Question

Feeding Crystal Reports with a dataset from .Net

Asked by: PantoffelSlippers

Hi experts,

I recently posted a very similar question but realised I need to go one step further.  I'm writing a VB.Net application with one or two Crystal Reports incorporated.  I'm using .Net framework 2 and VS2005.

My original question was:  how can I pass my crystal report (rpt) a datatable/dataset from my .Net code?  This was answered by the following: http://www.emoreau.com/Entries/Articles/2006/09/Feeding-Crystal-Reports-from-your-application.aspx

This works great if the dataset and XSD comes from a database.  But now I need to pass a dataset that does not come from a database.  I build the dataset and datatable within it by collecting data from other sources.  See example below:

            With ds.Tables("InstanceTasks")
                .Columns.Add(New DataColumn("ReportHeading", System.Type.GetType("System.String", True, True)))
                .Columns.Add(New DataColumn("InstanceName", System.Type.GetType("System.String", True, True)))
                .Columns.Add(New DataColumn("TaskCount", System.Type.GetType("System.Int32", True, True)))
            End With

I then manually populate it with data.

My problem is:  if I provide my crystal report with a XSD Schema written from this dataset, it doesn't show under ADO.Net Datasets.

Is there some other way to pass this dataset to my report?

Please help!

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Asked On
2009-05-03 at 07:58:29ID24376155
Tags

Crystal Reports

,

VB.Net

,

Business Intelligence

,

BI

,

.Net

Topics

Crystal Reports Software

,

.NET

Participating Experts
2
Points
400
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: emoreauPosted on 2009-05-03 at 08:22:15ID: 24290135

>>This works great if the dataset and XSD comes from a database.  But now I need to pass a dataset that does not come from a database.

If you look at my example, you should see that the dataset is not created from the database. I have no connection to any database in this article.

Search for WriteXmlSchema in the page.

 

by: PantoffelSlippersPosted on 2009-05-03 at 08:37:36ID: 24290208

Hi Eric,

I did notice that yes but I can't get it to work with anyting other than a database!

If fill a dataset from SQL Server and then wite the XSD I can use it in the report - it shows under ADO.Net Datasets.  If I populate the dataset manually and then write the XSD I can't use it in the report - it doesn't show under ADO.Net Datasets.

One other thing I can tell you is that if I add both XSD's to my project (coming from the db and the one not coming from the db), their icons look different!

Please see attached screenshot showing the different icons.

The XSD coming from the database which works well is called "Frikkie.XSD" and the one that I populated manually that does not work at all is called "ReportDataTableDefition.XSD".

I must be doing something wrong with one the 2nd XSD....

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

by: emoreauPosted on 2009-05-03 at 09:31:24ID: 24290382

One thing which is really not clear in the article (only mentionned somewhere in the comments at the bottom) is that the schema created by WriteXmlSchema will not name the dataset properly.

Open the .xsd file into notepad and replace its name with the name of your dataset as shown here:
  <xs:element name="TestDataSet" msdata:IsDataSet="true" msdata:UseCurrentLocale="true">

 

by: PantoffelSlippersPosted on 2009-05-03 at 09:50:52ID: 24290439

Hi Eric,

Sorry, no.

No luck.  I've taken the XSD that doesn't work and changed the name of the dataset.  I don't think this would be the only problem because under ADO.Net Datasets in a new report, I still get "No items found...."

Are the formats not different somehow?

Is there any significance to the different icons I mentioned before?

Thanks

 

by: emoreauPosted on 2009-05-03 at 14:20:16ID: 24291310

I do not use Typed Dataset so I don't have the "ready-made" datasets. All I can say is that if you follow the schema creation, rename it correctly, you should see it when you create a new report. If you try to add it to an existing report, CR is somewhat buggy and you have to refresh the datasources many times before it can be seen.

 

by: PantoffelSlippersPosted on 2009-05-04 at 08:54:42ID: 24296354

Thanks

I'll try one more time...

 

by: PantoffelSlippersPosted on 2009-05-31 at 07:33:56ID: 24512744

Hi

Any other thoughts on this?

 

by: emoreauPosted on 2009-05-31 at 09:11:09ID: 24513014

As I already told, I do not use typed dataset with CR

 

by: summititsolutionsPosted on 2009-06-17 at 13:55:59ID: 24652499

Once you've created the second .xsd and placed is somewhere on your file system, go to the database expert.  Go to Ceate New Connection --> ADO.Net --> Make New Connection.  Browse to the .xsd file and click finish.  A new folder named "NewDataSet" will be created  under (Create New Connection --> ADO.Net) and  in this folder you should see your dataset.

 

by: PantoffelSlippersPosted on 2009-08-15 at 04:56:52ID: 31577330

Thanks - I still can't get it to work but there is no time left for this.  I'm finding workarounds now.  The problem is most probably with me and not with your solutions suggestions.  Thanks again.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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