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Crystal Reports 10 - the real story 1

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jenschmidt

jenschmidt

Programmer
Sep 30, 2002
145
US
Okay - we've read all the hype about the new release of Crystal Reports. But, now I would like to hear opinions from you guys. Is it really worth upgrading again? Are there any great new features/enhancements that we should consider or that will effect everyday working life?

Some of the smaller, yet time consuming, things they took out was being able to subtotal at multiple levels with one click, formatting fields through Options instead of each field one at a time.

Thanks! I know I always get great input from you guys!!


jennifer.giemza@uwmf.wisc.edu
 
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If what you have get your job done NO NEED to upgrade. We just upgrade from 8.5 to 9 they are basically the same. the worst thing is they change some of the API take me days to figure it out. We have the developer version since I code it with our internal VB6 programmer the API is a disaster.
 
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Anyone else have any thoughts so far?
Anyone else tried it or see it yet?

jennifer.giemza@uwmf.wisc.edu
 
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Thanks for the heads up. There has been some discussions of upgrading to 10 from 8.5 but I have so much custom coding and reporting that I don't think we need to risk it.
 
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I have given V10 a realy good look. We publish training manuals in Crystal and we have to upgrade to the new version. Thanfully, V10 is so close to V9 that our job is very simple. The only new feature that I like is the ability to "paint" an object with the properties of another one. So if you want all your fields to be Times Roman, 8 point, bold, format one field and then select it and then paint the others. The other nice feature is that parameter fields "remember" the value that were put in the last time you ran the report.

They still have not put in the really good stuff in Version 8.5 such as the ability to convert all Date/Time fields to date only. And they keep futzing around with the field explorer.

Several users report that the bugs in V9 are removed in V10. That is good. And they removed the repository. I can't figure out if that is good or bad.

The bottom line is that V8.5 was a solid, usable well-received version that many developers have used in vertical apps. Also the verson of Crystal Enterprise that comes with V8.5 has a more liberal license than that in later versions.

Bottom line: Hold off if you can.

And reliable sources tell me that Version 11 is due to be published before the end of 2004. Upgrade fatigue!!



Howard Hammerman,
Crystal Training and Crystal Material
On-site and public classes
Low-cost telephone/email support
FREE independent Crystal newsletter
howard@hammerman.com
800-783-2269
 
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Thank you so much for your input Mr. Hammerman! If we wait version 10, but then decide we'd like to upgrade to version 11, will we have to go step by step from 9 to 10 to 11, or would we be able to go from 9 (our current version) to 11?

Thanks again for your help! I do wish we would have stayed on 8.5 way back when! :)

jennifer.giemza@uwmf.wisc.edu
 
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I cannot speak with authority. However, in the past, upgrades were able to skip generations. For example, I know many people who went from Version 6 directly to Version 8.5. Hopefully, Business Objects will not change that policy.

Howard Hammerman,
Crystal Training and Crystal Material
On-site and public classes
Low-cost telephone/email support
FREE independent Crystal newsletter
howard@hammerman.com
800-783-2269
 
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I've just found a big difference between 9 and 10.
If you were using the repository that came as standard with Crystal 9 you would need to buy Crystal Enterprise to use the repository in 10, according to the Crystal people!
 
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We have Crystal 9.0 Pro and Enterprise 9.
1 thing I have heard is that 9 and 10 seem compatable unlike 8.5 to 9. But we are going to wait for a while before we look into buying CE 10.
 
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The repository still exists, it just that it is part of CE now. The benefit being that it is now managed and you can use Enterprise security to authorize permissions, etc.

If you have CE 9 licensing and maintenance, you should not be scared to upgrade to 10 since you won't loose the repository. If you only use CR 9 only and use the repository functionality, then I would suggest staying with version 9 as you would loose functionality with the upgrade.

~Brian
 
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Business Views are a cool feature in CR10. A more complex model than the old dictionary feature but a really useful set of improvements.

I particularly like the ability to create a "Dynamic Data Connection" that can let you select, when you run the report, which database you are using. So you can now write one report, and switch it between a Live and Test DB at run time.

On the negative side is that Business Views live inside the repository, so you CE to design and use them.

Editor and Publisher of Crystal Clear
 
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Is it just me or does anyone else feel that upgrading and losing functionality is a big con? We have looked into buying CE and it is not cheap. As we have decided against it, we can't use the repository, which we could with an earlier version of Crystal.
 
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I assume that no one is allowed to buy an older version, at any price? I'm not involved in software purchases where I work, but I've noticed how the old versions soon vanish when they have something that may be better but is definitely more expensive.

Madawc Williams
East Anglia, Great Britain
 
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I'm not sure about that, but I suppose all the versions after 10 will also have the repository in this way.
We bought 9 with an upgrade package. We could just not upgrade (despite having paid for the privilege) but then what do we do for the next one and the one after that?!
I find it absolutely amazing that you get your 'free' upgrade, but then have to pay tens of thousands of pounds to simply get back the functionality you had before the upgrade.
 
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There are reasonably credible rumors that BO will release Crystal Reports Version 11 before the year is out. I have no solid info as to its "features" but the smart money is suggesting that there will be a closer integrations with the rest of the BO product line.

I believe that you CAN buy older versions of Crystal from the web site. I have been successful at getting older versions still in the wrapper from Ebay.



Howard Hammerman,
Crystal Training and Crystal Material
On-site and public classes
Low-cost telephone/email support
FREE independent Crystal newsletter
howard@hammerman.com
800-783-2269
 
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Crystal will ususally sell you a 'backgrade' for the price of the media - normally $20. I work a lot with Macola, and they've only approved Crystal 8.5 for use with their product (even though later version will work). If my customers are looking to upgrade from an earlier version - say version 7, I tell them to upgrade to the latest version, (v10) then purchase the 'backgrade' to the version approved by Macola (v8.5). It's much cheaper for them in the long run if they do it this way.

The repository thing sucks - pure and simple. Crystal are removing functionality, that I have adopted and am using at a number of client sites. The repository is (by default) an ODBC connection to a local MSAccess database - however, because it is a named ODBC connection, you can make the underlying database anything you want, and place and manage it on a central server. I can't see any reason why Crystal would need to make it part of CE - particularly if they are claiming it is for 'security' or 'management' purposes.

Peter Shirley
 
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My main concern is that they created this thing called Business Views to replace the Data Dictionary and when talking with a consultant the consultant said that they were going to probably discontinuing the Business Views in the next version, V11, when they start integrating it in with the other Business Objects product. Has anyone else heard this?

CGantz
 
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Good God I hope that is not true. I will ask at the Crystal User's conference next week. It seems that the best approach is to simply write them a blank check and hope that you get the features you need. :)



Howard Hammerman,
Crystal Training and Crystal Material
On-site and public classes
Low-cost telephone/email support
FREE independent Crystal newsletter
howard@hammerman.com
800-783-2269
 
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My understanding is that Business Views have a counterpart in the Business Objects suite called the BW Universe. From what was told to us during the BO Roadshow was that the 2 products would become one and that both tools would be able to be upgraded to the blended product.

~Brian
 
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