Crystal Report 2008 & Custom Control in VB6

mlmcc,
tks your info much appreciated. Could you by any chance know what are the libraries/dll/ocx ... I need to add in my Project to run a CR XI ?
I am using the CR of VB6 that can run my Seagate Crystal Report ver 8.0. When I load a report of CR 2008 with this control it gives me an error: Cannot Load Report !
Any idea ?
rgds/gowflow

If you have XR XI.
The tools you most likely would need are:
CRAXDRT.dll
CRAXDRT.dep
CRAXDDRT.dll
EnterpriseControls.dll
CrViewer.dll

The compiled installation required 2 merge modules that I had to request from Business Objecs
CR11_rdc_reportengine
CR11_rdc_runtime

Some of these you only need if you are doing report design tools embedded in your application.

Most of my clients use CR XI but we have migrated to CR2008 and these tools in my vb6 app still work just fine with these reports.

1. I have Seagate Crystal Report v8.0 would it work ?
2. What are the generic names of the dlls? and where do I find them under References or Components as there are plenty of Crystal on my machine and don't want to fiddle around guessing what files to add.
Any idea ?
rgds/gowflow

mlmcc,
Well that's exactly my question: I hv VB6 pgm and hv on my machine both CR 2008 and CR 8.0 is it possible with these 2 only to include controls/references so I can open my reports developped un CR 2008 in VB6 ??? Not intrested to add an other CR version as it could also create some incompatibilities with all my users using ver 8.0 pro and ver 4.0 pro ! I was thinking to migrate to the latest which is CR 2008

Brook1966,
Tks your lengthy explanation which is much appreciated. I will try to add in my project the references you pointed at and chk the result and will revert.

rgds/gowflow

No.

CR2008 cannot be used with VB6.  CR8 and its dlls cannot open CR2008 reports.
The report files created by CR2008 should work (so long as you don't use the new features) with a VB6 application built with the CR XI dlls.

The dlls suggesteed by Brook1966 are for CR XI.  Some of them are availale with CR8 but not all.
CRAXDRT.dll - available but is version specific.  The CR8 version will not work with CR2008.
CRAXDRT.dep - available but is version specific.  The CR8 version will not work with CR2008.
CRAXDDRT.dll - available but is version specific.  The CR8 version will not work with CR2008.
EnterpriseControls.dll - Not available for CR8
CrViewer.dll - available but is version specific.  The CR8 version will not work with CR2008.
CR11_rdc_reportengine - Not available for CR8.  Specific to CR XI
CR11_rdc_runtime - Not available for CR8.  Specific to CR XI

If you want to use CR2008 in an application you have 2 options
Move to VB.Net or VS.Net
Buy CR XI to get the dlls that are compatible with CR2008.  If you buy CR XI then to avoid the potential to use a feature of CR2008 that isn't supported I would just use CR XI to build the reports.

mlmcc
mlmcc

I appreciate the help but mlmcc both your options:
1. move to vb.net or VS.net is not a solution for me as users now using the software that is running the whole offic'es operation .. maybe an option to look for on a long term
2. Get CR XI to use the reports developped in CR 2008 is subject to following:

I am using mainly CR 2008 for reports that uses memo fields that need to be handled in formulas (something previous version did not support) so my key question is: does CR XI accept memo fields in formulas ? if yes them option 2 could be an option but still before that I wonder does CR 2008 have a feature like Report Distribution (that was avail in ver 4.0 and 8.0 that I hv presently ?) if yes then this would be my best choice is to pack the reports in .exe and run them as shell from my vb6 !!!

gowflow

There is no compile/report distribution feature in CR2008  CR8 was the last versionn that included it.

Another idea since you said to run them using a shell command would be to use a third-party viewer that can display 2008 reports.

You will probably have to load the correct .Net framework on all user machines plus you may have to buy a viewer license for each user or at least each machine if the machines are shared.

Here is a link to a page with several good viewing application
http://www.kenhamady.com/bookmarks.html

mlmcc

mlmcc,
If CR8 is the last compile report Distribution then it seems like we are heading to CR XI. You did not answer my cruitial question about memo fields in formulas: Does CR XI allow using memo fields in formulas?

As far as your 3rd party viewer can you pls ellaborate specifically on a clear case on how to do it. I check the link but so many other links that it is not clear what to do.

rgds/gowflow

The third party viewer - Since I haven't used any of them all I can say is to pick a couple of them and see if they meet your requirements.  I have heard good things about the DataLink viewer.  Also remember you may have to buy a copy for each user.  You might also send th enote to Ken requesting his list of favorite products.

Memo fields (at leadt from Access) can be used in formulas.

mlmcc

I guess I am heading to getting a copy of CR XI and will install it and chk if it does the job. Meantime, I will keep this question opened in case some challenges with CR XI. I will proceed with this in the course of this week and for sure it has 1st priority. Hope you can bear with me just a little bit
tks your help
gowflow

By the way what is the best version to get ?
Professional, developper ... ? I usually get the full. and what version is the latest ?
gowflow

You need the developer edition and I would get Release 2 since they have essentially dropped support for release 1

Here is a link to a free trial.  It is a full copy and when you get your license you only need apply the key code.
http://www.sap.com/usa/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/sme/freetrials/index.epx

mlmcc

I did install CR XI and found lot of library on top of what I had. Still my program does not run the new version  created in CR 2008. So I looked up a diffrent post where the requester was using the former CrystalReport.Action = 1 to launch the viewer and the solution was with following code:

Dim CrystalApp As CRAXDDRT.Application
Dim CrystalReport As CRAXDDRT.Report
Set CrystalApp = CreateObject("CrystalRunTime.Application")
Set CrystalReport = CrystalApp.OpenReport("c:\tmp\balance sheet.rpt")

I did integrate above code in my program and cancelled all old instances and removed all old library and installed new one.

