Can I use the Report Application .Net SDK to open and view Unmanaged Crystal reports 2013 that are generated thru scheduling in Crystal SERVER 2013

[Former Member]

I've read many of the SCN SAP community discussions and also other documents and I still have a lot of questions.

I understand the difference between managed and unmanged RAS and plan to use unmanged RAS (do to scope issues) to interface to an exisitng

client server application to open, filter and view reports.

My understanding is I can schedule reports / store generated reports on the file system in Crystal Server 2013 (as unmanged).

Can I use the Report Application .Net SDK to open and view Unmanaged Crystal reports 2013 that are generated thru scheduling in Crystal SERVER 2013. The reports are currently in Crystal Reports version 2010 professional format but I think I'd need to update them to
Crsyatl Reports 2013 in order to schedule them in Crystal Server 2013?

Thank you, Deb

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

1.  No, you don't need to update your reports to Crystal 2013 in order to run them in CRS 2013 - they should work as-is.

2.  If your goal is to just view completed instances of reports, you don't need RAS to do this - you should be able to just use the BI Platform SDK to load the report into a ReportDocument which can be opened in the viewer.  If this is a web app, use OpenDocument instead of a separate viewer component.

In order to do this DO NOT install the Crystal for VS SDK (version 13.x).  Instead, you'll install the BI Platform SDK (version 14.x) - you can't mix versions of these assemblies in your application!  There is a "Client Tools" install that comes with CRS - use the "Developer Components" from that to install the 32-bit version of the SDK and integrate the CrystalReportsViewer design-time component into VS.  You'll then use the runtime SDK install when you install your application.  In the runtime install, there's also a 64-bit version of the SDK.

To get you started, I have some sample code on my website at www.dellstinnett.com/sample_code.html.  There are also links to a bunch of sample code on the home page for this space.  You can find documentation (what little of it there is for the .NET SDK) un "Development Information" here:  SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform 4.0 – SAP Help Portal Page

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi so what is RAS used for? What is the difference between Crystal Server 2013 and RAS and can I do unmanged RAS with Crystal Server 2013?

Thanks Deb

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

RAS is primarily used when you want to make changes to a report (tables, selection criteria, etc.) before viewing it.  You don't need it to just view reports or successfully scheduled instances of reports from CRS.l

-Dell

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Also, RAS can be more complicated to use than the regular SDK.  I do not believe that you can do unmanaged RAS with CRS, but I might be wrong - I'm sure or will correct me in that case.

-Dell

[former_member188030 · Accepted solution]

Unmanaged RAS can be used with CRS. Just need to set the reportdirectory in RAS commandline parameters.
However, from support perspective it is not recomendded.

See the KBAs
1780886 - How to view a Crystal report using unmanaged RAS SDK.
1488726 - Executing Unmanaged RAS Ap...

- Bhushan

Senior Engineer

SAP Active Global Support

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[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi - the link to 1780886 - How to view a Crystal report using unmanaged RAS SDK does not work and I can not find this doc reference anywhere

Deb

[Former Member]

Thank you Dell. Yes I welcome Don & Ludek's response as well

Deb

[former_member183750]

Hi Deb

Not much to add. I think Dell and Bhushan covered it all pretty well.

Happy reporting,

- Ludek

Senior Support Engineer AGS Product Support, Global Support Center Canada

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[former_member11696]

Hi All,

To clarify. CR for VS does NOT include the CrystalDecisions.Enterprise dll's so You CANNOT connect to CRS2011/CRS2013/BI 4.0/BI4.1 and get CRS RAS Service to execute the report.

So Bhushan is partially correct in that his links are for CR 2008 and BOE 3.1. As of BI 4.0 and CR for VS you can no longer use CR for VS to open Managed/Unmanaged reports. You can open the reports from the Report File folder specified in the CCM but you are still using InProc RAS with CR for VS.

If You use CRS 2013 RAS Server you must use version 14.1 SDK downloaded from SMP and opening the report either through Managed ( Report Object ID or GUID ) or from the report folder specified in the RAS Server properties.

In inProc RAS you use the Load method:

rpt.Load(rptName.ToString(), OpenReportMethod.OpenReportByTempCopy);

In Managed/Unmanaged CRS BI 4.x Reporting you need to specify the RAS Server IP or DNS Name then use the Open method to load the report:

String RPTPath = "path to CRS report folder specified in CCM";

object RPTObject = (object)RPTPath;

rptClientDoc.ReportAppServer = "IP or DNS Name";

rptClientDoc.Open(ref RPTObject, 0);

Also note that with Managed reports the CryytalDecisions.Engine is NOT used to make the initial loading of the report where in inProc RAS you do.

Dell is of correct with her samples and why you would want to use RAS in CRS. You can also create your own front end app to publish and schedule reports and then pass them on as exported files through e-mail or preview them in the viewer etc. as well as Dell indicated in making changes to the original report.

Hope that helps...

Don

[Former Member]

Hi Don,

  If I use CRS 2013 RAS Server with version 14.1 SDK and open unmanaged reports from the report folder specified in the RAS Server properties do I still have to connect to CRS 1st or just specifiy a specific report name? Also will I be able to filter on these reports.

Thanks Deb

[former_member11696]

Since you have CRS you should also have a Support contract which should allow you to search for that KBA in Service Market Place.

Here is the info:

Symptom

How to view a Crystal report using unmanaged RAS SDK.

Environment

• BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.1
• Visual Studio 2008

Resolution

• Configure the Report Application Server of the BOE 3.1 as unmanaged server

            Refer note 1419387 - How to Configure the Report Application Server of

the BOE 3.1 as unmanaged server.

• Develop a sample application using Below code snippet.

        {

             object filepath = @"rassdk://C:\Program Files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12.0\Samples\EN\Reports\Feature Samples\grouping and sorting.rpt";

             ReportClientDocument rcd = new ReportClientDocument();

             rcd.ReportAppServer = System.Environment.MachineName.ToString();

             rcd.Open(ref filepath, 0);

            crystalReportViewer1.ReportSource = rcd;

        }

See Also

1423070 - How to open a report in unmanaged ras on unix.

1388314 - How to set the RAS Report Directory for Unix\ Linux\
Solaris installation of Business Objects Enterprise.

1419387 - How to configure the Report Application Server of
the BOE 3.1 as unmanaged server.

[Former Member]

Hi Don,

  I'll be using Crystal Server 2013 which I understand is BOE 4.1. My question is does your prior response apply to 4.1

• Configure the Report Application Server of the BOE 3.1 as unmanaged server

            Refer note 1419387 - How to Configure the Report Application Server of

the BOE 3.1 as unmanaged server.

Thanks Deb

[former_member11696]

Hi Deb,

Yes it does, sort of. Unmanaged reports are not supported in CRS/BI 4.x but it can be used.

Since you are using CRS though you can open the report from the CMS server and then use RAS to process it.

Go to this page:

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

It has examples of how to open Managed Reports, no difference, it's the CMS that you use to get the report from rather than off a local file share.

CMS manages the RAS servers anyways. so if you have multiple RAS Servers the CMS decides which RAS Service gets the job.

Don