How to add PDF and/or .JPG files to a Report

[yosteevo]

I am creating a report that will need to print PDF and/or .JPG files within the report.
The PDF and/or .JPG files will be unique for each report created.

I'm working with a LIMS database that runs along with SQL Server 2005 that allows me to upload files to a specified directory contained on my database. (which in turn creates a unique file name for each PDF and/or .JPG file)

How is this done?


Thanks
Stephen

 

[FredWagner]

Is this going to be a printed report only, or is this an electronic report ? Are your PDF or JPG files strictly graphics ?
Does your report generator have a graphics function built-in? This reminds me of working in Revelation G2b many years back, where another company built an add-on product called R/Graph, which would generate graphics from within the R/Basic code used in the Revelation product. Have you considered dropping your report info into Excel, and using templates or macros there to create the graphics ?

Fred Wagner

 

[yosteevo]

Hello Fred,

Yes, this report is to be printed. The PDF and .JPG files are documents with both text, graphics, and digital photographs. So these image files will need to be placed directly into crystal reports.

I am using Crystal Reports 2008.

Also, these image files will be different for every report and there may be anywhere from 1-15+ images to be pulled into each report.

The LIMS software allows users to upload their PDF or .JPG images to the LIMS Server and then each file is given a unique file name.

 

[FredWagner]

This sounds like a challenge for the Crystal Reports forum. If you were working directly in Acrobat Pro for a single report, you could insert the pages of PDF's and JPG's directly into the PDF, and perhaps even generate consecutive page numbering to include the inserted pages.
Since you are doing a large batch printed report, essentially a custom merge for hundreds or thousands of reports, the solution will be in the way Crystal assembles the output. Acrobat might not even be directly involved. Perhaps someone who's done this successfully will jump in with the answer!

Fred Wagner

 

[FredWagner]

A quick use of the Search window on this site brought up a product called Automation Anywhere - sounds like its designed for your task.

Fred Wagner

 

[yosteevo]

Some more info on the LIMS Database I'm using:

Blaze LIMS by Blaze Systems Corporation.

http://www.blazesystems.com/

 

[FredWagner]

Are you part of the Blaze Systems integration team, or are you part of the end user organization ? This sounds like something that should have been included in the scope of the original project.

Fred Wagner

 

[yosteevo]

I am one of their end users.
I am the LIMS Database / IT Technician for my employer.
I'm consistently updating configurations to a LIMS database and building ongoing custom reports for my department.

 

[FredWagner]

From your description of the report system you're trying to build, the Automation Anywhere product sounds like something that would get the job done directly, if your budget allows.

Fred Wagner

 

[yosteevo]

Thanks Fred.
I'll download a trial.

 

[yosteevo]

Automation Anywhere seems similar to "Photoshop Actions" within Adobe Photoshop. This is not what I am looking for actually.


What I am attempting to do is to have static OLE objects placed into a crystal report. These will be screen shots of Excel tables.

Every time this crystal report is run, it will need to reference a different image file from our LIMS server. All of these image files are unique by file name and can be linked by a database field from the LIMS database.


Thanks
Stephen

 

[yosteevo]

I also have the ability to pull the file names into my report.
I just need to have the file graphically displayed within my report.

Also, this will be configured into a subreport within Crystal Reports.

 

[FredWagner]

Steve - the expertise you need will be found over the the Busines Objects: Crystal Reports forum, perhaps even using XML or XPS as the output format. Take a look in the #2 forum for Data Access....

Fred Wagner

 

[yosteevo]

Thanks Fred.
I'll take a look.