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Evolution Crystal Reports 2008 to Crystal Reports 2013

former_member593994
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Hello,

 

We have na executable application that currently encapsulates de Crystal Reports 2008 and uses the runtimes to distribute for our clients to see the reports in desktop computers.

This application was formerly using Crystal Reports XI and COM components. It was with much hard work and commitment that were migrated reports and own application for the platform .NET used by Crystal Reports 2008!

The Evolution of Crystal Reports 2008 is through the Crystal Reports 2013.
See discussion at http://scn.sap.com/thread/3455953

  

The question now is:

Crystal Reports 2013 allows the use of cr2008 reports (rpt) and distribution of runtimes in our customers?

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

former_member183750
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CR 2013 does  not install any SDK. However you have two options:

1) SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 / 2012, which you can download from here: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-7824

2) Keep using the CR 2008 SDK. This SDK fully supports reports created in CR 2013.

For more info see the blog How do you spell confusion; CR for VS, Crystal 2011, BI 4.x and the .NET SDKs

- Ludek

Senior Support Engineer AGS Product Support, Global Support Center Canada

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former_member593994
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  Hi Ludek,

Thanks for the reply, but I am still very confused about the forward way!

My application works with standalone reports (.rpt) not embedded in the main application.

For this I need a stand-alone development environment, which is now the Crystal Reports 2008.

The executable crw32.exe produces the reports required by the main application.

After, with a reporting application that encapsulates the functionality for booting, loading and viewing allowed by the cr2008 passes the required parameters and a dataset onto the report, that permit to visualize it in the client computer.

Now we need to follow the evolution of Crsytal Reports without having to reengineer the base structure.

Client computers have access to the centralized reports through the reporting application with their runtimes. So, they can view and print the various reports processed through the main application.

What the way now?

Which are the solutions proposed focused on the implemented frame?

I suppose that the proposed environments operate as follows:

SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 / 2012 have a developer engine to create reports and distribute the required runtimes to use in our customers.

In this case doesn´t support standalone but embedded reports only. I’ am correct?

Crystal reports 2013 doesn’t distribute runtimes and haven’t any developer environment that permits design standalone rpt files. I’ am correct? How does it works?

What I can do? I’m surprised!

Please. Can you tell me more about the way for my current distributed report environment pondering the advantages and disadvantages of any possible choice

Thanks in advance

former_member183750
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SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 / 2012 have a developer engine to create reports and distribute the required runtimes to use in our customers.

In this case doesn´t support standalone but embedded reports only. I’ am correct?

No. Not Correct. SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 / 2012 is simply an upgrade of CR 2008 SDK for VS .NET 2005 / 2008. Everything works the same or better.

Crystal reports 2013 doesn’t distribute runtimes and haven’t any developer environment that permits design standalone rpt files. I’ am correct? How does it works?

Incorrect. Runtime files are on the same page as the install exe for SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 / 2012:

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-7824

What I can do? I’m surprised!


If you are using VS 2008, use the CR SDK for .NET from CR 2008. It supports reports created in CR 2013.

If you are using VS 2010 / 2012, use SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 / 2012 and let the .NET environment do the automatic upgrade for you.


There really is no issues that I see. If the above is not clear, perhaps you can detail a scenario where you are having an actual problem?

- Ludek

jonathan_mason
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Ludek,

I'm sorry to question your very clear statement above "2) Keep using the CR 2008 SDK. This SDK fully supports reports created in CR 2013", but are there no features that could be used when creating a report in SAP Crystal Reports 2013 that the Crystal Reports 2008 runtime would not be able to handle?

What about the SAP Crystal Reports 2011 feature "Export reports to the Excel 2007 workbook"?

I've been trying to establish the features available in SAP Crystal Reports 2013 not available in Crystal Reports 2008, would you say this about covers it?

From the "What's New in SAP Crystal Reports" document, explaining that the new SAP Crystal Reports 2011 features were:

The new read-only format*

Export reports to the Excel 2007 workbook

Build custom applications using Crystal Reports for Visual Studio*

And I also read a comment explaining that SAP Crystal Reports 2013 was the same as SAP Crystal Reports 2011 (a comment by Ido Millet on the question "Crystal Reports 2013 (v14.1.1.1036) and Crystal Runtime 13.0.9.1312").

* I've starred these new SAP Crystal Reports 2011 features as they don't seem to be relevant to the SDK/runtime.


Thanks

Jonathan Mason

former_member183750
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Hi Jonathan

Yup. You got it all down pretty well. Only thing to add is; CR 2011 (v. 14.0.x) was lined up with BI 4.0. CR 2013 (v. 14.1.x) is lined up with BI 4.1.

SAP Crystal Reports, Developer Version for Visual Studio .NET (v. 13.x) will run reports created in any version - with confidence all the way back to CR 9. CR 8.5 and down gets a bit complicated due to many changes to the export and database engines.

