Crystal Reports 8 - any feedback? 2

[MalcolmW]

Has anyone tried out version 8? I'd like to get some feedback before I recommend whether our company upgrades from v7. Currently using SQL Server 7 and 6.5 <p>Malcolm Wynden<br><a href=mailto:wynden@island.dot.net>wynden@island.dot.net</a><br><a href= > </a><br>

 

[johnk]

Same here. I'm really interested in any feedback before we jump. We are also V7 with SQL Server 7. <p>John Kisner<br><a href=mailto:jlkisner@jlkisner.com>jlkisner@jlkisner.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>

 

[phuctran]

I installed CR8 last week. I am disappointed at the first time when I found out that my application did not work (just like the time I installed MR1). I had to revert two dll files (don't remember exact names) of SQL 7.0 which CR8 upgraded -- Actually, that is the bug of SQL 7.0, but CR8 somehow still upgrades these files. Emailing and exporting work now, but the bug of passing parameters into CR is still there which makes CR8 useless to me.<br>
CR tech told me that the patch is on the way, but I think it is walking from TX to CA.<br>

 

[phuctran]

More information:<br>
-------------------<br>
The following error may be generated by the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver, especially when you are using the ODBC driver in connection-pooled environments such as Internet Information Server (IIS): <br>
<br>
Error 0x8000FFFF Catastrophic failure <br>
The typical symptoms are that the driver is used successfully for a varying amount of time, but the error then occurs when you attempt to open a connection object.<br>
<br>
This problem occurs with the 3.70.0690 build of the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver (Sqlsrv32.dll) but does not occur with earlier builds. Also, the problem does not occur when you use the native Microsoft SQL Server OLE DB Provider (Sqloledb.dll). <br>
<br>
<br>
Two ways to work around this are:<br>
WORK AROUND:<br>
<br>
Revert back to an earlier build of the SQL Server ODBC driver, such as the 3.70.0623 build.<br>
<br>
-or-<br>
<br>
Use the SQL Server native provider (Sqloledb.dll) instead.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>

 

[Maim]

I've had CR8 installed on my system for a bit over a week. At first glance, I was a little reluctant about switching. Our reports were done in CR7, but after playing with 8, I noticed that performance was improved... I've also had CR7 crash often when previewing reports with our own functions, not with 8. <br>
<br>
It seems it's more stable and faster at accessing data, be it from Access or MS SQL (haven't had any problems there). I've yet to try with Oracle 8, next week...<br>
<br>
Also, you can save the reports as ver 7.

 

[phuctran]

Hi Maim,<br>
<br>
when did you create your reports? with original version of CR7 or MR1? Do you have to somehow convert your reports into 8 or your reports run fine after simply installing cr8?<br>
<br>
My reports were created with the original version of CR7 and they work fine. This morning, I uninstalled CR7 (as instructed in the setup) and installed CR8 (full) -- on another server. The parameters displayed on my reports pick up the default values no matter what I pass in. It is driving me crazy now. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?<br>
<br>
BTW, why didn't you get the above error? I got it on both two servers on which I installed CR8. I am using ASP and SQL7.0. Maybe you don't use SQL server ODBC driver.<br>
<br>
Thank you.<br>
<br>

 

[Maim]

They were made with CR7 not MR1. For now, our application still uses CR7 format so I save my reports &quot;as&quot; Crystal Reports (version 7). <br>
<br>
The parameters didn't give me any problems though, maybe if you remove the default parameter values, unless of course you need them?<br>
<br>
What I usually do is create a report with MS Access (faster to access and find tables), and our application modifies the table strings through code so I can create one fairly generic report that can be accessed by any ODBC database (as long as it's MS Access or MS SQL-Server . I can't give too many details there as I'm not the one who wrote that code.<br>
<br>
Are you using the Pro version or the Dev version? I know that the Dev has more to it than the Pro does. I've got the Dev on my NT. Maybe that's why I haven't gotten any problems yet...?

 

[phuctran]

CR7-MR1 and CR8 pick up the default values even though I set them to NULL (then they display nothing).<br>However, I found the way to work around by adding dupplicated parameters -- one for stored procedures and one for CR -- for 170 reports.&nbsp;&nbsp;I am testing now, but I think it works.&nbsp;&nbsp;All I wish is that if they change the data structures then they should at least tell us or have an utility to convert the existing reports.<br><br>btw, I am using DEV version.&nbsp;&nbsp;I guess you are not using ASP and CR because the bug of two dll files described as &quot;The following error may be generated by the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver, especially when you are using the ODBC driver in connection-pooled environments such as Internet Information Server (IIS)&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;I had to revert back to previous version and ... also ignore their suggestion of using CrystalRuntime.Application because using it gives time-out error.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just change CrystalRuntime.Application to the old one (CrystalCRPE.Application) will solve the problem.<br><br><br><br><br>

 

[johnk]

In looking for a user &quot;ad hoc&quot; report writer I came across the news that 8.0 includes one, and that it has been shipping with the Peachtree Software product for some time.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unlike other Crystal products it carries a royalty fee ($199 per named user) when distributed.<br><br>Anyone looked at it?<br><br><br> <p>John Kisner<br><a href=mailto:jlkisner@jlkisner.com>jlkisner@jlkisner.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>

 

[phuctran]

More information about the problem I posted:<br><br>&quot;This problem occurs with the 3.70.0690 build of the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver (Sqlsrv32.dll) but does not occur with earlier builds. Also, the problem does not occur when you use the native Microsoft SQL Server OLE DB Provider (Sqloledb.dll). &quot;<br><br>When I installed CR8 on a server that had sp6 installed, I did not see this problem.&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe, MS fixed it in sp6.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just let you know.<br><br>