SAP CRYSTAL REPORTS 2008 User Manual
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Crystal Reports 2008
Windows
Copyright
© 2008 Business Objects. All rights reserved. Business Objects owns the following
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2008-02-22
Contents
Introduction to Crystal Reports 2008 27Chapter 1
About Crystal Reports................................................................................28
About the Crystal Reports documentation.................................................29
What's New in Crystal Reports 2008 31Chapter 2
Introduction................................................................................................32
What's different..........................................................................................37
Installing Crystal Reports 2008 39Chapter 3
Installation overview..................................................................................40
Installing Crystal Reports 2008..................................................................40
Installation requirements............................................................................41
Installing Crystal Reports on a local machine............................................41
Creating an installation point and installing from a network server...........48
Customizing your installation.....................................................................56
Running a silent installation.......................................................................58
Locate information quickly....................................................................29
Sample Reports....................................................................................29
Advanced information visualization with Flash, Flex, and Xcelsius.....33
Improved end-user report viewing experience.....................................34
Enhanced report designer productivity.................................................34
New flexible deployment options..........................................................35
Flexible application integration.............................................................36
To install on a local machine................................................................42
Creating an installation point for Crystal Reports.................................49
Installing Crystal Reports from a network............................................49
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 3
Contents
Setting custom banners.............................................................................64
Upgrading Crystal Reports components....................................................65
Quick Start 67Chapter 4
Learning how to use Crystal Reports........................................................68
Sample data - Xtreme.mdb..................................................................68
Report Creation Wizards...........................................................................69
Standard...............................................................................................69
Cross-Tab.............................................................................................70
Mailing Label........................................................................................70
OLAP....................................................................................................70
Quick start for new users...........................................................................70
Before you begin..................................................................................71
Creating the report...............................................................................71
Record Selection..................................................................................85
Grouping and sorting............................................................................90
Completing the report...........................................................................93
Quick start for advanced users..................................................................95
Choosing a report type and data source..............................................95
Working with report elements on the Design tab..................................96
Using other reporting features..............................................................98
Report Design Concepts 101Chapter 5
Basic report design..................................................................................102
Deciding on the content of the report......................................................102
Stating the purpose............................................................................102
Determining the layout of the report ..................................................104
Finding the data..................................................................................104
Manipulating the data.........................................................................106
Determining printing area characteristics...........................................107
4 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Contents
Developing a prototype on paper............................................................109
To design a paper prototype...............................................................110
Introduction to Reporting 111Chapter 6
Report creation options............................................................................112
Report Creation Wizards....................................................................112
Another report....................................................................................112
New report..........................................................................................113
Report Creation Wizards....................................................................113
Another report....................................................................................113
New report..........................................................................................114
Choosing data sources and database fields............................................114
The Database Expert.........................................................................114
The Field Explorer..............................................................................117
About the report design environment......................................................119
Design tab..........................................................................................119
Preview tab.........................................................................................124
HTML Preview tab..............................................................................128
Creating a new report..............................................................................129
Selecting the data source...................................................................129
Adding tables......................................................................................131
Linking multiple tables........................................................................131
Placing data on the report .................................................................133
Formatting data .................................................................................141
Record selection.................................................................................141
Grouping, sorting, and summarizing data..........................................141
Using the drill-down option on summarized data...............................142
Using the zoom feature......................................................................143
Inserting page headers and footers...................................................143
Adding a title page to the report ........................................................144
Adding summary information to the report.........................................145
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 5
Contents
Exploring reports and working with multiple reports................................146
The Report Explorer...........................................................................146
The Workbench..................................................................................148
The Dependency Checker..................................................................150
Opening and docking explorers.........................................................152
Beyond basic reports...............................................................................153
BusinessObjects Enterprise Repository 155Chapter 7
What is the BusinessObjects Enterprise Repository? ............................156
Work flow............................................................................................156
Accessing the BusinessObjects Enterprise Repository...........................158
To open the BusinessObjects Enterprise Repository.........................158
Toolbar................................................................................................159
