Crystal Reports 10: The Complete Reference

Simply put, the Crystal Reports repository is a common place where report objects can be stored. Once you store a report object in the repository, it s available to be added to other reports you create. If you connect to your CE-shared repository that other users in your organization also share, objects you add to the repository are available to other Crystal Reports users, and objects they add are available to you.

The version 10 repository now stores all of its items in the CE 10 Crystal Management Server database. Any Crystal Reports 10 user who has a valid user ID and connectivity to your CE 10 system will be able to connect to the repository. Even if you have just a few report designers who share a common repository, the benefits of shared report design and automatically updated report objects will soon become evident.

You make use of the repository in Crystal Reports with the Repository Explorer, a separate frame (or un- dockable dialog box) inside the report designer, similar to the Field Explorer. When you initially attempt to display the Repository Explorer, you will be asked to first log on to CE 10 (if you haven t already logged on).

The Repository Explorer shows the repository categorized into folders. Although the sample repository that ships with Crystal Enterprise 10 shows folders for specific types of objects (text objects, bitmaps, SQL commands), you don t have to organize folders this way ”you may put any type of object that the repository supports into any folder. You may add any of the objects in the repository to appropriate areas of your report.

The repository supports five types of Crystal Reports objects:

• Text objects Standard text objects containing static text (no embedded fields)

• Bitmaps (pictures) Bitmap pictures, such as logos, photos, and signatures

• Custom functions Functions or subroutines that can be used inside report formulas. Note that repository custom functions appear only in the Formula Workshop, not in the Repository Explorer.

• SQL commands/queries Server-based SQL commands that reports can be based upon

• Business Views (new in Version 10) Crystal Enterprise “based meta-layer views of database connectivity that reports can be based upon (Business Views are covered in more detail in Chapter 17.)

Text objects and bitmaps can simply be dragged from the Repository Explorer onto the report, just as you would drag and drop fields from the Field Explorer. Repository custom functions must be added to report formulas from within the Formula Workshop (covered in Chapter 5), and repository SQL commands and Business Views must be added to the report from within the Database Expert (SQL commands are covered in more detail in Chapter 16, and Business Views are covered in Chapter 17).

New Version 10 Repository Explorer Features

The Repository Explorer has been enhanced slightly in Crystal Reports 10 with the addition of a toolbar, the ability to control a sorted display of repository folders and objects, and a filtering capability to limit display of certain repository objects.

The Repository Explorer toolbar contains four buttons: Change View Settings, Advanced Filtering, Delete, and Add Folder. The Delete and Add Folder buttons, described later in the chapter, perform fairly self-explanatory functions. The Change View Settings and Advanced Filtering buttons expose new capabilities in the version 10 repository.

Clicking the Change View Settings button, or right-clicking anywhere inside the Repository Explorer and choosing Change View Settings from the pop-up menu, will display the View Settings dialog box. By unchecking any of the repository object types, you can eliminate them from appearing in the Repository Explorer. For example, you may prefer not to see SQL commands (since you can t add them to the report from the Repository Explorer anyway). Just uncheck Report Commands to eliminate them from the Repository Explorer. You can also sort repository objects by name or type by clicking the desired radio button.

If you click the Advanced Filter button, or right-click anywhere inside the Repository Explorer and choose Advanced Filtering from the pop-up menu, the Repository Explorer will expand to show two filter text boxes and an Apply button. Type in a combination of full or partial object name in the Show items with this text in the name box and full author name in the Show items by this author box. Then, just click the Apply button or just press ENTER. The Repository Explorer will redisplay showing just repository objects matching the criteria you typed. To remove the criteria, just delete the text on the filter boxes and click Apply or press ENTER. If you no longer wish to see the filter text boxes, just click the Advanced Filtering toolbar button again, or right-click and choose the Advanced Filtering pop-up menu option.