BO 11 - Page Server & Report Application Server 1

[jayaramuds]

I have succesfully installed trial version of Business Objects 11.
I am using custom code for generating report.
I have a JSP, in which I use Crystal API to generate report.
After logging into Crystal Enterprise, there are two ways we can create the report source (I found these options after going through lot of example files).

1. using Report Application Server (RASReportService) ----
IReportAppFactory reportFactory = (IReportAppFactory)enterprisesession.getService("", "RASReportService");
2. using Page Server (PSReportFactory) ----
IReportSourceFactory2 reportFactory = (IReportSourceFactory2) enterprisesession.getService ("", "PSReportFactory");

MY QUESTION IS WHICH IS BETTER APPROACH/OPTION AMONG THESE TWO.

 

[KingfisherINC]

It really depends on what you want to do once you have the report, each has its advantages and disadvantages, what are you trying to achieve with the report object?

Which samples are you using?

Kingfisher [CECP]

 

[jayaramuds]

I am using sample code present in the zip file crXI_JavaReportingComponent_en.zip.

I hope we can't do any thing other than generating the report output to the user with report source.

In my case I am generating HTML and PDF output.

So, I want to know specific advantages/disadvantages of
each option.

 

[KingfisherINC]

It sounds like you should use PSReportFactory.

RASReportService has the advantage of being able to modify the report template (e.g. add / remove columns) and can utilize the Advanced DHTML viewer which allows advanced filtering / search criteria. The disadvantages are that it manages it's own memory and therefore does not scale as well as the Page Server in an Enterprise deployment.

The PSReportFactory will make better use of your Enterprise architecture, it is more efficient, but does not offer report modification or the features of the Advanced DHTML.

Kingfisher [CECP]

 

[jayaramuds]

Hi Kingfisher [CECP]

Thanks for the clarification. I think you have very well pointed out situation where to use PSReportFactory and RASReportService.
I think I have to use PSReportFactory as our requirement is just generating report.

One more thing I noticed is that there are two PageServer.exe are running in windows task manager. Is this a bug or the feature of CE?

 

[KingfisherINC]

This is just one of the advantages of Enterprise: Two Page Servers can share the work, you can have 1 or 100 of them (across multiple servers) depending upon your needs.
If you check in your Central Configuration Manager you should see you have two Crystal Page Servers running.

You do not need to be concerned by which page server does the work in your code.

Kingfisher [CECP]

 

[jayaramuds]

Thanks for the information. How to increase or decrease the no. of page servers?

 

[KingfisherINC]

You should have a program called "Central Configuration Manager" in your Business Objects 11 folder. You can add or remove them from there.

Kingfisher [CECP]

 

[jayaramuds]

Kingfisher [CECP]

I opened "Central Configuration Manager" and checked there is only one "Crystal Reports Page Server", how ever if I open windows Task manager it shows 2 pageserver.exe, is this some thing to do with configuration?

Jayaramu