Adding subfolders and subcategories to the repository...........................160
To add a new subfolder or subcategory.............................................160
Adding items to the repository.................................................................161
Adding a text object or bitmap image.................................................161
Adding a text object or bitmap image - another method....................162
Adding a custom function ..................................................................162
Adding a command ...........................................................................163
Using repository objects in reports .........................................................163
Adding a text object or a bitmap image to a report............................164
Adding a custom function to a report.................................................164
Adding a command to a report...........................................................165
Adding a list of values to a parameter................................................165
Modifying objects in the repository..........................................................166
To modify a repository object..............................................................166
Updating connected repository objects in reports ..................................167
To set the update option.....................................................................167
Deleting items from the repository...........................................................167
To delete an object from the repository..............................................168
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Contents
Using Undo in the repository...................................................................168
Designing Optimized Web Reports 169Chapter 8
Overview..................................................................................................170
Key strategies for optimizing web reports..........................................171
Scale with BusinessObjects Enterprise...................................................171
Evaluation times for date functions in BusinessObjects Enterprise....173
Making the right design choices..............................................................174
Using faster report formats.................................................................174
Choosing between live and saved data.............................................175
Designing summary reports...............................................................176
To hide details in a summary report...................................................177
Using subreports carefully..................................................................178
Using other design elements effectively.............................................180
Designing reports to maximize data sharing......................................180
Streamlining your reporting environment.................................................181
Selecting the fastest database and connection..................................181
Using table indexes............................................................................182
Improving table-linking choices..........................................................182
Using thread-safe database drivers...................................................183
Using stored procedures for faster processing..................................184
Using enhanced record selection formulas ............................................185
Pushing down record selection—an example....................................186
Record selection performance tips.....................................................187
Strategies for writing efficient record selection formulas ...................188
Incorporating parameter fields into record selection formulas ..........190
Using SQL expressions where appropriate........................................192
Improving grouping, sorting, and totaling ...............................................194
Performing grouping on server...........................................................194
Benefits of grouping on server—an example.....................................194
Using SQL Expressions for groups, sorts, and totals.........................196
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 7
Contents
Using SQL Expressions for Case Logic.............................................196
Inserting summary and running total fields where possible...............197
Record Selection 199Chapter 9
Selecting records.....................................................................................200
Options for selecting records..............................................................200
Determining which field(s) to use.......................................................200
Using the Select Expert......................................................................201
Using formulas...................................................................................203
Interaction of the Select Expert and the Formula Editor....................204
To view the Select Expert formula......................................................205
Saved data selection formulas...........................................................206
Using formula templates..........................................................................207
Record selection formula templates...................................................207
Pushing down record selection to the database server...........................210
Troubleshooting record selection formulas .............................................211
To troubleshoot record selection formulas.........................................211
Correcting selections that do not generate data................................213
Sorting, Grouping, and Totaling 215Chapter 10
Sorting data.............................................................................................216
Understanding sort options................................................................216
Sorting single and multiple fields........................................................219
Sort controls ......................................................................................221
Grouping data..........................................................................................223
Group and sort direction.....................................................................223
Creating custom groups.....................................................................226
Sorting groups conditionally...............................................................227
Sorting records within groups.............................................................229
Group selection..................................................................................230
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Contents
Grouping data in intervals..................................................................234
Grouping by the first letter of a company name.................................237
Grouping data hierarchically...............................................................239
Editing groups....................................................................................246
Summarizing grouped data.....................................................................246
To summarize grouped data...............................................................247
Ordering groups by summarized values............................................248
Selecting top or bottom N groups or percentages .............................249
Selecting top or bottom groups or percentages conditionally............251
Subtotaling...............................................................................................252
Subtotaling data.................................................................................253
Extending prices and subtotaling the extensions...............................254
Percentages.............................................................................................255
Calculating a percentage ...................................................................255
Group headers.........................................................................................257
Creating group headers .....................................................................257
Suppressing group headers...............................................................261
Drilling-down on group headers.........................................................262
Running Totals 263Chapter 11
Understanding running totals...................................................................264
How running totals work.....................................................................264
Creating running totals.............................................................................266
Creating running totals in a list ..........................................................266
Creating running totals for a group.....................................................267
