Don't allow end-users to alter reports

[Guest_imported]

We use version 4.5 with VB. We want to distribute the .rpt files with our VB application.
However, this means that the end-users can use Crystal Reports (if they have a copy) to look at our reports in Design View, and possibly alter the layout or the content of the report.
Is there any way of protecting a distributed .rpt file so that it can be run from our VB application, but the end-user cannot view it or alter it in Design mode, especially if they have got a copy of CR themselves?

 

[balves]

If your users on running Windows 95/96/Me and you place your application on the users' C: drives, I don't see how. Files don't have protections unless you're running NT.

One alternative would be to place the .RPT files on a read-only network share and have the VB application run them from there. You'd be incurring a (hopefully) small performance hit.

 

[jlp118]

Why not just save the rpt file on your hard drive and only submit the exicutable to other users? This way they can only run the report but now edit any settings.

 

[Guest_imported]

We have lots of formulas and SortOrders that we pass to the reports from VB at run-time. Can we still do that if we compile the reports as EXEs ? If so, how?

 

[balves]

I doubt it. The whole idea of compiled reports is that is the "kit" you give to the user. No front-end VB, no passing data from a front-end app to the report.

I don't see any alternatives other than a) NT b) network share that is read-only to the users.