SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services 2

[vidru]

Anyone seen this yet, or interested-curious-angry-excited-etc. about it?

It doesn't look like it will necessarily compete with Crystal, YET. But it definitely looks like they're going to stop bundling Crystal with future .NET releases.

Being a SQL Server guy, it intrigues me. Just wondering what other SQL Server/Crystal developers think about it.

-dave

 

[cjlarue]

I have been playing with the Beta 2 for the past two weeks. Looks a little like access reports tools running against SQL. Has some cool implications and web management and publishing implications. The ability to drop a table or grid object on the report and then drill down into the data is cool and seems really fast. Right now the report designer has few features and would require a great deal more effort to design a well fromatted report.
No conversion from CR yet but the RDL (report defination language) if adopted by others could be very interesting.
The install was efortless but requires SQL2000 and >net Framework 1.1 and VS.Net IDE. I used VS.Net 2003.


Regards
Chuck LaRue
ADRS Computer Services

 

[bdreed35]

I have the BETA 2 version but have been unable to use it just yet since I am waiting to get a license to install VS.NET, one of the installation requirements.

Like you, Dave, it intrigues me as well.

~Brian

 

[vidru]

I installed it yesterday, just haven't had a chance to check it out thoroughly yet. I must say, I don't like the 'look and feel' of it (as Chuck said, like Access reports), but that could be because I've used CR for so long.

Thanks for your input guys.

-dave

 

[jc82196]

I'm new to tektips. Ive been trying to email vidru but can't seem to find out how. Anyway if you read this email me or look up threads for jc82196 I have a access odbc and crystal problem. jc82196@hotmail.com thanks

 

[Mike Lewis]

I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, but from what I've heard, I would think that the RDL format (Report Definition File) could be significant. If I have understood it right, this is intended to be a standard reporting language which could be adopted by other vendors. It could be that Crystal will consider supporting it as well.

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

 

[Mike Lewis]

Just been reading a very good article on the subject, at:

http://www.sqlmag.com/Articles/Print.cfm?ArticleID=40529

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

 

[cjlarue]

Watch the web cast for a good overview.

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/reporting/default.asp

 

[JohnEck]

I watched the webcast and just installed it. CR appears to be easier to use to design reports. It appears that the biggest gains are in the Web deployment. Particularly with dynamic pick lists including pick lists that are dependant on choices made in other parameters, cached reports and push and pull subscriptions. As I play with it over the next few weeks I will update.

 

[synapsevampire]

I was on the original BETA (posted here to people to join) but never actually installed as I feared it was going to be a SQL Server only solution, can anyone confirm or deny this?

Since BO is folding in Crystal, other report generation tools should be ramping up to overtake the markets they leave behind.

-k

 

[Mike Lewis]

There's also a good review of it in the Jan 2004 issue of the Chelsea Technologies newsletter (

http://www.chelseatech.co.nz/).

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[cjlarue]

It is definately a sql server server only solution. I attended the release event this week and have been using beta2 for the past two months. MS SQL server is required as reporting services is an add in in the same way Analysis services is. In reporting services you can report off any odbc or ole db data source but SQL Server is required for the report services engine and databases.

 

[Hollerith]

Does anyone have a working .rptproj file? I get an xml document error whenever I try to create a new or open an existing report project.

 

[cjlarue]

have you tried out the sample solution/project that you is included? I have created a couple of small projects trying to duplicate a few existing crystal reports in rdl. Seems to be working fine so far.

 

[markinro]

I have installed SQL server reporting services (SSRS) and was impressed with the sample reports and how easy they were to get up and running. The SQL license my company has allows us to install SSRS for free. We are using Crystal now and are seriously looking at SSRS to replace crystal. Crystals' licensing roadblocks to develop webapps make it cost prohibitve. The SSRS design tool is very similar to Access reports and is much easier to use than Crystal. If my sources are correct, SSRS will be able to import very simple Access report objects. My guess is that MS will improve on this feature.

 

[chelseatech]

We wrote an extensive review in last months Crystal Clear.

basically - RS is a developer tool. You need VS.Net 2003 to design your reports. So a developer will be at home there.

CR is a USER tool. With a bit of training, an intelligent user can design their own reports. Usually because the developers can't be bothered to answer their endless requests.

Also, CR has a rich history of funtionality. The Formula editor in RS is very weak, and the RS approach is that your data is already in the right structure and fields. Things like running totals, variables, and percentage summaries seem to be missing from CR.

MS are like a pendulum. Things are in favour and then out of favour. Remember RDO, Visual Interdev, Digital Dashboard, Windows DNA?

CR was in favour with VB4 and 5, replaced by ActiveReports in VB6, and back with VS.net. With VS.Net 2003 it is out of favour again, and it will be back in the fold with the next release.

Editor and Publisher of Crystal Clear

http://www.chelseatech.co.nz/pubs.htm

 

[Mike Lewis]

ChelseaTech,

Things like running totals, variables, and percentage summaries seem to be missing from CR.

Was that a typo? Did you mean they were missing from RS?

MS are like a pendulum. Things are in favour and then out of favour. Remember RDO, Visual Interdev, Digital Dashboard, Windows DNA?

I'm old enough to remember the Microsoft At Work initiative. There was a huge press launch; a month later it was dead.

Mike



Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[JohnEck]

I have been working on SSRS for about a week. I don't completely agree that RS is a developers tool and CR is a Users tool. RS is more complicated and not as easy to use but I am confident that will change. The biggest advantage for RS is the Web distribution. It is significantly more pwerful than CE and if you are distributing reports this way I highly recommend it.

 

[DrHabi]

I have attended a training for this and have found it to be very user friendly. We have yet to decide if we are going to stay with CR or switch to RS. If I had my way it would be to start developing in RS since we distrubute our application to clients that must run MSSQL anyway, it makes sense to go this direction. Since this is bundled in MS SQL it will be a lot cheaper on our clients and can be easily put on the web. Formatting does take some time to get used to but with a little training it is easily done. I definetely see a major advantage to using this over the licensing issues we encounter with CR. I hope our owners see the light also as he continues to have issues with CR using IIS6.0 and Server2003.

 

[krill]

I have started to use the product..it looks promising...there are areas that crystal is a more mature product...little things like the ability to syntax check expressions, changing page layout seems confusion,some form of highlighting system to let you know what fields are active in the report, lack of calander control for default paramaeters (Mind you you can work around some of this short comings by programming your own viwer etc...