Creating conditional running totals ....................................................268
Creating running totals in a one-to-many linking relationship............270
Creating running totals using a formula...................................................272
To create running totals using a formula............................................273
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 9
Contents
Multiple Section Reports 275Chapter 12
About sections.........................................................................................276
Working with sections..............................................................................276
Inserting a section..............................................................................277
Deleting a section...............................................................................277
Moving a section................................................................................277
Merging two related sections..............................................................278
Splitting and resizing sections.................................................................279
Splitting a section...............................................................................279
Resizing a section..............................................................................280
Using multiple sections in reports ...........................................................281
Keeping variable length objects from overwriting each other.............281
Eliminating blank lines when fields are empty ...................................282
Adding blank lines conditionally ........................................................283
Form letters..............................................................................................284
Working with text objects....................................................................284
Creating a form letter using a text object...........................................286
Printing conditional messages in form letters.....................................292
Formatting 295Chapter 13
Formatting concepts................................................................................296
Using a template......................................................................................296
Applying a template............................................................................297
Removing an applied template...........................................................298
Reapplying the last template selected...............................................298
Using Template Field Objects.............................................................299
Template considerations.....................................................................300
Using the Report Design Environment....................................................303
Section characteristics.......................................................................303
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Contents
Making an object underlay a following section...................................304
Pre-printed forms................................................................................306
Multiple columns.................................................................................307
Hiding report sections.........................................................................308
Hiding report objects..........................................................................308
Placing text-based objects.................................................................311
Placing multi-line, text-based objects.................................................315
Importing text-based objects from a file.............................................316
Spacing between text-based objects.................................................316
Overflow Field Representation...........................................................323
Selecting multiple objects...................................................................324
Vertical placement..............................................................................324
Inserting character and line spacing..................................................325
Setting fractional font sizes................................................................326
Setting page size and page orientation..............................................327
Setting page margins.........................................................................328
TrueType fonts....................................................................................328
Printer drivers.....................................................................................329
Formatting a report for web viewing...................................................330
Formatting properties...............................................................................331
Working with absolute formatting ............................................................331
Adding borders, color, and shading to a field ....................................332
Making a report, section, area, or object read-only............................332
Locking an object's size and position.................................................333
Changing your default field formats...................................................334
Adding and editing lines ....................................................................336
Adding and editing boxes...................................................................337
Expected behavior of line and box formatting....................................338
Adding shapes to a report..................................................................341
Scaling, cropping, and sizing objects.................................................342
Using conventional accounting formats.............................................343
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 11
Contents
Repeating report objects on horizontal pages ...................................344
Using white space between rows ......................................................346
Working with conditional formatting.........................................................349
Conditional on or off properties..........................................................350
Conditional attribute properties..........................................................350
Changing fonts conditionally..............................................................352
Changing margins conditionally.........................................................353
Changing X position conditionally......................................................354
Creating footers after the first page....................................................354
Using the Highlighting Expert.............................................................356
Undo/Redo activities..........................................................................360
Using the Format Painter ........................................................................361
To copy and apply formatting.............................................................362
Working with barcodes............................................................................363
Adding a barcode...............................................................................363
Changing the appearance of a barcode.............................................364
Removing a barcode..........................................................................365
Charting 367Chapter 14
Charting concepts....................................................................................368
Charting overview...............................................................................368
Chart layouts .....................................................................................369
Chart types.........................................................................................370
Where to place a chart ......................................................................373
Drill-down with charts.........................................................................374
Drill-down with legends......................................................................374
Creating charts........................................................................................374
Charting on details or formula fields (Advanced layout) ....................375
Charting on summary or subtotal fields (Group layout) .....................377
Charting on Cross-Tab summaries (Cross-Tab layout) .....................378
Charting on an OLAP cube (OLAP layout) ........................................380
12 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Contents
Working with charts.................................................................................381
Editing charts using the Chart Expert.................................................381
Editing charts using the Chart Options menu items...........................381
Editing charts using other menu items...............................................382
