Auto-Detecting Data-source Concerns in Migrating from Crystal Reports to Report Builder

dc_dev

Hi, there. We are considering migrating from Crystal Reports, using Advantage Database Server (ADS), to ReportBuilder using InterBase and ADS combinations. Our biggest concern that we're trying to understand, is if there is a way to easily send our clients reports and it automatically use their data-source location, instead, or if that has to be manually adjusted each time?

While Crystal Reports has its issues, we have enjoyed the benefit of it automatically working on our client systems, i.e. it automatically sees and uses their data-source location, by default. They send requested changed, we make them and send them back, and it automatically works in both our and their environments. Every now and then, we may select a different data-source on our end, but it still uses their connection automatically, when we send it back to them.

So, our fear in switching is losing that ability, or is there a way to make that work in ReportBuilder?

Thank you in advance for your experienced advice.

nardmoseley

Hi Daniel,

RB references your Delphi connection object.

As an example, for ADS you would have an ADSConnection object on the form/datamodule and it will contain the connection params. These can vary by installation/location. For RB you configured the Designer.DataSettings - set SessionType to ADSSession and DatabaseName to the name of the ADSConnection.

I'm not clear on what you mean by using Interbase and ADS combinations. RB reports created for ADS will not work with Interbase unless you convert them. You can write a conversion utility if needed.

dc_dev

Hi Nard,

Thank you for your speedy reply. I meant we may have a setting for the program as to which database type it may use and some customers may stay on ADS and some move over to InterBase. As ADS is no longer supported by SAP once purchased from Sybase, we are transitioning away from ADS, anyway, but some customers may stay on it for some time. In those cases, they can continue to use Crystal Reports. For all InterBase clients, we will convert and use ReportBuilder.

I appreciate those specifics but am unsure how to interpret them in relation to our concern. That is, say a client has a report they want us to tweak, and they send it to us. Is it easy to alter and send back to them without worrying about connections?

Say we roll out all new RB forms along with InterBase and disperse the default reports with the program. Will it simply work in their environment or will we have to configure the reports with each customers own DB connection each time? With CR, we simply disperse the reports to all customers and they automatically use the default DB connection for each client's environment, we don't have to alter the connection each time or have separate versions of the report.

nardmoseley

Hi Daniel,

There is no issue - the data connection parameters are not stored as part of the report definitions.

I recommend downloading the RB Enterprise trial and check out the demos installed to Public\Documents\RBuilder\Delphi x\Demos\4. EndUser Databases\InterBase. There are demos for IB Express and FireDAC, and a few others.

dc_dev

Ok, will do, thank you.