Does SAP/BusinessObjects have a recommended way to programmatically invoke reports that they will not phase out support for?

[Former Member]

Is there a preferred way to invoke and print a report? Is there a REST based web API that we can use versus the traditional sdk??

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately, currently the RESTful web services only work with BusinessObjects/Crystal Reports Server and do NOT work with Crystal 2011/2013 reports.  They only work with Webi and Crystal for Enterprise reports.  I have not been able to find out whether they'll ever work with "regular" Crystal reports.

So, you'll have to use one of the traditional SDKs if you're not working with Crystal for Enterprise.  How you do this will depend on whether you're using the .NET SDK or the Java SDK.  There is also a Web Services Consumer SDK that you might be able to use, but I haven't heard much about planned enhancements or phase out on it.  Supposedly SAP is trying to move everything into the RESTful SDK, but it's definitely NOT there yet and it has a LONG way to go.

-Dell

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

To add a bit of info from the SAP side

I don't think the RESTful web services are planned to work with "standard" Crystal Reports. E.g.; CR for Enterprise only. Not sure why, though lately there has been a lot of smoke coming out of the CR development room so this may change.

Re. Web Services Consumer SDK. The Report Engine has essentially been removed from this, thus the RESTful for WEBI to replace that loss. Other than that, I do not see any changes to that SDK (other than improvements and updates).

To Shaheen; If you would like links to resources re SDKs, etc., let me know which SDK and I'll see what I can chase down for us.

- Ludek

Senior Support Engineer AGS Product Support, Global Support Center Canada

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[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the response Dell and Ludek.

@Ludek- We are using .NET SDK.It will be nice if you can provide the links.

I would also like to know  if SAP has plans to change the SDK in the near future where there would be breaking changes? How often do
the SDKs get changed?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

There is no specific documentation for the .NET SDK in 4.1.  You can download the .NET SDK Developer Guide for 4.0 from SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform 4.0 – SAP Help Portal Page.

I do a LOT of work in the SDK (both .NET and Java).  I end up using a number of things for help with .NET stuff:

1.  BI Platform Java SDK API Reference from SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform 4.1 – SAP Help Portal Page.  You have to translate from the Java "Interface" classes that start with "I" to the .NET classes that don't start with "I".  Also, there are some things that can be done in Java that are not available in .NET (like ReportEngine).

2.  BO 3.1 Enterprise .NET SDK API Guide from SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.1 Service Pack 5 – SAP Help Portal Page.

3.  The old XI r2 documentation from Developer Library XI Release 2 (by FAR the best documentation for the functionality that hasn't changed - the docs from 3.1 forward don't always have good explanations.)

-Dell

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

In addition to Dell's links these may also be useful:

Official Product Tutorials – SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports for Enterprise

And then of course there are Dell's own tutorials , and :

Basic Business Objects .NET Web Services SDK Tutorial for VS 2010 and BI 4.x.

Finally, the RAS samples may also come in handy:

NET RAS SDK Samples - Business Intelligence (BusinessObjects) - SCN Wiki

- Ludek