Using the zooming features with bar and line charts.........................384
Auto-arranging charts.........................................................................384
Formatting charts...............................................................................385
Using the underlay feature with charts...............................................386
Mapping 389Chapter 15
Mapping concepts....................................................................................390
Mapping overview..............................................................................390
Map layouts........................................................................................390
Map types...........................................................................................391
Where to place a map........................................................................394
Drill-down with maps..........................................................................395
Creating maps.........................................................................................395
Mapping on details fields (Advanced layout) .....................................395
Mapping on group fields (Group layout).............................................398
Mapping on Cross-Tab summaries (Cross-Tab layout)......................399
Mapping on an OLAP cube (OLAP layout)........................................401
Working with maps..................................................................................402
Editing maps using the Map Expert...................................................402
Changing the map title.......................................................................403
Changing the map type......................................................................403
Changing map layers.........................................................................404
Resolving data mismatches...............................................................406
Changing the geographic map...........................................................406
Zooming in and out on a map.............................................................407
Panning a map...................................................................................407
Centering a map.................................................................................408
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 13
Contents
Hiding and showing the Map Navigator ............................................408
Formatting Maps................................................................................409
Using the underlay feature with maps................................................409
OLE 411Chapter 16
OLE overview..........................................................................................412
OLE terminology.................................................................................412
Types of OLE objects.........................................................................413
General OLE considerations..............................................................414
Inserting OLE objects into reports...........................................................414
To copy and paste OLE objects .........................................................415
How OLE objects are represented in a report.........................................415
Editing OLE objects in reports.................................................................416
In-place editing...................................................................................416
Dynamic OLE menu commands........................................................416
OLE and the Insert Picture command................................................417
Working with static OLE objects..............................................................417
Inserting a static OLE object..............................................................418
Making a static OLE object dynamic..................................................418
Converting a static OLE object to a bitmap image object..................419
Working with embedded vs. linked objects..............................................420
Embedded objects..............................................................................420
Linked objects....................................................................................421
Integrating Shockwave Flash (SWF) objects...........................................423
Adding an Xcelsius SWF object to a report .......................................424
Using data binding to bind an Xcelsius SWF object to a report.........425
Cross-Tab Objects 427Chapter 17
What is a Cross-Tab object?....................................................................428
Cross-Tab example..................................................................................429
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Contents
Report of order data - no sorting/grouping.........................................430
Report of order data - grouped by region...........................................430
Report of order data - grouped by product.........................................431
Report of order data - grouped by region and product.......................432
Order data in a Cross-Tab object.......................................................433
Creating a Cross-Tab report....................................................................435
To create a new cross-tab report........................................................435
To add a Cross-Tab to an existing report...........................................435
Specifying the data source.................................................................437
Modifying the links..............................................................................438
Adding a chart....................................................................................438
Selecting records................................................................................438
Defining the structure of the Cross-Tab..............................................439
Applying a predefined style and finishing the report..........................440
Adding a Cross-Tab to an existing report using the Cross-Tab Expert.440
Working with Cross-Tabs.........................................................................443
Showing values as percentages........................................................443
Abbreviating large summarized fields ...............................................443
Customizing row/column labels..........................................................445
Using running totals in Cross-Tabs....................................................446
Printing Cross-Tabs that span multiple pages ...................................447
Formatting Cross-Tabs............................................................................447
Changing width, height, and alignment of Cross-Tab cells ...............448
Formatting background color of entire rows/columns........................448
Formatting fields individually .............................................................448
Formatting several fields at one time.................................................449
Suppressing Cross-Tab data..............................................................449
Displaying summarized fields horizontally.........................................451
Advanced Cross-Tab features.................................................................451
Calculated Members..........................................................................451
Embedded Summaries.......................................................................456
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 15
Contents
Building Queries 459Chapter 18
Connecting to a universe.........................................................................460
To connect to a universe....................................................................460
Defining the data selection for a query....................................................461
To build a simple query.......................................................................461
To create a combined query...............................................................462
Quick reference to objects..................................................................463
Editing an existing query..........................................................................464
To edit an existing query.....................................................................465
Viewing the SQL behind a query.............................................................465
To view the SQL when you create a query.........................................465
To view the SQL after you have created a query...............................466
Query filters and prompts........................................................................466
Creating query filters..........................................................................466
Building prompts.................................................................................467
