Compare Crystal report file in different version

[former_member798402]

Hello,

I am in process to migrate Crystal report 8.5 to Crystal report 2020. There are too many report files there that need to be migrated. I want to do this process through Crystal report 2020 SDK . Is there any way to compare CR8.5 rpt file and CR2020 rpt file regarding SQL queries, function update etc.

Please suggest

[ido_millet · Accepted solution]

Here is a recent blog by Ken Hamady regarding RPT Management Utilities.
At least some of these utilities can convert your old 8.5 reports to a later version. I don't think it matters if you convert to 2016 or 2020.

A conversion shouldn't change any properties, though it may add new properties at their default values.
The only exception I can think of is the 'default value' for parameters with a list of values. In version 8.5 it is simply the 1st value in the list of values. But in the latest versions it is a separate 'Default Value' property. The SAP folks weren't alert enough to take care of that transition when saving an old rpt format into a new format.

[former_member11696]

And to get the .NET runtime it's from here:

https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/BOBJ/Crystal+Reports%2C+Developer+for+Visual+Studio+Downloads

Another big issue is the database dll's CR used were in c:\windows\crystal folder, they are no longer there and have mostly been renamed.

Other than Ido's suggestion the only way to truely update and fix the reports is to manually open each in report in CR 2016/2020 and Use the Set Location to replace the Database Client with the updated CR DB dll.

It's not simple to do and the SDK may not be able to do it using the ReplaceConnection() API to fix the report, so much has changed in DB Client since CR 8.5 days. Some of the old SQL may no longer work as Dell indicated, you can't edit the SQL any more unless you use Commands.

Also, CR 8.5 does not support side by side install, so don't install CR 2016/2020 on the same PC, it's going to break both of them.

[DellSC]

The thing to be aware of when converting from 8.5 or earlier to a newer version of Crystal is that in the earlier versions you could directly edit the SQL that Crystal generated. In the newer versions, you have to create a Command that will pull all of the data for the report. In this case, there is no direct upgrade path - the report has to be re-written. Even changing a little thing like taking out the schema owner from the SQL will cause problems. I know this one from experience!

Other than that issue, the .NET SDK should be able to open the 8.5 reports and then automatically upgrade them when it saves the report.

-Dell

[former_member1000519]

Can someone tell me how to change the path from opt/tomcat/webapp to crystal report folder. so that the crystal report should show on portal.

Thanks