Question

Dynamic Table-like Formatting with Crystal Reports

Asked by: infotechelg

All, i'm trying to create a dynamic table with variable columns using C# in Visual Studio 2005 .NET in crystal reports. See the attached image below and note that the columns you see there are dynamic. There could be 3 columns, there could be 5. I've spent a week working on this report and this is the last thing holding me back. I truly hope there's a way to accomplish this. Also note I've found software that will create images on the fly by taking screenshots of HTML, but this option wasn't feasible because the quality of the created image wasn't good.

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Asked On
2009-10-27 at 15:13:35ID24849095
Tags

crystal reports

,

.net

,

C#

Topics

Crystal Reports Software

,

.NET

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: mlmccPosted on 2009-10-27 at 15:31:07ID: 25678412

What columns do you have in a record?

mlmcc

 

by: emoreauPosted on 2009-10-27 at 17:00:12ID: 25678917

 

by: infotechelgPosted on 2009-10-28 at 07:27:37ID: 25683564

emoreau: yes, we've considered both and have tried both. There are upsides and downsides to doing both. We will do HTML if we cannot get this grid to work in Crystal.

mlmcc: I'm not sure what you're asking. All the data that you see in that image is coming from the database. In this example, the options are "Color", "Finish", "Voltage". But that's unique to this particular record/product. Other products may not have these options. Some may have 3 options. Some may have 6.

 

by: mlmccPosted on 2009-10-28 at 07:32:46ID: 25683626

I am asking what columns you have in each record.

I assume ther is a column for system which is 700

Do you then have a separate table for the features or options or do you have a record in the main table for each option?

mlmcc

 

by: emoreauPosted on 2009-10-28 at 07:34:27ID: 25683652

>>emoreau: yes, we've considered both and have tried both. There are upsides and downsides to doing both. We will do HTML if we cannot get this grid to work in Crystal.

You won't be able to generate dynamic report with Crystal. It requiers that your schema is known when you build/create the report. Only the data can change at run time (not the schema).

 

by: infotechelgPosted on 2009-10-28 at 07:50:13ID: 25683862

mlmcc, thanks for the assistance. I shouldn't have been so general in my response. All the data under the line is being pulled from the database. The words "700", "System", "Color", "Finish", and "Voltage" are all being created in the C# code based off of the data in the database ("CON" is being pulled from the database). If I query the product to see if it has multiple colors, I create the "COLOR" header and display the options below it with the data from the database. The data for each attribute is a separate query.

I am able to create this grid with no problems in HTML, but CR won't take any <table> tags.

Sorry if i'm not answering your question.

 

by: infotechelgPosted on 2009-10-28 at 09:26:04ID: 25685033

mlmcc, how would it work with sub reports when the number of columns to be displayed in the grid is dynamic? My apologies for the questions, I'm VERY new to Crystal Reports.

 

by: mlmccPosted on 2009-10-28 at 10:01:08ID: 25685461

You would have 1 subreport per column or query.

I don't know it would work but it could be looked at and depending on the data it might work.

mlmcc

 

by: infotechelgPosted on 2009-11-12 at 12:18:37ID: 31646717

The solution may be a viable option for someone else but it wasn't for me.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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