Combining query filters and prompts.................................................468
Using And or Or to combine query filters...........................................469
Quick reference to query filter operators............................................470
Editing and removing query filters......................................................473
Filtering data using subqueries and database ranking............................474
What is a subquery?...........................................................................474
Building a subquery............................................................................475
What is a database ranking?..............................................................478
Creating a database ranking..............................................................478
Creating and Updating OLAP Reports 483Chapter 19
OLAP reporting with Crystal Reports.......................................................484
OLAP grid objects..............................................................................484
Creating an OLAP report.........................................................................485
16 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Contents
To create an OLAP report...................................................................485
Specifying the data source.................................................................485
Defining the structure of the grid........................................................486
Setting sliced dimensions and specifying the number of grids...........488
Applying a predefined style................................................................490
Inserting a chart..................................................................................491
Updating an OLAP report........................................................................491
To update a cube location in an OLAP grid object.............................492
Updating the database location..........................................................493
Formatting data in an OLAP grid.............................................................493
Changing the background color of a dimension.................................494
Creating an alias for a dimension.......................................................495
Formatting grid lines...........................................................................496
Labelling dimensions..........................................................................496
Changing the view of OLAP data ...........................................................496
To show or hide dimension members ................................................497
To create asymmetry in an OLAP grid...............................................497
To add totals to an OLAP grid............................................................497
To change the display format for member names..............................498
To alter the data displayed in the OLAP grid......................................498
To pivot an OLAP grid .......................................................................498
To define the order of fields in the OLAP grid ...................................498
Sorting and filtering OLAP grid data........................................................499
Sorting data in an OLAP grid .............................................................499
Filtering data in an OLAP grid ...........................................................501
Adding calculations to OLAP grids .........................................................502
Printing, Exporting, and Viewing Reports 503Chapter 20
Distributing reports...................................................................................504
Printing a report..................................................................................504
Faxing a report...................................................................................504
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 17
Contents
Exporting a report...............................................................................505
Working with Web folders...................................................................519
Working with Enterprise folders .........................................................520
Viewing reports........................................................................................523
What are Report Parts?......................................................................523
What is navigation?............................................................................524
The Report Part Drilldown option.......................................................527
The Another Report Object option.....................................................530
Hyperlinks displayed in the viewers...................................................537
Creating an Enterprise Hyperlink.......................................................538
Using smart tags......................................................................................539
To use smart tags with a Crystal Reports object................................540
Report Alerts 543Chapter 21
About Report Alerts ................................................................................544
Working with Report Alerts......................................................................544
Creating Report Alerts........................................................................544
Editing Report Alerts..........................................................................547
Deleting Report Alerts........................................................................547
Viewing Report Alerts.........................................................................547
Referring to Report Alerts in formulas................................................548
Using Formulas 551Chapter 22
Formulas overview...................................................................................552
Typical uses for formulas....................................................................552
Formula components and syntax............................................................553
Formula components .........................................................................553
Formula syntax...................................................................................555
User Function Libraries in formulas.........................................................556
Specifying formulas.................................................................................557
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Working with the Formula Workshop.................................................558
Working with the Formula Editor........................................................563
Creating and modifying formulas.............................................................569
Creating a formula and inserting it into a report.................................569
Creating a formula in the Formula Expert .........................................570
Editing formulas..................................................................................572
Searching for formula text..................................................................572
Copying formulas...............................................................................573
Deleting formulas.....................................................................................575
Removing the working formula from your report................................576
Deleting the formula specification......................................................576
Debugging formulas.................................................................................576
Debugging evaluation time errors......................................................576
Debugging tutorial..............................................................................577
Parameter Fields and Prompts 583Chapter 23
Parameter and prompt overview ............................................................584
Parameter field considerations...........................................................584
Prompt considerations........................................................................586
Data and non-data parameters..........................................................586
Optional parameters...........................................................................587
Understanding dynamic prompts.............................................................588
Understanding lists of values...................................................................591
List-of-values types............................................................................592
Determining which list-of-values type to use......................................595
Lists of values and prompt groups contrasted...................................597
Creating a parameter with a static prompt...............................................598
To create a parameter with a static prompt........................................598