Am getting following error when I run the code at instruction:
CrystalReport2.FormulaFields.Item(1) = "VSLVOY= '" & LCurrentVesselLoaded.Caption & "'"
Object doesn't support this method.

I appreciate equivalent to following:
CrystalReport1.Formulas(0) =
CrystalReport1.WindowTitle = gstFOReports & Combo2.Text
CrystalReport1.ReportFileName = gstFOReports & Combo2.Text
CrystalReport1.DataFiles(0) = gstDBName
CrystalReport1.UserName = "Admin"
CrystalReport1.Password = vbNullString
CrystalReport1.Action = 1

tks/rgds
gowflow

Great Help mlmcc and Brook1966
Tks

I still have a small challenge don't know if you can help me.
I use in Crystal a formula VSLVOY = {Table1.Vessel} + totext({Table1.Voyage})
Voyage is a numeric field and Vessel a string field. My program in VB identifies all Vessels and Voyage as this Sequence. When I used this formulas with CR8 and previous It was always formating the voyage like this: "VESSEL TRADE 41.00" where Vessel ='VESSEL TRADE" Voyage = 41.
Obviously I want "VESSEL TRADE 41" (not the ".00") I tried every single formula in crystal from Int to Round to Trunc ... name it and could not get the .00 out the only was I was able to do so was in setting the NUMBER field in OPTIONS as default 1 not 1.00 (no decimals) and then it worked.

When I installed CR XI and with the RDC change I am not able to get rid of the ".00" although I changed in options the NUMBER format to 1 in CR XI but still ".00" shows

Any idea ???? Is there a formulas I can pass to eliminate the ".00" when calling the report using RDC ??
Appreciate any help
Tks/rgds
gowflow

To my knowledge, that is the point of the Number field options as to how it should be displayed.  Even integer fields in a table will display .00 when you have that as your option.
There is not a formula that changes the display except to put a formula in the rounding option of your report.

Yes but my formula VSLVOY is of string type and I need the Vessel + the Integer of the Voyage without the .00 in this variable or else I cannot filter the records only for that VSLVOY !!!
You mean to say why it worked with CR8 and before but not when I installed CR XI ??
rgds/gowflow

You could put these in a formula where:

VSLVOY = {Table1.Vessel} + totext({Table1.Voyage},"####0")

That or use the other options for ToText

ToText({YourNumber},#Decimals,ThousandSeparator)

If you want 0 decimals and no thousand separator
Totext({YourNumber},0,'')

mlmcc

GUYS !!!
mlmcc you nailed it big time !!! tks u saved me (hv been strugling with this for ages !!!)
Brook1966 sorry yours didn't work ....!!!
Tks a million !!! sorry this one was closed let me know how I can reward it !!
tks/rgds
gowflow

That's kewl...
Both of these should have worked...
' a way to control your number format
ToText({Table.DecimalField},"####0")
should have given same result as
' a way to show no decimals and no comma
ToText({Table.DecimalField},0,'')

Crystal Reports OnLine Help
ToText (x, y, z, w, q)

For Number and Currency values (formatting)

• x is a Number or Currency value to be converted into a text string;  it can be a whole or fractional value.  
•   y is a text string used to indicate the format for displaying the  value in x. See Format Strings for  information on creating a format string.  
•   z is a whole number indicating the number of decimal places to  carry the value in x to. (This argument is optional.)  
•   w is a single character text string indicating the character to be  used to separate thousands in x. Default is the character specified in your  International or Regional settings control panel. (This argument is  optional.)  
•   q is a single character text string indicating the character to be  used as a decimal separator in x. The default is the character specified in your  International or Regional settings control panel. (This argument is  optional.) 

in my opinion - mlmcc should be given the points
I am glad to provide the Crystal Information and help you understand the function usage.

The question can be reopened and the points reawarded if he wants.
gowflow - Click the Request Attention link in the questiion block and provide the details of what you want to do.

mlmcc

Well Tks for the info from Crystal Brook1966. But in my case when I tried
ToText({Table.DecimalField},"####0") it worked for a voyage 49. So I wanted to test it for a crazy number so I put 499999 and then I didn't
When I tired mlmcc it worked for any value as the ',' will never be there and digits will compare to digits !!!

Isn't our buisness testing the extreems all the time !!!
Sorry but surely points go to the one who gave me the formulas that will NEVER FAIL !

Hv asked for Request Attention and asked to add points to this question.
rgds/gowflow

I received a link with a new question what do I do ?

Sorry mlmcc their reply was no points could be added over and above 500. Do you want me to post the question on a new post ? pls let me know
rgds/gowflow

No.  I got points for the question here and there is no real issue on my part for helping on the followup.  If there was I wouldn't have posted or would have said, yes add a new question.

mlmcc