Creating a front end for a report in MAS200

[aaronburro]

ok, this is probably a n00bish question, but here goes.

I've made a couple reports using CR 8.5 for MAS200 and they run fine. I find the normal dialog box, that pops up where the user enters the parameters, to be lacking, and I'd like to change it. My guess is that this is something outside the scope of crystal itself.

So, my question is this:

what all do I need to do in order to change the dialog box? More specifically, what are the steps that I have to follow? not specific "write this line of code," but rather what is the process that I have to follow?

Obviously "make report" is one of the parts of the process, but I dunno where in the whole process it fits.

 

[synapsevampire]

There is a MAS expert here, perhaps he'll add to this, but I'd guess that you're using the Active-X control, and you don't have any way to alter it.

You might state specifically what *lacking* means, and consider 3rd party viewers for more advanced functionality.

http://www.kenhamady.com/bookmarks.html

-k

 

[aaronburro]

Well, for starters, it'd be nice if the dialog box that pops up could have check boxes for yes/no options and space them around a window instead of them being in a crappy scroll down box. In fact, it'd be nice if all of the parameters could be arranged to my liking around the window.
A dynamic display of available choices for options based on data from the database would also be nice, instead of the static and hard-coded method to which Crystal limits you.
Basically, I'd like the dialog box that pops up when you run the report from MAS200 to look and act like the dialog boxes that pop up for the built-in MAS reports...

 

[synapsevampire]

Yeah, those are common, justified complaints.

3rd party viewers can buy you dynamic parameters, and so would upgrading to CR XI.

As for the viewer control, there's nothing to be done about it. You could write your own front end in just about any language and pass the parms, or consider Crystal Enterprise, or the above mentioned 3rd party viewers.

Also keep in mind that your version of Crystal is about 5 years old...

-k

 

[aaronburro]

thx for the quick response, SV. what would be the general process for implementing the new front end chronologically?

i think its something like this:

1) write the front end and use it to create a "view" of the data I want
2) write the report and link it to the view
3) connect the report to MAS200

is that the right track?