To incorporate the parameter into the record selection filter..............600
To incorporate the parameter into a saved data selection formula.....601
Creating a parameter with a dynamic prompt..........................................602
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 19
Contents
To create a parameter with a dynamic prompt...................................602
Creating a parameter with a cascading list of values..............................604
To create a parameter with a cascading list of values........................605
The Parameter Panel...............................................................................607
Working with lists of values......................................................................608
Sharing common lists of values within a report..................................608
Using separate value and description fields.......................................610
Using command objects as list-of-values data sources.....................611
Null handling.......................................................................................612
Long lists of values.............................................................................612
Best practices for prompting....................................................................613
Unmanaged reports............................................................................613
Managed reports................................................................................614
Converting unmanaged reports to managed reports.........................615
Deploying managed reports with dynamic prompts...........................615
Deleting parameter fields.........................................................................616
To delete a parameter that is not used in a formula...........................616
To delete a parameter used with the Select Expert............................616
To delete a parameter that is used in a formula.................................617
Responding to parameter field prompts..................................................617
Previewing a report for the first time...................................................617
Refreshing report data........................................................................618
Advanced parameter features.................................................................619
Creating a parameter with multiple prompting values........................619
Applying conditional formatting using parameter fields......................620
Creating a report title using parameter fields.....................................621
Specifying single or ranges of values.................................................622
Incorporating a parameter into a formula...........................................623
Defining sort order using parameter fields.........................................624
Defining entry type and format using the Edit Mask...........................625
Creating a saved-data record filter using parameter fields................627
20 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Contents
To create a saved-data record filter using parameter fields...............627
To create a parameter appearing on the Parameter Panel................628
To incorporate the parameter into a saved data selection formula.....629
Adding dynamic grouping using parameter fields..............................629
Subreports 633Chapter 24
What are subreports?..............................................................................634
Unlinked vs. linked subreports...........................................................635
How subreport linking works..............................................................636
Inserting subreports.................................................................................637
Previewing subreports........................................................................639
Saving a subreport as a primary report..............................................639
Updating subreports...........................................................................640
Linking a subreport to the data in the primary report...............................641
To link a subreport to the data in the primary report...........................641
Linking a subreport to the main report without modifying the selection
formula...............................................................................................642
Combining unrelated reports by using subreports ..................................643
Combining two or more unrelated reports..........................................644
Using subreports with unlinkable data.....................................................645
Linking to/from a formula field............................................................645
Linking unindexed tables....................................................................646
Creating an on-demand subreport...........................................................647
To create an on-demand subreport....................................................647
Adding captions to on-demand subreports........................................647
Showing different views of the same data in a report..............................649
Understanding Databases 651Chapter 25
Databases overview................................................................................652
Relational database basics................................................................652
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 21
Contents
Aliases ...............................................................................................654
Locating files......................................................................................655
Indexed tables....................................................................................656
Linking tables...........................................................................................659
Link from and link to...........................................................................659
Link relationships................................................................................659
Performance considerations in one-to-many links.............................660
Data file considerations......................................................................664
SQL database considerations............................................................666
Performance considerations for all reports........................................667
The Database Expert Links tab..........................................................670
Linking indexed tables........................................................................670
Link processing order.........................................................................671
Linking options...................................................................................672
Using SQL and SQL databases..............................................................689
What is SQL?.....................................................................................690
SQL DBMS.........................................................................................692
How does Crystal Reports use SQL? ...............................................694
The SQL language.............................................................................694
Server-side processing............................................................................697
How server-side grouping affects the SQL query..............................699
Mapping database fields..........................................................................700
About the Map Fields dialog box........................................................700
Remapping processes........................................................................701
Remapping altered database fields....................................................703
Saved Data Indexes................................................................................705
How Report Indexing works...............................................................705
Considerations for using Saved Data Indexes...................................706
Indexing the right field(s)....................................................................706
Unicode support in Crystal Reports.........................................................707
For additional information........................................................................707
22 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Contents
Accessing Data Sources 709Chapter 26
Introduction..............................................................................................710
Six types of data.................................................................................710
Direct access database files ...................................................................711
Advantages........................................................................................711
Disadvantages....................................................................................712
