Crystal Enterprise User Launchpad
The User Launchpad is a Web-based application that provides a broad range of functionality and enables the end user to interact with the Crystal Enterprise infrastructure. The HTML page provides links to documentation, samples, Web-based help, and the Admin Launchpad (see Figure 23.1).
Figure 23.1. Crystal Enterprise User Launchpad provides the entry point for a user.
The Launchpad is broken down into the following components:
- Crystal Enterprise Web Desktop: Provides a feature-rich application for users to interact with reports and other objects. (Crystal Enterprise Web Desktop was known as ePortfolio in prior versions.)
- Crystal Offline Viewer: Enables the user to download a Crystal Reports viewer to his local machine.
- Crystal Enterprise Add-in for use with Microsoft Excel: Enables the user to download the Excel plug-in, as previously described in Chapter 21, "Ad-Hoc Application and Excel Plug-in for Ad-Hoc and Analytic Reporting."
- Documentation: Web-based user and getting started guides.
- Client Samples: Various samples that demonstrate different sample applications that provide the user with a different look and feel. It also gives developers ideas how to build upon the API.
- Mobile Samples: Mobile desktop launches a sample interface for developing content to be delivered on a mobile device such as a cell phone or PDA.
- Administrative Applications: A link to the Administrative Launchpad.
- More on the Web: Web-based support and information on where to go to find patches and updates.
NOTE
By default, for the English and CSP version, the application is installed under
http:///crystal/enterprise10/desktoplaunch/en/default.htm
The application is also available in a JSP version and packaged in the desktop.war file. For procedures on deploying a .war file, refer to your Java Application Server instructions.
Although all the applications provided on this page are useful, the most feature-rich application, and the one explored in this chapter, is the Crystal Enterprise Web Desktop.