RPT files over the network - opening slowly 1

[NNIsarahd]

We have a problem here at work that I don't know much about where to start looking at it. So I'm putting this out here to see if anyone here has ideas.

We have computers A (Windows 2000 Pro) & B (Windows 2000 Pro) that are on a 192.168.254.x network. We have computer C(Windows 2000 Server) that is on a 192.168.1.x network. There are no known issues with computer A accessing computer C (where the reports are). But computer B seems to have a hard time opening the RPT files on computer C, taking longer than computer A to open them, occasionally.

Both computers A & B have Crystal Reports 7 (32-bit) installed. Both computers access computer C via a mapped drive. Computer A can access the RPT files no matter what level they're stored in. Computer B can open files if stored in the root of the mapped drive or stored in a folder called "Crystal" on the mapped drive. However, Computer B takes a long time (about 2-3 times as long) to open if the reports are stored elsewhere.

We originally thought it was a permissions problem, but user B can run the reports fine as herself on computer A.

Computer B can run these same reports just fine (no delays) if we put a copy over on the 192.168.254.x network's server.

I'm not sure what's causing computer B to delay on some of the reports (not even all of the reports). The reports it delays on really don't have much in common.

To complicate matters, computer B can sometimes open a report fine. But if you close the report and open it back up a couple minutes later, it may take long to run again.

We've scanned computer B for spyware to see if anything was on it - nothing turned up. (Using Adaware and Spybot) No viruses either. (Using Symantec Corporate Edition)

Any advice on where to start? Is there an option with Crystal that I may be missing out on?

 

[synapsevampire]

I don't think that it's Crystal related.

It sounds as though you have a system which is running slowly occasionally, which can mean many things, such as the CPU/RAM/DRIVE/PROTOCOLS, system settings, network, virii, etc.

I would use the standard Windows test tools and perhaps some 3rd party to assist with this, and also just try moving large files and see if the system is having problems on the network. BTW, a one time test won't suffice. Also their are settings for how each desktopn is used that will improve background processing as well.

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/guidtstc.htm

-k

 

[NNIsarahd]

I would think it'd be a protocols thing perhaps or something of the like. But what bothers me about the whole thing is that it opens other files (Excel, Word, Powerpoint) without this lag time. The only time we see this lag time has been opening RPT files. Even running compiled reports doesn't take long. Which is why I wondered if it was Crystal-related more than anything.

This is something we've been working with since the beginning of June and are just now seeing exactly what isn't working. The user kept telling us her computer was slow and we had formatted the computer. Shortly after wiping her computer, we tested those reports here (where the server lives) and they ran fine. Our other tech tested the same report over at their facility when he dropped off that PC and it worked fine. Now, though, it isn't working, which led us to believe spyware, but nothing was found. Virii weren't there either. We've done numerous scans.

That's why I wonder - are there Crystal specific network settings that I may be overlooking?

 

[fpetrucci007]

Even though you say the problem is isolated to Crystal Reports, have you considered checking address resolution such as WINS and DNS?

 

[synapsevampire]

Could be the database/type of connectivity as well.

Different drivers, etc.

Much too generic of a description, try using some diag tools.

-k

 

[IdoMillet]

Here's another suspect: perhaps the reports that open slow were saved with data...

Just open them in Crystal and make sure under the File menu the Save Data with Report option is turned off.

Cheers,
- Ido

CUT, Visual CUT, and DataLink Viewer:
view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com

 

[NNIsarahd]

Address resolution seemed to be fine. I went through our DNS records and DHCP leases to make sure we didn't have any duplicates in there, and it was clear as well.

I checked the report's database drivers, and it is using the ODBC driver, which is what all of our reports for this particular application use. The computer can connect to the server fine on reports.

The Save Data with Report option is turned off.

We did end up putting a network sniffer on the machine to see what was going on in these slow times (if we were lucky to catch one). What we did see is that when it was loading normally, the Crystal traffic was fine. When the report was loading slow, it was loading at 2 bytes at a time.

 

[IdoMillet]

Do you have subreports in that report?

There has been a known issue where Crystal tries to reload the subreport definitions from the original subreport rpt file location and the search process may slow things down. This has been later fixed and you can also turn that option off in the subreport.

hth,
- Ido

CUT, Visual CUT, and DataLink Viewer:
view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com