Three layers.......................................................................................712
Common database formats................................................................713
ODBC data sources ................................................................................724
Advantages........................................................................................725
Disadvantages....................................................................................725
Five layers..........................................................................................726
Installing database clients..................................................................729
To ensure correct ODBC DSN configuration......................................729
Common ODBC database formats....................................................730
JDBC data sources .................................................................................733
JNDI ..................................................................................................734
Five layers..........................................................................................734
Supported JDBC database formats...................................................736
Configuring the Crystal Reports JDBC driver.....................................736
Business Objects universes....................................................................737
Business Views........................................................................................738
Crystal SQL Designer files.......................................................................739
Crystal Dictionary files.............................................................................740
Report Processing Model 741Appendix A
Overview .................................................................................................742
What is a "pass"? ..............................................................................742
Pre-pass 1..........................................................................................742
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 23
Contents
Pass 1................................................................................................742
Pre-pass 2..........................................................................................743
Pass 2................................................................................................743
Pass 3................................................................................................744
Crystal Reports Error Messages 745Appendix B
Drive:\filename.extension........................................................................746
Drive:\test.rpt...........................................................................................746
Failed to load database connector..........................................................747
Failed to open the connection. Details: [Database Vendor Code: <vendor
code number>].........................................................................................747
Failed to retrieve data from the database. Details: [Database Vendor Code:
<vendor code number>]...........................................................................748
Creating Accessible Reports 751Appendix C
About accessibility ..................................................................................752
Benefits of accessible reports............................................................752
About the accessibility guidelines......................................................754
Accessibility and Business Objects products.....................................755
Improving report accessibility..................................................................755
Placing objects in reports...................................................................756
Text.....................................................................................................758
Color...................................................................................................762
Navigation..........................................................................................764
Parameter fields.................................................................................764
Designing for flexibility.............................................................................765
Accessibility and conditional formatting.............................................766
Accessibility and suppressing sections..............................................767
Accessibility and subreports...............................................................768
Improving data table accessibility............................................................769
Text objects and data table values.....................................................769
24 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Contents
Other data table design considerations..............................................775
Accessibility and BusinessObjects Enterprise.........................................776
Setting accessible preferences for BusinessObjects Enterprise........777
Accessibility and customization...............................................................777
Resources................................................................................................779
Get More Help 781Appendix D
Index 785
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 25
Contents
26 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Introduction to Crystal Reports 2008
1
Introduction to Crystal Reports 2008
1
About Crystal Reports
About Crystal Reports
Crystal Reports is designed to work with your database to help you analyze
and interpret important information. Crystal Reports makes it easy to create
simple reports, and, it also has the comprehensive tools you need to produce
complex or specialized reports.
Create any report you can imagine
Crystal Reports is designed to produce the report you want from virtually
any data source. Built-in report experts guide you step by step through
building reports and completing common reporting tasks. Formulas,
cross-tabs, subreports, and conditional formatting help make sense of data
and uncover important relationships that might otherwise be hidden.
Geographic maps and graphs communicate information visually when words
and numbers are simply not enough.
Extend reporting to the Web
The flexibility of Crystal Reports doesn't end with creating reports — your
reports can be published in a variety of formats including Microsoft Word
and Excel, E-mail and even over the Web. Advanced Web reporting lets
other members of your workgroup view and update shared reports inside
their web browser.
Incorporate reports into applications
Application and web developers can save time and meet their users needs
by integrating the report processing power of Crystal Reports into their
database applications. Support for most popular development languages
makes it easy to add reporting to any application.
28 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
Introduction to Crystal Reports 2008
About the Crystal Reports documentation
Whether it's the web master in IT, the promotion manager in marketing, the
database administrator in finance or the CEO, Crystal Reports is a powerful
tool designed to help everyone analyze and interpret the information that's
important to them.
About the Crystal Reports documentation
The Crystal Reports documentation includes procedures for typical reporting
tasks such as placing fields, formatting reports, and sorting records. It also
contains information on more specific areas of interest such as advanced
formula creation and accessing different types of data. Use the documentation
as a reference for your basic reporting needs as well as an introduction to
new concepts in report creation.
Locate information quickly
• Access online help from the Crystal Reports help menu.
Use the Contents tab to view all major sections in the online help and drill
down to specific headings within each section, the Index tab to view topics
in alphabetical order, and the Search tab to enter a keyword to view all
the sections that relate to the keyword.
1
• Access a PDF version of the Crystal Reports documentation online at
http://support.businessobjects.com/documentation.
The PDF version contains a subset of the topics found in the online help,
along with additional sections—such as a Quick Start—that can help you
learn Crystal Reports.
Sample Reports
Many topics in the Crystal Reports documentation include a list of related
sample reports. Use these reports to illustrate concepts the topic describes.
The sample reports can be adapted to your own needs.
Sample reports are located on the Business Objects Technical Support web
site http://support.businessobjects.com/samples/.
Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide 29
Introduction to Crystal Reports 2008
About the Crystal Reports documentation
1
30 Crystal Reports 2008 User's Guide
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