Problem with Crystal Integrated reports 1

[PhilPPhillips]

I am having a problem running the integrated Crystal reports from Macola. I get this error message:

Error occured in RunM2Kreport -2147024809 Error 524 ERSRecSet.connectstring: Unable to connect to database. Check your connection string.

I know this has to do with the ODBC datasources that are created for these reports, for example "_Data_10_MSSQL". The problem is that the datasources are corrupt and will not allow me to delete them. If I try to delete them I get a message saying the datasource name doesn't exist. I cannot even delete these from the registry because it says I don't have delete access to the key (it is grayed out also). I've tried this as administrator, with the same results. I won't allow me to do anything to these keys in the registry.

Anyone know how to delete these keys or the ODBC source? Macola just says I'm SOL.

 

[abaldwin]

What is the OS Win2k or XPpro?

Also have you tried to unplug from the network and log in locally as the local administrator and remove them from the registry?

Andy

Andy Baldwin

 

[PhilPPhillips]

This is on a Windows 2000 box running MetaframeXP. And, yes I have tried to delete these ODBC sources and registry keys as the local administrator.

What does disconnecting from the network do? I haven't tried that.

Thanks ....

 

[abaldwin]

I was assuming a workstation and simply tring to insure that the local administrator was signing into the local machine.

I will see what I can find for you.

Have you tried to change the permissions on the Registry key that you are wanting to delete?

Andy

Andy Baldwin

 

[PhilPPhillips]

When I try to delete the keys I get a message that says I cannot delete them but that I can change them. However, if I then try to change the key's permissions it won't let me.

 

[MacolaHelp]

Can you re-install the macola client & have it overwrite the existing registry entries? Be sure you log on as administrator when you do.

Also confusing is the reference to MR2k, which preceeded the inclusion of ICR reports in version 103. Which version are you on?

If you are still on 102, you might still be on pervasive 7 & then we might need to think of something else that might be going on.

 

[PhilPPhillips]

I'm using 7.6.100 - SQL.

Reinstalling the client may be worth a shot, but I don't think it will do anything since I can't even manually modify the keys.

Are there any issues with reinstalling client on a Citrix box?

 

[MacolaHelp]

Usually when I reinstall the client I just run it again, even on terminal or citrix. But on terminal & citrix you have to use add/remove programs. If the data sources are corrupt, though, I would try removing the program files\common files\macola folder on the citrix box, the macola7.ini & deleting the registry folder for hkey\local\software\macola.

When the client installs, it creates the isolve data sources for ICRs even if you are running sql and not btrieve. Have the ICRs ever worked? I have had to delete the data_00_isolve dsn at my sql sites to get the ICRs to run in sql.

It seems odd that you can't delete the data sources in the registry or through the odbc administrator logged on as administrator. I've never seen this before. Sound like you might have a problem at the system level if administrator can't make changes. If the reinstall of the client doesn't help, I would try another approach. Do you have to run the ICR in multiple companies? If only in one company, I would modify the rpt using the crystal report writer & set the data source inside the report to the data directory that needs to run it & save that over the generic ICR. Of course, a backup of the original rpt is a good idea as well as saving a copy of the one you modify before putting in a macola update.

 

[maccrystal]

You may need to do some registry hacking to eliminate these DSN's. First backup your registry keys. Using regedit,
Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\ODBC\ODBC.ini delete the keys related to the DSN you wish to eliminate.
Also Check
Hkey_current_user\software\ODBC.ini Delete the DSN's related to the DSN you wish to eliminate.

Next Check ODBC.ini in the Windows Directory. Delete the reference to the DSN in question

Check \Common\Files\ODBC\Data Sources
Some times there is a reference. delete it if present.

This should remove the DSN from the ODBS administrator. May sure you have a good backup or recovery strategy before attempting this.

http://www.appstratinc.com

 

[MacolaHelp]

another thought: you do need to copy the winnt\crystal or windows\crystal folder to everyone's individual user in documents & settings TS. Also, I have never had good luck trying to run crystal or the ICR if the v7 client was not installed on the machine in question, whether terminal or local. I just always install it now & it saves a lot of headaches.

 

[PhilPPhillips]

Maccrystal, I think you missed my main problem, the registry won't allow me to delete the keys.

