Script / invoke Crystal Reports?

Post #95,090 by kmself 4/8/03 5:21:08 PM Reply	Script / invoke Crystal Reports? I'm looking at some process automation here. Among the tools used is Crystal Reports. \r\n\r\n Is anyone familiar with this product and able to tell me if its invocation can be scripted? Specifically: \r\n\r\n \r\n Specify report template to use. \r\n Specify external ODBC data source to use (though this may be a fixed location/file). \r\n Specify location and name of generated reports (PDF format). \r\n \r\n\r\n Specifics or pointers appreciated. --\r\n Karsten M. Self [link\|mailto:kmself@ix.netcom.com\|kmself@ix.netcom.com]\r\n [link\|http://kmself.home.netcom.com/\|http://kmself.home.netcom.com/]\r\n What part of "gestalt" don't you understand?\r\n [link\|http://twiki.iwethey.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/\|TWikIWETHEY] -- an experiment in collective intelligence. Stupidity. Whatever.\r\n \r\n Keep software free. Oppose the CBDTPA. Kill S.2048 dead.\r\n[link\|http://www.eff.org/alerts/20020322_eff_cbdtpa_alert.html\|http://www.eff.org/alerts/20020322_eff_cbdtpa_alert.html]\r\n
Post #95,093 by tseliot 4/8/03 5:30:31 PM Reply	I'm not up-to-date but I assume it's got OLE interface Try poking through the exposed objects in various DLLs. ISTR manipulating CR v4 or so back in the day via VB. Many fears are born of stupidity and ignorance - Which you should be feeding with rumour and generalisation. BOfH, 2002 "Episode" 10
Post #95,140 by kmself 4/8/03 7:30:50 PM Reply	From Google & quick bookstore run: No There's a "Crystal Reports Automation Server" which appears to provide some of this functionality. Otherwise, queries here, on Google, a friend who'd run the stuff for years, and the CR docs at [link\|http://www.staceys.com/\|Stacey's Books] here in SF (a most excellent store, conveniently located at the foot of my building) all say "Chuck you, Farley". \r\n\r\n Frankly, I'm boggled. This is lame beyond belief. \r\n\r\n Anyone care to make me a liar? --\r\n Karsten M. Self [link\|mailto:kmself@ix.netcom.com\|kmself@ix.netcom.com]\r\n [link\|http://kmself.home.netcom.com/\|http://kmself.home.netcom.com/]\r\n What part of "gestalt" don't you understand?\r\n [link\|http://twiki.iwethey.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/\|TWikIWETHEY] -- an experiment in collective intelligence. Stupidity. Whatever.\r\n \r\n Keep software free. Oppose the CBDTPA. Kill S.2048 dead.\r\n[link\|http://www.eff.org/alerts/20020322_eff_cbdtpa_alert.html\|http://www.eff.org/alerts/20020322_eff_cbdtpa_alert.html]\r\n
Post #95,173 by ben_tilly 4/8/03 9:01:01 PM Reply	Well failing all else... You can drive a mouse and text programatically. If you want to do that with Perl, you can try using something like Win32:GuiTest. I haven't tried it, and good luck noticing any sort of error conditions (scanning by shaved monkeys may be useful)... If that interests you see [link\|http://triumvir.org/articles/guitest-wd-mag/index.html\|http://triumvir.org/...wd-mag/index.html] for a quick introduction. If you installed the Activestate version of Perl, it either comes installed or (more likely) can be installed by running the "ppm" command followed by "install Win32-GuiTest". Oh, and good luck... Cheers, Ben "good ideas and bad code build communities, the other three combinations do not" - [link\|http://archives.real-time.com/pipermail/cocoon-devel/2000-October/003023.html\|Stefano Mazzocchi]
Post #95,192 by a6l6e6x 4/8/03 9:29:44 PM Reply	Is this anything of value? [link\|http://www27.brinkster.com/rboxbycimrid/information.htm\|rbox]. Just Googling. Crystal Reports is not my bag. Alex Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction. -- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
Post #95,346 by orion 4/9/03 10:35:29 AM Reply	AD-HOC reporting? Do you mean that you want a blank report, with some structure to it, and then you want to change the recordset on the fly, and send output to PDF format? I think that Crystal Reports 9.0 can do that, last one I worked with was 8.5 and it could do AD-HOC reports in Visual BASIC and Active Server Pages. I've forgotten how to do that, but it can be done. With VB or ASP I could: #1 Load the report template file, anyone I choose. #2 Specify the recordset or ODBC cnnection. #3 Print or export the report. I think 9.0 has PDF output now. You can find out more at: [link\|http://support.crystaldecisions.com/\|http://support.crystaldecisions.com/] Get the new updates and samples: [link\|http://support.crystaldecisions.com/updates/default.asp?ref=default.asp_selectlist_updateandsamples\|http://support.cryst..._updateandsamples] The ones provided on the CDs are buggy, they usually have the updated samples on the CR website. The samples can show you how to change the recordset, etc. "Bill gates cannot guarantee Windows, so how are you going to guarantee my safety?" -John Crichton to the Emperor of the Scarrans on [link\|http://www.farscape.com\|FarScape]

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