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Using the Crystal RDC Interface in Visual DataFlex

Using the Crystal RDC Interface in Visual DataFlex. John J Tuohy Data Access Worldwide. What does the Crystal class do in VDF?. Allows you to run a Crystal Report from within your VDF Application At the most basic level you want to select a report and run it

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Using the Crystal RDC Interface in Visual DataFlex

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  1. Using the Crystal RDC Interface in Visual DataFlex John J Tuohy Data Access Worldwide

  2. What does the Crystal class do in VDF? • Allows you to run a Crystal Report from within your VDF Application • At the most basic level you want to select a report and run it • Just select a Report, select an output destination and run it • In more advanced cases you want to dynamically change the report at runtime • Change the sort order • Change record and group selection formulas • Change formula and parameter values • Change tables being used in a report • Generate and use dynamic (non-table based) data

  3. How the old Crystal class works • CrystalReport class • Based on CRPE32.DLL API • Can be distributed royalty free • Implemented using VDF’s External_functions • Uses a flat Interface which passes complex data • Works great

  4. Why does VDF need to change? • Business Objects wants to end the use of CRPE32.DLL-based technology • As of Crystal Reports XI • CRPE32.DLL is no longer supported • Crystal XI claims it’s not even there (it is) • It is very old technology that will not be updated or fixed • It has been replaced with their RDC API

  5. How does the new interface work? • Based on Crystal’s Report Design Component (RDC) API • RDC is a COM interface • Imported via FlexCom2 • Uses • Craxddrt.dll – automation library • CRViewer.dll – activeX Report viewer • CDO32.dll – automation library • Can be distributed royalty free • Uses the RDC object model • Lots of objects with simple interfaces

  6. Implementation in VDF 11.1 • A new class, cCrystal, wraps all of the RDC COM objects • Makes it easy to get at the most commonly needed COM objects • Simplify the object aggregation process • Uses the standard RDC object model and interface • Provides a simple way to view reports within an application • Provides helper interfaces to make it easy to do the most commonly required tasks • For more complicated tasks, provide good samples to show how to do it. • Get out of the way!

  7. What are the benefits of using the new class? • Uses up to date, supported Crystal interface • You have more features at your disposal (e.g. CDO) • You are using the industry standard method for working with Crystal • Lets you use the Crystal Documentation, Crystal Newsgroups, etc. to get development assistance. • Once you “get it”, it's not that hard • The skills you learn can be applied to other COM solutions

  8. Compatibility issues • The new, VDF 11.1 cCrystal class is not designed to be compatible with the old CrystalReport class • You can still use CRPE32.DLL for your old/existing reports with Crystal Reports XI and older • Business Objects may remove CRPE32.DLL from future releases (consider it likely) • You can use Crystal XI to transition to the new RDC technology

  9. The new class structure/interface • cCrystal class • Property: Integer peOutputDestination • Property: String psReportName • Procedure: RunReport • Event: OnInitializeReport handle hoReport • Event: OnPrintReport handle hoReport • Event: OnPreviewReport handle hoReport • Event: OnExportReport handle hoReport

  10. Samples: Print to viewer // // Simple Print (default is print to preview) // Object oCrystalReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName to "CustLst.rpt" End_Object

  11. Samples: Select output destination Object oCrystalReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName to "CustLst.rpt" End_Object Object oPrintToScreen is a Button Procedure OnClick Set peOutputDestination of oCrystalReport to PRINT_TO_WINDOW Send RunReport of oCrystalReport End_Procedure End_Object Object oPrintToExport is a Button Procedure OnClick Set peOutputDestination of oCrystalReport to PRINT_TO_FILE Send RunReport of oCrystalReport End_Procedure End_Object

  12. Samples: Select printer via prompt Object oCrystalReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName to "CustLst.rpt" Procedure OnInitializeReport Handle hoReport Forward Send OnInitializeReport hoReport End_Procedure Procedure OnPrintReport handle hoReport Forward Send OnPrintReport hoReport Set piPrinterPrompt of hoReport to True End_Procedure End_Object Object oButton1 is a Button Procedure OnClick Set peOutputDestination of oCrystalReport to PRINT_TO_PRINTER Send RunReport of oCrystalReport End_Procedure End_Object

  13. Samples: Output to predefined printer Object oCrystalReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName to "CustLst.rpt" Set peOutputDestination of oCrystalReport to PRINT_TO_PRINTER Procedure OnInitializeReport Handle hoReport Forward Send OnInitializeReport hoReport End_Procedure Procedure OnPrintReport Handle hoReport Forward Send OnPrintReport hoReport Send ComSelectPrinter of hoReport "winspool" "Lexmark 3320" "LPT1:" Set ComPaperOrientation of hoReport to crLandscape Set ComPaperSize of hoReport to crPaperLetter Set piPrinterCopies of hoReport to 2 Set pbPrinterCollate of hoReport to FALSE End_Procedure End_Object

  14. Samples: Output to MAPI – no prompt Object oCrystalReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName to "CustLst.rpt" Set peDestination to Print_to_File Procedure OnExportReport Handle hoReport Handle hoExport Forward Send OnExportReport hoReport   Get ExportObject of hoReport to hoExport   Set pbPromptExport of hoReport to False Set ComDestinationType of hoExport to crEDTEMailMAPI Set ComMailToList of hoExport to "someoneelse@hotmail.com" Set ComMailSubject of hoExport to "Testing" Set ComMailMessage of hoExport to "This is a test" Set ComExportFileName of hoExport to "MyReport.pdf" Set ComFormatType of hoExport to crEFTPortableDocFormat   End_Procedure End_Object

  15. Samples: Assign selections, formulas and sorts Object oCrystalReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName to "CustLst.rpt" Procedure OnInitializeReport Handle hoReport : // set record selection formula Get Value of oForm1 to sState Set ComRecordSelectionFormula of hoReport to ('{Cust.State}="' * sState * '"}') // set a formula Send AssignFormula of hoReport "Company Name" '"Data Access Corporation"' // assign a sort order Send DeleteSortOrder of hoReport Send AppendSortField of hoReport "Cust" "State" crAscendingOrder Send AppendSortField of hoReport "Cust" "Name" crDescendingOrder End_Procedure End_Object

  16. Samples: Using CDO (dynamic data sources) Object oReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName To "PercentageFilled.rpt" Procedure OnInitializeReport Handle hoReport Handle hoCDO Integer iItem Variant[][3] vData Forward Send OnInitializeReport hoReport Get CreateCDO of hoReport "Stuff.ttx" to hoCDO If hoCDO begin Direct_input "c:MyListOfStuff" While (not(SeqEof)) Readln vData[iItem][0], vData[iItem][1], vData[iItem][2] Increment iItem End // Add rows to CDO object Send AppendCDOData of hoReport hoCDO vData End End_Procedure // OnInitializeReport  End_Object // oReport

  17. Samples: Using CDO with Code Validation Tables Object oReport is a cCrystal Set psReportName To "PercentageFilled.rpt" Procedure OnInitializeReport Handle hoReport Handle hoCDO Variant[ ][2] vData Forward Send OnInitializeReport hoReport Get CreateCDO of hoReport "States.ttx" to hoCDO Get TableData of Customer_State_VT to vData Send AppendCDOData of hoReport hoCDO vData End_Procedure // OnInitializeReport End_Object // oReport

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