Reports in a Database using ADO Connection

rbuser

Hi,

as above, seems to be a problem.

I've tried it using a BDE connection with no problem, but when I use ADO components I get an exception
"EReportServiceProviderError", "No report found in catalog: Report Templates\Orders" where "Report Templates" is the VolumeName and
"Orders" is the ReportName.


Also, I would like to allow users to modify standard reports and save them using their own Report Names. Is there any method of
identifying a "Class Name" of a Report stored in a database, therefore allowing SQL to be created externally.

TIA.

nardmoseley

- the first step is to build and test an end-user application that uses the
explorer database with ADO . Examples of this are installed to
RBuilder\Demos\EndUser Databases. There are examples for MS Access and MS
SQL Server. A ReadMe.doc is included with each examples and sample SQL
scripts for creating the supporting rbItem and rbFolder tables.

- the second step is to build some reports using the ADO DADE plug-in (in
other words set the Designer.DataSettings to use the ADOConnection that you
have defined).

At this point you will have a working end-user application that enables both
you and your end-users to define folders and reports. And to use the Query
Tools to build queries against the database.

- the third step is to build the server application. Examples of using ADO
are installed to RBServer\Demos\Servers\Explorer Databases\MS Access and
RBServer\Demos\Servers\Explorer Databases\MS SQL Server. A good quick way to
build the report explorer volume is to copy/paste the ADOConnection,
DataSet, DataSource, DataPipeline components from the end-user app to a new
datamodule that is used to build the report explorer volume. Add the report
explorer volume and configure it.

- to enable your end-user to create reports, they will use the end-user
application that you built in the first two steps. To simplify the data
access task that they perform, there are several options:

1. use the DataDictionary to define what tables and fields they can use,
to provide user friendly table and field aliases and to pre-define
join/linking conditions
2. define logical groups of queries of save them to the report explorer
database by using the File | Export option on the data workspace. Then the
end-user can use File | Import to import the datamodules.
3. create custom dataview templates. For an example, see
RBuilder\Demos\EndUser\Custom DataViews. Custom DataView templates appear in
the File | New.. dialog and contain predefined groups of queries.

rbuser

Nard,

thanks for the reply.

Since you haven't replied saying, "yes, this is a known problem", I will work through this lot to be sure I haven't missed anything,
though oddly the application works with BDE connectivity and not with ADO.

nardmoseley

What database engine are you using?

ReportBuilder with ADO work great for connecting to MS Access and MS SQL
Server. This combination is in wide use by thousands of customers.

I would not use ADO to connect to Oracle. Instead I recommend using Direct
Oracle Access (DOA) which is available from Allround Automations
http://www.allroundautomations.nl/doa.html

Check out the RBuilder\Demos\EndUser Databases\ examples. Each of those
examples has been tested.


-
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

D2005, RB 10.04, ADO 2.8, WinXP Sp2, connecting to Microsoft SQL Server 2000.

It'll be a day or two before I can work through all this, but given your reply I'm guessing I've done something wrong ...

rbuser

Ok, I found the problem.

I'm requesting reports using the 'ClientReport' component, assigning the 'Template' name and 'ReportName' properties directly.

When assigning the 'ReportName' property you need to pad out spaces to the full length of the r_name field length.

So, "My Test Report" needs to be requested as "My Test Report ".

It doesn't occur with BDE connectivity, and as ADO connections return string values padded with spaces, somewhere in the code I
guess there's a "trim(r_name)" missing.

nardmoseley

Check the configuration of the ADOConnection. Acccess the connection string
dialog and select the Provider tab. Check that the provider is 'Microsoft
OLE DB Provider for SQL Server'

In my testing here with SQL Server and ADO, I do not encounter any issues
such as you are describing.


--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Nard,

yes, OLE DB Provider for SQL Server.

A little searching on the net shows that it's a well known problem, with no configuration type workaround.

Redefining the table to use VARCHAR instead of CHAR for the r_name field means you don't have to pad out the report name in the
ClientReport request. I had declared the field as CHAR as per the Developer's Guide.

nardmoseley

- that explains it. You need to use the SQL script installed to
RBuilder\Demos\EndUser Databases\SQL Server\CreateEndUserTables.sql. (The
SQL script does indeed use varchar.)

- Perhaps I should have emphasized that a bit more. In my initial response
to this thread, in the very first paragraph, I mentioned the example and the
sql script...

"-the first step is to build and test an end-user application that uses the
explorer database with ADO . Examples of this are installed to
RBuilder\Demos\EndUser Databases. There are examples for MS Access and MS
SQL Server. A ReadMe.doc is included with each examples and sample SQL
scripts for creating the supporting rbItem and rbFolder tables."


--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com