Blob field or memo field cannot be used in a formula

[AndrewG1976]

CR: 8.0
Oracle: 8.1.7

I have a report I'm trying to customize. When I try to refresh the report I get the error "Blob field or memo field cannot be used in a formula".

The formula it is complaining about is:

==========

@Name and Email Address

trim(
if {incomingmessageview.SENDERNAME} <> {incomingmessageview.SENDEREMAILADDRESS} then
trim({incomingmessageview.SENDERNAME}) + " <" + trim({incomingmessageview.SENDEREMAILADDRESS}) + ">"
else
trim({incomingmessageview.SENDEREMAILADDRESS}))

==========

The view fields are:

incomingmessageview.SENDERNAME VARCHAR2 (300)
incomingmessageview.SENDEREMAILADDRESS VARCHAR2 (300)

I know that because the fields exceed 254 characters, they are treated as memo fields by Crystal, and in versions of Crystal prior to version 9, you are not allowed to use memo fields in formulas.

Is there a way to overcome this problem?

 

[pgtek]

Hi

read this it might help you

http://support.businessobjects.com/library/kbase/articles/c2007285.asp

or this one

http://support.businessobjects.com/library/kbase/articles/c2003576.asp

cheers




pgtek

 

[synapsevampire]

Create SQL Expressions (Insert->Field Objects->Right click SQL Expressions) to cast the fields into < 254 fields and then you can use them.

Or you might create a View on the database to do this for you.

-k

 

[AndrewG1976]

I tried to create the following SQL expression called "%Name" but it doesn't work:

convert (varchar(200),incomingmessageview.SENDERNAME)

What's wrong with my syntax?

 

[synapsevampire]

It doesn't work, or it returns an error, or?

What connectivity are you using?

I generally use CAST not CONVERT (less typing).

-k

 

[AndrewG1976]

Sorry returns an error. I tried "cast" as well and same error:

ODBC error: [Microsoft][ODBC driver for Oracle][Oracle]ORA-00936: missing expression

Seagate Crystal Reports
Error in compiling SQL Expression: Invalid function found here.

I'm using ODBC connectivity.