding Options Integrated Report Designer Choosing a Datasource Selecting Records and Adding Field Objects Formatting Objects and Sections VS.NET Report Customization Object Models Run-Time Customization with the Crystal Windows Forms Viewer Windows Forms Viewer Events Run-Time Customization with the Crystal Reports Engine Using Crystal Reports Web Services Consuming Web Service Reports in a Windows Application Distributing Crystal Reports Windows Applications
Index
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