Dynamically place image in CR XI report

[CrystalLion]

I have a table of gift information indexed by giftno: 1,2,3,4,etc.

I have a folder of images as jpg files. The image file names match the giftno.

Where gift.giftno = 1, the image file is image\1.jpg

Don't know if I needed to, but I have created an Images Excel sheet, so that on the first data row

column a = 1 and
column b = the hyperlink to image\1.jpg

I want to create a list report that shows:
Gift number 1 and it's associated image
Gift number 2 and it's associated image
etc
etc

How do I do this?

 

[IanWaterman]

The easiest way is to place all 4 images on your report, each in there own section.

In the section expert conditionally suppress section.
eg for image 1
giftno <> 1

Section will only show for giftno = 1

Alternatively, place all 4 in same location and then conditionally suppress each image using the same rules above

Ian

 

[CrystalLion]

What if the gift table and image folder have thousands of records and images? This is not a limited scenerio. I am trying to manage document imaging and display the images in a truly dynamic way without having to conditionally suppress sections of a report for each image. Any thoughts?

 

[dgillz]

Is the link a directory and file name on your machine/server or is it an internet location?

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

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"What version of URGENT!!! are you using?

 

[CrystalLion]

I actually figured out a way to do this.
Place the images in a folder.
C:\Documents and Settings\MyName\My Documents\Images\
Create a formula that calculates (or maps) the table.fieldname to the image #. (this could be a do while)
{@Image} formula =
if {sql_Gifthistory.GiftNum} = 1 then
"00001.jpg"
else
if {sql_Gifthistory.GiftNum} = 2 then
"00002.jpg"
else
if {sql_Gifthistory.GiftNum} = 3 then
"00003.jpg"

Insert one of the images as an OLE.
Right click on the image and select:
Format Graphic
Picture
Graphic Location
Enter the graphic folder address in the Format Formula Editor box.
Be sure to put quotes around the folder address to make it a string.
Then put + {@Image} after it.
The entire Graphic Location should look like this.
"C:\Documents and Settings\MyName\My Documents\Images\" + {@Image}

I hope this helps anyone else who is trying to do this.

 

[IanWaterman]

The other way would be to create a table with two colunms. GiftNo and a blob field containing the image.

Ian

 

[CrystalLion]

How do you create a BLOB field?

 

[IanWaterman]

Speak to your DBA. They should be able to help you create table and then load in your images and giftno fields.

In Oracle its something like

CREATE TABLE IMAGESTORE
( "GIFTNO" number(6),
"IMAGE_DESCRIPTION" VARCHAR2(200 BYTE),
"IMAGE" BLOB
)

Ian