Lock my reports?

[johnvai]

Dear Friends:

I am using the crystal 8.5 and I want to make sure that no one can play with my reports, I want to lock them.
If someone on the client machine knows how to use crystal reports then he can modify my reports and consequently my report which has my Logo on it will be totally untrue and legally spoken the government can sue me for my wrong reports or sthg like that.
I don't know if you got my point, I know that noone can add things to my reports but they can delete fields.

Hope you can give me some clue.

 

[synapsevampire]

What makes you think that they can't add things once they have access to the file?

Anyway, your issue is really about file security, not just Crystal.

Presumably you have control over where you are placing these files, so change the permissions of the folders and files accordingly (right click the objects and select properties).

-k

 

[johnvai]

So I can understand that the crystal doesn't have any way to lock its reports from the client/user.
I have to hide my files on the server or restrict users to gain access tot the files.

If that's it, what can we do?

Thanks for the reply,

 

[rhinok]

SV's right. This issue isn't so much Crystal, as it is File Security.

The bottom line is that there's not a whole lot you can do with any application to prevent users from modifying them. MS applications let you lock/protect documents, but there are ways around this. If somebody really wants to change your document then they can. At worst someone could simply create a new file that approximates yours.

With Crystal, there are a number of things you can do to mitigate risk:[ol][li]Limit database access - even if a client has Crystal Reports loaded on his/her machine, it won't do him/her any good if he/she can't access the database (other than modifying the look and feel of the report)[/li][li]Remove the ability to export the reports, or limit the type of export that can be done (.pdf format only, for example). What if a client exports your report to MS Word and then modifies it there? Locking the Crystal file won't do you any good...[/li][li]Export the report output to a reasonably secure location with read-only permissions for most users[/li][li]If you're really paranoid about liability, then archive your report output for the sake of documentation[/li][li]etc...[/li][/ol]~Kurt

 

[cjlarue]

Your might also want to document the revision number and created date of each report in the documentation for you app. Then at least if the question of liability comes up you can check the current revision against what you delivered.


Regards
Chuck LaRue
ADRS Computer Services

 

[synapsevampire]

Set the attributes to read only on the reports.

One alternative is to use some front end application for the reports.

I don't really understand what you're trying to avoid. As for liability, if the reports are accurate, you've done your task, if you're worried about employees exposing you to litigation because of changing things, consider that they can ALWAYS do this after printing, etc, or just by typing up a new document on your letterhead, you sound over the top here.

-k

 

[johnvai]

Dear Friends:

Thank you really for your reply. You are definetely right. I was thinking about it and it's true that concerning the liability there will always be ways to fake reports.

Crystal is perfect!

 

[synapsevampire]

<laffin>

Crystal is perfect???, geeeeeeeez, now you're waaaaaaaaay over the top.

-k