way around one user license

[mwhalen]

Hi there. The version of Crystal 9 we are installing for our client sites has only a one user license so really we should be installing it on only one machine. This next part is new territory for me - how do we set it up that even by installing it on one machine, any user can access Crystal, dynamically run reports and possibly create/modify? Is this getting into Crystal Enterprise at all? I'm not really sure what exactly Crystal Enterprise is other than it allows you to view reports via a web page?

Thanks!

 

[MJRBIM]

If they really need to create/modify RPTs the best tool for the money is Crystal Reports - so you should buy some more licenses.

If they are just running/refreshing existing RPTs, you have a couple of choices. Crystal Enterprise (not cheap) for web-based distribution, or any of the 3rd party applications that you can find at Ken's link...

http://www.kenhamady.com/bookmarks.html

 

[synapsevampire]

CR 9 represented a shift away from the .EXE compiled reports that were once available for just viewing, but you've never been able to modify without a license, otherwise why would anyone buy licenses?

Some options are to:

-use 3rd party software (MJRBIM touched on this)
-write a report viewer (lots of sample code available for this for VB, ASP, etc.
-Crystal Enterprise

The latter being pretty expensive, but in addition to viewing reports, it comes with a customizable canned interface based on ASP (CSP) for Scheduling and distributing reports.

In CR 8.5 and earlier you could also compile .EXE's for distribution, but this is the era of the Browser.

-k

 

[mwhalen]

Does Crystal Professional 9 automatically come with a Crystal Enterprise CD? Or is Crystal Enterprise something separate you have to purchase?

 

[synapsevampire]

Here's the feature comparison:

http://www.businessobjects.com/global/pdf/products/crystalreports/cr10_feat_ver_ed.pdf

It appears that CR 10 has an Express version, I think that CR 9 required you to purchase it separately.

-k