Updating Report Objects 1

[mtownbound]

After I publish a Crystal Report to Enterprise, if I go back to Crystal Report and make changes to it(ie add a jpg or add a database field), that change is not reflected in Enterprise. Is the only way to refresh the object is by deleting the old object and republishing it? I guess my question is how do I get Enterprise to refresh the report object and not just the data when viewed in Enterprise?

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
You can open,modify and resave published reports directly from Crystal Reports designer..Use the Enterprise folder option on the 'File..Open..' menu to access your published reports..

Be aware that the Database connection info ( the Password, that is) and any description entered in the CMC, but not the Report itself, will be cleared unless you set the Refresh Options for the report ( in the CMC) to not do that..





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[kskid]

So what you are saying is that ALL reports should be created and maintained in Enterprise rather than some other shared drive.

I was hoping that when I clicked on the Refresh button on the Object, it would get the latest version of the report that I specified with the Browse when I initially created the object.

-lw

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
That is exactly what I am saying ( although we also keep the 'source' files as well, on a network drive, just in case).

Note: You are actually modifying a .rpt file located in the Input FRS location you specified when you configured your CE system..so, in effect, you are using a 'shared' drive..

If you locate the FRS on a separate file server you can , if your CE server should fail, still retain your existing reports, as long as you have the CMS database backed up.







To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[mtownbound]

Turkbear,

So the frs is never updated, unless you save the source reports in that folder?

Thanks for the feedback (you too kid)!!

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
No, the version of the report in the FRS Input location is updated every time you open,change,resave an existing published report or modify it in the CMC.

CE makes a copy of the source file when it is published and that copy is what is placed in the FRS location ( with a very odd name - look in the CMC for what it is..)


The source saving (optional)to a separate shared network drive ( or use something like SorceSafe to handle versioning, if desired)is just a safety net in case of a hardware failure and loss of your FRS location..








To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[mtownbound]

Gotcha!!! Basically, CE makes a one time copy of the source report to the FRS file and it just uses that copy for viewing, refreshing, etc., correct?

Thanks for the feedback!!!

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
To paraphrase Henry Higgins:
By George, I think he's got it..

It can be very confusing..In the BOE XI docs is a good descripting of the 'work flow' that happens when a report is requested..

Report viewing with the Cache Server and Page Server:
This section describes the process for viewing a Crystal report when using the zero-client DHTML, ActiveX, or Java viewer. This process uses the Cache Server and the Page Server.

Upon receiving a report-viewing request, the Cache Server checks to see if it has the requested pages cached. Cached pages are stored as Encapsulated Page Format (.epf) files. 
If a cached version of the .epf file is available: 
The Cache Server checks with the CMS to see if the user has rights to view the report. 
If the user is granted the right to view the report, the Cache Server sends the .epf file to the application server. 
If a cached version of the .epf file is unavailable: 
The Cache Server requests new .epf files from the Page Server. 
The Page Server checks with the CMS to see if the user has rights to view the report. 
If the user is granted the right to view the report, the Page Server retrieves the report from the Input File Repository Server. 
If the report is an instance, and the user only has View rights, the Page Server will generate pages of the report instance using the data stored in the report instance. That is, the Page Server will not retrieve the latest data from the database. 
If the report is an object, the user must have View On Demand rights to view the report successfully (because the Page Server needs to retrieve data from the database).

If the user has sufficient rights, the Page Server generates the .epf pages and forwards them to the Cache Server. 
The Cache Server then caches the .epf files. 
The Cache Server sends the .epf files to the application server. 
The application server sends the report to the user's Web browser in one of two ways, depending on how the initial request was made: 
If the initial request was made through a DHTML viewer (report_view_dhtml.aspx), the viewer SDK (residing on the application server) is used to generate HTML that represents both the DHTML viewer and the report itself. The HTML pages are then returned through the web server to the user's web browser.
If the initial request was made through an Active X or Java viewer (viewrpt.aspx), the application server forwards the .epf pages through the web server to the report viewer software in the user's web browser.

To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[mtownbound]

Thanks again!!!!