- Ludek

jonathan_mason
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Thanks for your reply Ludek,

But I'm still not clear on the answer to my main question, which is, if we've developed our program (Matrix Gemini) using the Crystal Reports 2008 SDK and are deploying it using the Crystal Reports 2008 runtime, but someone creates a report in SAP Crystal Reports 2013 and tries to run it using the Crystal Reports 2008 runtime, is there anything they might want to do using SAP Crystal Reports 2013 report that won't be correctly handled by the Crystal Reports 2008 runtime, e.g.

Exporting a report to a Excel 2007 workbook - will this work?

Handling a read-only report - will this work?

Is there anything else that won't work?

Thanks
Jon

P.S. I'm trying to keep using the Crystal Reports 2008 SDK and runtime, but allow the customer to create reports using the SAP Crystal Reports 2013 report designer crw32.exe. I don't want to do the work of upgrading our program to use the SDK and runtime for SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio just yet.

former_member183750
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CR 2008 runtime will be able to use reports created in CR 2013.

Export to Excel 2007 should not be an issue.

Read only report should not be an issue. (BTW.; CR for VS 2010 / 2012 / 2013 has an rptr report format which essentially lock the report so that it can not be modified - just an FYI for the future.)

- Ludek

jonathan_mason
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Thanks Ludek for your help.

Jon

Former Member
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Thank you Ludek, this answer and your blogpost were clarifying.

Our problem, however, is a little different.

We currently use Crystal Reports 10, because that is what our vendor application supports for generating its reports.

An upcoming vendor release uses SAP Crystal Reports 2008. We were told that we will need to open all of our Crystal files in CR2008, verify, run, and save them in order for them to work with the new version.

My question is: if the 2008 runtime has not changed between 2008 and 2013, can we purchase SAP Crystal Reports 2013 instead?

That is, can we open and convert all of our old Crystal 10 files using CR2013, and expect that our vendor application (using the 2008 runtime) will still generate reports appropriately?

former_member183750
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Hi Jared

Excellent questions. And all can be answered as follows:


can we purchase SAP Crystal Reports 2013 instead?

Yes. Absolutely. While in the past we did not recommend running reports in an older runtime application, the differences between CR 2008 designer and CR 2013 designer are exceedingly small. I can't really think of any change that would get in the way of that app running reports saved out in CR 2013. NOW, it is not an absolute requirement that you do the saving of the reports in CR 2008 / 2013. Depends on how the reports were created, database connection and so on. If I were doing this update to the CR 2008 runtime app, I'd leave the reports be. Run the app with the unmodified reports, see how things go. If it works, why fix what ain't broke... (updating the reports eventually at your leisure will be a good idea - just to keep with the latest) If it does not work, well, let's see what updating the reports to CR 2013 will do.

- Ludek

jonathan_mason
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Ludek,

Our company has successfully been using the CR2008 SP7 runtime, however, our Technical Services department recently tried installing it onto a Windows Server 2012 R2 computer, and there were problems with some reports hanging (although most of them were OK).

Do you know if the CR2008 SP7 runtime should work with Windows Server 2012 R2?

If not, do you think SAP are planning any more service packs for CR2008 runtime, or will we have to migrate to the SAP Crystal Reports developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio?

Thanks

Jon Mason

former_member183750
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Hi Jonathan

Yes, CR 2008 should work on WIN Server 2012. So, it will be down to figuring out what is different with the reports that do not work. If you'd create a new discussion on that, that would be great as in that way things are easier to search and follow, etc., etc.

- Ludek

jonathan_mason
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Thanks for your reply.

The title of the new discussion/question is "Does the CR2008 SP7 runtime work on Windows Server 2012 R2?".

Answers (1)

Answers (1)

former_member593994
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Hi Ludek,

Thank you for the precious help. Now the question is more understandable!

In ASUG SAP Business Objects User Conference document (0313 Step by Step SAP Crystal Reports 2011 to SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise.pdf) it says the following:

SAP Crystal Reports 2013

  • Incremental  update  to CR  2008 with  a few new features
  • Focused  on  serving the  needs  of standalone customers  (Partners and Volume customers)
  • Continue to deliver existing functionality with no regressions

I think the version of SAP Crystal Reports 2013 has some innovations compared to 2008 not available in SAP Crystal Reports, version for developer Microsoft Visual Studio 2010/2012, so possibly we will acquire this version.

Now I'm correct?


But a new question arises.

We can have the main application developed using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and deploy the msi relating toCrystal Reports 2013 which are: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-7824 to use all your new functionalities?

former_member183750
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One misconception re. the runtime. See the below info:

CR 2013 has no SDK, thus no MSI, MSM, etc.

CR 2013 uses files of version 14.x

The document you point to  is for "SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio".

"SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio" uses files of version 13.x

"SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio" will run reports created in CR version 2013 with no problems.

In a nutshell, "SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio" is the SDK for CR 2013.

For more info, see the blog How do you spell confusion; CR for VS, Crystal 2011, BI 4.x and the .NET SDKs

- Ludek

former_member593994
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Thanks Ludek

Merry Christm


former_member183750
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And all the best to you

- Ludek