We have reports in our Business Objects Enterprise version XI on Solaris that have instances attached. When we modify the reports in Crystal Reports XI to maybe have an additional field, different layout, etc. (changes requested by users), we would like to replace the existing report with the new report but not lose the history of instances that were ran in the past. Is there a way to do this? The only way we currently are aware of for putting reports into the system is to go into the Business Objects Enterprise Console Management System, delete the old report, and add the new report. We then lose the history (which our institution needs for comparison purposes.)
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Replace existing Crystal Report with new version w/o losing instances 2
- Thread starter angiec
- Start date
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1
- #2
You can do a "Save As" from the desktop Crystal Reports tool that will allow you to connect to the BOE-XI infrastructure and "update" an existing RPT in a specific folder location without losing the current instances.
There are also some third-party tools that allow you to update the report objects without deleting the current object.
There are also some third-party tools that allow you to update the report objects without deleting the current object.
If you have set custom db login/connection information for the published report in BO XI, be aware that when you do a Save As, you will lose it and it will revert to whatever is saved with the report. At that point, you have to go into the CMC and update the database properties for the report.
For example, we have different database connections for each of our environments - Dev, QA, Production. Reports are created/modified in Dev so that is the connection info that is saved with the report. Using the Save As method, we have to go in to the CMC and reset the database information back to QA or Production depending on which server the report was saved to.
To make this easier, I've used the SDK to write a utility that will load the report and publish it to a specified folder with the specified database connection/login information. It looks to see if the report already exists in the destination folder. If it does it gets the file path to the .rpt file and copies the new version of the report over the top of the old one. If it's not there, it publishes it as a new report. This method is totally unsupported by the folks at Business Objects, but it does work.
-Dell
A computer only does what you actually told it to do - not what you thought you told it to do.
For example, we have different database connections for each of our environments - Dev, QA, Production. Reports are created/modified in Dev so that is the connection info that is saved with the report. Using the Save As method, we have to go in to the CMC and reset the database information back to QA or Production depending on which server the report was saved to.
To make this easier, I've used the SDK to write a utility that will load the report and publish it to a specified folder with the specified database connection/login information. It looks to see if the report already exists in the destination folder. If it does it gets the file path to the .rpt file and copies the new version of the report over the top of the old one. If it's not there, it publishes it as a new report. This method is totally unsupported by the folks at Business Objects, but it does work.
-Dell
A computer only does what you actually told it to do - not what you thought you told it to do.
Actually, there is a very easy way to avoid getting your reports database info reset in Enteperise.
In the CMC, navigate to the report.
Under the Properties tab, click on Refresh Options.
Uncheck the property "Default Database Logon Information"
If you save over your report, you will not loose the database info you saved.
~Brian
In the CMC, navigate to the report.
Under the Properties tab, click on Refresh Options.
Uncheck the property "Default Database Logon Information"
If you save over your report, you will not loose the database info you saved.
~Brian
In our system it DOES lose the information even thorugh we always turn off the Default Database Logon Info. We're on XI R2 sp1 with the Sep 2006 hot fix.
-Dell
A computer only does what you actually told it to do - not what you thought you told it to do.
-Dell
A computer only does what you actually told it to do - not what you thought you told it to do.
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1
- #6
Hi,
Have you confirmed that you have not checked the
'Prompt user for logon' option, under the Process..Database tab?
Also, after unchecking the 'Default Database Logon Info' option under the Refresh Options, are you sure you clicked Update?( I've missed it more than once, that's why I ask)
What database and connection method is involved?
![[profile]](/data/assets/smilies/profile.gif "[profile] [profile]")
To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."
Have you confirmed that you have not checked the
'Prompt user for logon' option, under the Process..Database tab?
Also, after unchecking the 'Default Database Logon Info' option under the Refresh Options, are you sure you clicked Update?( I've missed it more than once, that's why I ask)
What database and connection method is involved?
To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks to all for your responses. Our Bus. Obj. Enterprise is on a Solaris machine so we weren't even aware of where the reports were being placed when we added a report using CMC. After receiving your responses, I went into CMC and found the report name and directory listed for the report on the Unix machine (very ugly name - something like
frs://Input/a_167/022/000/5799/261a4c1398ba31bf.rpt). Since I don't have access to that machine, I asked our DBA area to find that directory and he did. I changed the report, sent him a copy and he ftped it to the Unix machine and replaced the one there. The report was changed and our instances are still there. Thank you so much for your postings. This is a wonderful solution to a problem we have faced for a long time.
