Crystal Reports 2011 Crashes on Large Remote XML Data Source

[Former Member]

I originally chatted with a rep via the online chat mechanism and he referred me to here to post my issue. I believe I may have discovered a bug in Crystal Reports 2011. I am running version: 14.0.2.364 RTM on a Windows Server 2008 R2 server.

I need to connect to remote XML data sources, and things have been running fine until I had to connect to an XML document that was around 25 megs in size consisting of about 10,000 records. When I set up the datasource, Crystal immediately crashes when I hit the "Finish" button on the HTTP Parameters screen of the connection wizard when setting up the XML data source. Further down I've pasted what is in the crash dialog.

If I take the XML document that is on the remote server and place it locally on the machine and try to set up an XML data source to that local file, Crystal reads the file just fine (and very quickly) and I can create a report with no problems. However, in my situation, I can't use local XML files - they need to be on the remote server.

I have verified via a web browser that my remote URL is correct and that I can download the XML file and it is the exact same as if it were local. Since that's the case, it led me to believe that there is an issue with Crystal.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Brian

=========

Description:

  Stopped working

Problem signature:

  Problem Event Name:    APPCRASH

  Application Name:    crw32.exe

  Application Version:    14.0.2.364

  Application Timestamp:    4de99eaa

  Fault Module Name:    crdb_xml.dll

  Fault Module Version:    14.0.1.287

  Fault Module Timestamp:    4d82917c

  Exception Code:    c0000005

  Exception Offset:    00024ae5

  OS Version:    6.1.7601.2.1.0.16.7

  Locale ID:    1033

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[Former Member]

It does look like a bug,

however it will be a timeout issue and if they fix the bug, what they may do is just display a timeout error, which may not help you.

as a data source large XML are not that good an idea.  it is after all just a flat file, can't you load the data into a database if you need to use this on a server.

[Former Member]

Unfortunately, I'm dealing with quite the "involved" environment to put it nicely and I need to go this route. The thing is, I don't think it's a timeout issue though, because it's not like it crashes 30 seconds or more after I try to connect - it crashes almost immediately.

The only alternative solution I could think of is that when authoring the reports, users could hit a remote XML source that is much smaller (i.e. a very small subset of the "full" results). Then, in our .NET applications where we generate the report, I could look at the remote XML path the report uses, pull the XML myself, then programmatically switch the connection to use a local XML instead of remote.

The problem with that is I have not found any resources on how to switch an XML data source programmatically using the .NET APIs.

[Former Member]

Very nicely put.

if it crashes almost immediately report as a bug.

one other plan is running your report on the remote server ( at lease as a test but maybe as a solution)