unmanaged reports 1

[Fursten]

Hi All!

I already read about the web deployment options. However I would like to make some questions about it...

As far as I understand, we are talking about unmanaged report when using WCS (Web Component Server), right? If so, does we need to install Crystal Enterprise to be able to use unmanaged reports in Crystal Reports 8.5? In other words, is WCS integrated with CE?

In the same way, as far as I know, web deployment started in Crystal reports 6. So, does crystal reports 6 and 7 used already WCS?

Thank you all.

 

[jbullman]

Yes, the WCS is responsible for having the unmanaged reports be run and for sending them back in the correct viewer. This was true in 8.0, and I'm assuming in earlier versions.

It is possible to not install all of CE if you're only doing unmanaged reporting.

And, FYI, the WCS is responsible for some necessary things in managed reporting also.

Judith Ullman

http://www.innovativeinformation.com

Metro New York Crystal Decisions Training and Consulting Partner

 

[TedLiu]

For running unmanaged reports. If you have CR 8.5 developer Edition, then you don't need to install CE.

Ted

 

[Fursten]

TedLiu,

Despite your statement makes sense to me, I read on page 6 of this file "cr8_to_CE8_Migration.pdf, that "CR 8.5 does not have a web piece like CR 8 did". So, what does this means?

thank you again.

 

[jbullman]

Actually, unlike previous versions, the web component has been removed from CR 8.5 and put into CE. So you DO need to load some of CE even for unmanaged reporting. Judith Ullman

http://www.innovativeinformation.com

Metro New York Crystal Decisions Training and Consulting Partner

 

[Fursten]

jbullman,

In that way, are ASP pages made against RDC still valid in the enterprise environment? I also read that almost every functionality from CR8 were valid in CE except ASP code made in CR8. However, I start looking both versions and didn´t find any difference. Was CrystalDecisions talking about rptServer.ASP or what?

Thank you

 

[jbullman]

I should have been more explicit. What CD calls "unmanaged reporting" is when a web page makes a request for a URL that contains a report, such as "

http://webserver/reports/Customer.rpt".

This is passed by the web server to the web component server part of Crystal Enterprise.

The mechanism used by the RDC is different, as is the way reports are called. No change is required in this coding for version 8.5.

Judith Ullman

http://www.innovativeinformation.com

Metro New York Crystal Decisions Training and Consulting Partner

 

[TedLiu]

If you installed CR8.5 and CE8.5 together, you still can run all the unmanaged reports calling from asp page. it's not necessary to take care CE stuff unless you really need to use it. But remember, Calling report from Cr and CE are totally different stuff, can't be reused.

Ted

 

[Fursten]

So, in conclusion tell me please if i am right:

If I install only CR8.5, I will be able to call reports over Web using ASP. However I will not be able to call unmanaged reports (putting just the url and some report server will do the work for me wihtout the need to use ASP pages).

To call unmanaged reports (as well as managed reports) I will need to intsall CE8.

Is this right?

Thank you again!

 

[TedLiu]

Fursten,

1. If you have CR8.5 Professional installed, you only can call reports in URL. If you want to call it within asp code programmatically, you need to install CE.(a free copy of CE8.0) is enough.

2. If you have CR8.5 Developer Edition installed, you can call unmanaged reports from url or asp code programmatically.

3. If you want to publish reports into managed reports, you need CE installed.

Hope it helps !

Ted

 

[jbullman]

I'm afraid there is some confusion here about the different terms. Here are the choices.

1. Load CR Professional and nothing else. You cannot run a report over the web in any way.

2. Load CR Developer and nothing else. Write ASP code using the RDC. You can call a report with the appropriate RDC call and run it via the web. You cannot run a report directly from a URL.

3. Load either CR Pro or Dev and load CE. You can call a report directly from a URL (unmanaged reports - not stored in CE).

4. Load either CR Pro or Dev and load CE. You can write CSP code to run managed reports (reports stored in CE). Judith Ullman

http://www.innovativeinformation.com

Metro New York Crystal Decisions Training and Consulting Partner

 

[TedLiu]

Thanks jbullman. You are right. If CR pro only, you can't go to web at all. I don't know with CR dev only, u can't use url to run reports.

Regards !

Ted

 

[Fursten]

Thank you for your help. I now understand all the coises!

 

[khartman]

Okay, to throw another wrench in this discussion. I have installed and manage CE8.5 using NT authentication through Active Directory. I have a functional group who wants to place an unmanaged report out there for their clients to view through a portal they have created. We placed the report into a VD and it runs fine so long as you access it from a portal where you are logged in with a valid ID/password on the Active directory. The issue is, the users who will be viewing this report are coming in through a web portal out side of Active Directory using a different Authentication model. Is there a way to set up CE8.5 (Web Connectors?) that will allow users to get to the report?