If anyone reads this and has a Unix environment and would like to share any information about how they install and manage their reports, that would be helpful. In our environment, we have developers who write Crystal Reports. We then submit the reports to the systems area who "move reports to production". Our moving to production has consisted of our systems area logging into CMC and adding a new report. Since we were not aware of how to replace reports at that time, they would delete old versions and add the new reports. If others are aware of managing reports in a better way on Unix, we would appreciate any information. Thanks again.
frs://Input/a_167/022/000/5799/261a4c1398ba31bf.rpt). Since I don't have access to that machine, I asked our DBA area to find that directory and he did. I changed the report, sent him a copy and he ftped it to the Unix machine and replaced the one there. The report was changed and our instances are still there. Thank you so much for your postings. This is a wonderful solution to a problem we have faced for a long time.
If anyone reads this and has a Unix environment and would like to share any information about how they install and manage their reports, that would be helpful. In our environment, we have developers who write Crystal Reports. We then submit the reports to the systems area who "move reports to production". Our moving to production has consisted of our systems area logging into CMC and adding a new report. Since we were not aware of how to replace reports at that time, they would delete old versions and add the new reports. If others are aware of managing reports in a better way on Unix, we would appreciate any information. Thanks again.
Hi,
while that may have worked for you, it is a generally a bad idea to directly manipulate the published file objects from outside of the CMC...The CMS database, which keeps track of those things, may well get corrupted and become unusable if some key detail about the report ( which may rely on some parts of the file header info) becomes changed due to a substitution of some other file instead of what was registered.
While this is unlikely, having what is now essentially incorrect information in the CMC cannot be a good management practice.
To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."
while that may have worked for you, it is a generally a bad idea to directly manipulate the published file objects from outside of the CMC...The CMS database, which keeps track of those things, may well get corrupted and become unusable if some key detail about the report ( which may rely on some parts of the file header info) becomes changed due to a substitution of some other file instead of what was registered.
While this is unlikely, having what is now essentially incorrect information in the CMC cannot be a good management practice.
To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."
- Thread starter
- #9
Please be patient with me... I was trying to accomplish what MJRBIM had posted of "You can do a "Save As" from the desktop Crystal Reports tool that will allow you to connect to the BOE-XI infrastructure and "update" an existing RPT in a specific folder location without losing the current instances." However, maybe I misunderstood. Since my BOE is on a Solaris machine and I am working with Crystal Reports XI on my pc, I could not figure out a way of doing a Save As from Crystal to where the report is or "to the BOE-XI infrastructure" as stated in his post. Are you aware of how that can be accomplished?
When you "Save As" there should be an Option at the bottom of your window for Enterprise, when you click-on that option the login for your Enterprise server will come-up.
Once you are logged-in, you will be able to navigate to the specific folder and RPT that you want to update.
Once you are logged-in, you will be able to navigate to the specific folder and RPT that you want to update.
Hi,
What version of Crystal Reports are you using..Specifically, is it a Professional or Developer edition? I believe only those ( not the 'Standard' one ) have the option of connecting to the Enterprise for direct saving to a folder location as MJRBIM correctly directs.
To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."
What version of Crystal Reports are you using..Specifically, is it a Professional or Developer edition? I believe only those ( not the 'Standard' one ) have the option of connecting to the Enterprise for direct saving to a folder location as MJRBIM correctly directs.
To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."
- Thread starter
- #12
I've got it!! I have Crystal Reports Professional XI but I was not aware of the Enterprise button. When I clicked that, I got the log on screen. I didn't have the information set up on my pc for logging into the server but I now have that from my systems area. I just changed a report, did a SAVE AS, went into InfoView and ran the report. The changes are there as well as the saved instances. THANK YOU ALL.
synapsevampire
Programmer
Not only does it save historical instances, it preserves scheduling, providing you have NOT broken anything.
It's the best way to save single instance reports, and dates back to CR/CE 8.5 (needed to download it seperate then).
-k
It's the best way to save single instance reports, and dates back to CR/CE 8.5 (needed to download it seperate then).
-k
synapsevampire
Programmer
Sorry, it may not preserve scheduling, scratch that, I used cutom code...
-k
-k
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