Issues with .NET Interface in CR 2008

[Former Member]

As I am forced to move away from the Win32 and COM interfaces to Crystal Reports in order to embrace CR 2008, I am presented with some issues due to some apparent shortcomings in the .NET Interface, which is apparently not nearly as powerful as the Win32 interface. The Win32 interface is still there and works, but is no longer supported.

1) The export options in the .NET Report Viewer are much fewer than available through Win32, and what is available in the CR 2008 designer itself. Furthermore, you are not presented with any export options as in Win32 or the CR 2008 designer; you simply get a Save As dialog.

2) Using the .NET interface to the report engine, it is not possible to export in formats that are otherwise available (in Win32 interface or CR 2008 Designer): ODBC, Record Format, and the new XML export option.

I cannot advance to CR 2008 if it will force me to deprive my customers of functionality they've had with previous versions. However, I'm being forced to upgrade because the interface I was using is no longer supported. I'm being forced into a corner.

Does Business Objects/SAP have any plans to correct these shortcomings, or should we expect to lose more API functionality in the future?

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

Answers in line:

1) The export options in the .NET Report Viewer are much fewer than available through Win32, and what is available in the CR 2008 designer itself. Furthermore, you are not presented with any export options as in Win32 or the CR 2008 designer; you simply get a Save As dialog.

- there are no plans to make any changes to this interface

2) Using the .NET interface to the report engine, it is not possible to export in formats that are otherwise available (in Win32 interface or CR 2008 Designer): ODBC, Record Format, and the new XML export option.

- ODBC is not available, not is it planned to be reintroduced (this format was never available - in any version of CR via the .NET SDK)

- Record Format is not available, not is it planned to be reintroduced (this format was never available - in any version of CR via the .NET SDK)

- XML export is available both in the designer and .NET SDK in CR 2008 - the currently shipping version of Crystal Reports

Ludek

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

In the report viewer, I do not see a way to specify the XML Exporting format. Also, the CR 2008 designer has two XML export formats, Legacy and the new variable-format version. The report viewer only shows one XML format, and it is unclear which version it is.

I realize none of the items in my initial post have ever been supported in the .NET SDK. But those items do address functionality of the product itself. It appears that some functionality is being arbitrarily skipped. The power to export via ODBC exists in the product. Why exclude it from the SDK?

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

I'm not privy to the decision process re. features in Crystal Reports. However, if you want to communicate your concerns to the product group, this will be the place:

https://boc.sdn.sap.com/feedback

As for the query re. XML, I'll test the export and let you know which XML format is being exported.

Ludek

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

Hello James:

The export from within the SDK is the "new variable-format" export type. The legacy export is not available at runtime.

Ludek

[Former Member]

Have raised issue with sales rep.