CE10 - lost functionality 1

[cmmrfrds]

We recently upgraded from Info Server 7.5 to CE10. This has been a step backward in functionality for scheduling and managing reports.

1. Could schedule from an existing instance in 7.5. This allowed keeping the filters, destination, and parameters. With CE10 everything must be re-entered. Is there any way around this???????? This has caused many hours of additional work for the developers.

2. Could open an old instance and view the filter to see custom changes to the filter. With CE10 the old filter cannot be viewed. What is the work around.

3. Change control. The reports were copied from a test directory to a production directory. Now the reports cannot be viewed other than thru Crystal 10 instead of through the directory structure.

 

[rhinok]

Unfortunately, you've hit on some of the major issues still remainging with Crystal Enterprise. I view Change Control/Version Management as the worst of the three issues. Due to the nature of the file repository server, there is no easy way to manage versions other than manually.

You can still open the Crystal Reports object directly from the File Repository server, but you need to find the location first. In order to do so, you need to navigate to the report object in the CMC. The main properties page will list the object in the frs as something like "frs://Input/a_133/004/000/1157/6f836d3f636e217.rpt". The next step is to navigate to that location on your server, keeping in mind that "frs://" is normally located at C:\Program Files\Crystal Decisions\Enterprise\FileStore\. If you're attempting to access the files remotely, you'll need to make sure you have permissions to do so.

No matter what tool you use (Source Safe, PVCS, ClearCase, etc...), you must manually manage versions. Typically this is done by checking out the version in the tool, modifying it, saving it over the copy in the FRS (after you identify the location and id) and then checking the modified object back into the management tool.




~Kurt

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
You can open Published Reports directly thru CR Pro..

Since v9 [I think] ( and with an update in 8.5) one of the options in CR was to open a report from an Enterprise Folder, with no need to remember or access the oddly named shells stored in the Input repository.

With V10, you can even avoid the 'gotcha' of having the stored database password blanked out, if a report were modified in this way, like often happened with 8.5.

Does not really solve a true versioning need, but it does make thngs a little simpler to use.

 

[cmmrfrds]

Thank you for your response. The biggest problem for us now is the manual effort required with scheduling or re-scheduling reports. Is there any way this can be made easier or more manageable? Because of the conversion many reports need to be re-scheduled.

 

[rhinok]

Turkbear is correct, this is the easiest way to modify published reports. Unfortunately, I've run into bugs where I lose connectivity to the APS when trying to save a changed report to Enterprise Folders, so I think it helps to understand where the report is stored (just in case).

As to your other questions, unless you find third party software that meets your needs, you will need to reschedule all reports from scratch.


~Kurt

 

[spedi]

There is work around for rescheduling reports. You have to install a freeware tool from APOS systems. You can find at

http://www.apos.on.ca

Hope this helps.

 

[cmmrfrds]

Thank you for the information Spedi. Are you using the APOS shareware product and does it work as expected? Have you had any problems with it? Is it easy to backout of if something goes wrong?

 

[spedi]

We have purchased the dynamic Parameter tool from APOS and the reschedule feature is part of the tool.

Yes you can easily backout of the reschedule feature, what you have to do is just replace the APOS CSP files with original CSP files from Crystal Enterprise CD and uninstall any components you might have installed from APOS.

 

[ckiklas]

We have also been using the APOS tool, and our developers think it is the best thing we have ever added to CE.

 

[cmmrfrds]

Thank you for the comment ckiklas. Also, spedi thank you for your comments. Spedi, can you explain what problem(s) purchasing the dynamic parameters solved for you.

 

[spedi]

Dynamic Parameter as name says... the parameter list of values on a Report are database based instead of static list of values (even that list is limited to 1k I suppose). It also has the Multi level filtering, that is, if a user selects one parameter value the subsequent list gets filtered based on the selection.


Check more by reading at:

http://www.apos.on.ca/DynamicParameters/Dynamic Parameters.pdf.

This is a single page document that explains perfectly with a good example.


Srinath

http://www.nhsonline.org

srinath_p (at) yahoo.com

 

[robnmo]

In CE10 if you have to proper rights you can view the history of the report. Isn't that the same as manually opening the report from the server?

 

[spedi]

History... is the schedule instances of a report. Not the history of versions(modification) of a published report.

Srinath

http://www.nhsonline.org

srinath_p (at) yahoo.com