 

[maccrystal]

I see that you are correct.... Can you export the registry key(s) and import them back? You might want to see if security settings will allow this. If so, you may be able to manually delete the keys from the export file, then import the changes.

http://www.appstratinc.com

 

[stravis]

Let me start with why this most likely occurred in the first place. And I will finish with possible solutions.

This problem was most likely created by an accident that occurred when changing the security settings of the ODBC registry key. The security for this key is often changed to allow the Macola application to create DSNs as the login user. In TS, in order for Macola to operate properly, this registry key would need to allow read/write access by any TS user that uses Macola. When this was setup I would assume that the Checkbox for Inheriting permissions was unchecked and some, but not all, users that need permissions to this key were selected. I'm assuming that the Administrators Group was not added, or not added in full.

Now on to possible fixes. First off, the user who changed the permissions has ownership of the security permission change and can make any change you wish, regardless of their current permissions. So if you were to create a registry key and remove permissions for everyone on that key, you could still change the permissions back if you tried to do so as the user that you were logged in as during the initial change. That being said I would try logging in as some Admin users, maybe a consultant who did the install, and try changing the permissions. You should make sure that the System, Administrators, and Domain Users have full access to this key.

If the above fix does not work, I would try adding your Administrator account to every group you can find on your network and local system, then try changing the permissions.

If you are still unable to fix the problem, it is possible that one of the users that is using TS for Macola access may be able to get the proper permissions. You should temporarily elevate one of these users to the Administrators Group, log in to the local system as the user and try changing the permissions.

One other item that might work is logging in as an adminstrator, navigate to the ODBC key in the registry, and try taking ownership of the key. Once done you should be able to make the necessary changes. As I think through this, this would probably be the first thing I would try. But I will leave my original ramblings intact because I need to make a phone call right now.

If all of these efforts fail, I would say you are SOS. I hope this information helps.

Scott
NEXO Systems, Inc.

 

[PhilPPhillips]

Scott - (and the other guys/gals) thanks for your input. Using some of your suggestions, I was able to go in and figure out a way to take ownership of the keys and delete them.

Of course, now that just leads to another problem with the integrated reports. When I try to run a report, the parameter windows appears, I input some parameters and click OK. Then the hourglass appears as if it is running, and then goes away. The problem is that the preview window never opens, however I can send the report directly to a printer. I have version 8.0 of Crystal Reports installed on this Citrix box.

 

[maccrystal]

This could be due to the Phone number format in System manager. The screen flashes because It cannot format the phone number correctly. To work around the problem, you will need to check the Phone Number Format setup in System Manager \ Maintain \ Company Setup. Use the following guidelines to setup the phone number for your company in Company Setup:
No Format: ########## or ##############
US Standard: ###-###-####
Bug Request # 01.555.286.

http://www.appstratinc.com

 

[PhilPPhillips]

maccrystal - I'm totally confused with your response. I don't see any correlation between the phone number format setting in system manager and Crystal not previewing. Anyways, my company setup has US standard selected as the format selection.

 

[stravis]

I have two ideas on this issue.

1. If Crystal 7.0 was previously installed on this machine, then Crystal 8.0 was installed, and then Crystal 7.0 was uninstalled, some shared components installed by Crystal 8.0 may have been removed. If this is the case then you need to reinstall 8.0. You will have to install over the current install, because the uninstall for Crystal 8.0 will not work in this situation.

2. Check for multiple copies of the CrViewer.dll on the Citrix Server. You should only have one copy of this file registered on your server. If this file is MIA you will need to reinstall the Crystal 8.0 client.

Both of these are a bit of a shot in the dark, but they are a start.

Scott

 

[stravis]

One more thing to try.

Download the following tool from Crystal Decisions and run it on the Citrix Server to restore registry permissions required to execute Crystal Reports.

http://support.crystaldecisions.com/communityCS/FilesAndUpdates/scr8_webregfix.exe.asp

Hope this helps,
Scott

 

[PhilPPhillips]

Dang Scott, you're 2 for 2 in helping me with this problem. I did a search for CrView.dll and found 3, all 3 files were different. Here is what I found

7.0 version in program files\macola\shared
8.0 version in program files\seagate software\patches\Crystal Enterprise 8.0 Service Pack 1\CE80Q04\files
8.5 version in files\seagate software\viewers\ActiveXviewers

By playing around with them I found the 7.0 and 8.0 files will work so I guess Crystal was finding the 8.5 file first.

This makes sense since I have CR 8.0.

Thanks again, you da man.