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Crystal Reports User Function Libraries

Crystal Reports User Function Libraries. Bruce Ferguson Chelsea Technologies Ltd A Presentation to the Auckland Visual Basic User Group, 28 April, 1999. Chelsea Technologies Ltd. Crystal Reports training Crystal Reports development Crystal Reports consulting VB development

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Crystal Reports User Function Libraries

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  1. Crystal ReportsUser Function Libraries Bruce Ferguson Chelsea Technologies Ltd A Presentation to the Auckland Visual Basic User Group, 28 April, 1999

  2. Chelsea Technologies Ltd • Crystal Reports training • Crystal Reports development • Crystal Reports consulting • VB development • www.chelseatech.co.nz • bruce@chelseatech.co.nz

  3. Visual Basic and Crystal Reports • CR 4 distributed with VB • Can design/modify reports • database, ODBC, ADO, ACT, Outlook, servers • License to distribute run time DLL’s • CRYSTL32.OCX object • 200+ properties and methods (usually use < 6) • Crystal API

  4. Versions of Crystal Reports • Crystal Reports 5 • Sub reports, variables, crosstab objects, UFL • Crystal Reports 6 • More functions, Group tree, Web integration • Crystal Reports 7 • Running Totals, Maps, Parameters, Web services

  5. Crystal Formula Fields • Calculations based on DB fields • Extensive list of built in functions • Numeric, string, date, time, boolean, ranges, arrays, summary, etc.

  6. Demonstration: Simple Crystal Report

  7. But what if you want more...

  8. Complex Report Development • Sub Reports • Reports inside a report (linked/unlinked) • Separate DB, formulas, format • Variables • Temporary storage • Complex If…then…else • Multi line formulas • Can control evaluation time

  9. Crystal Reports Limitations • Based around Database fields • plus some special fields • (print date, page number, page count, author, report filename, etc.) • No loops, for.. next, do… while, etc. • No case statement • Local to each report/sub report

  10. User Function Libraries • You can write your own functions • VB, Delphi, C++ • Special formatting/data conversion • Information not in the database • Registry • Disk volume information • Text/Data files • Other things - any suggestions?

  11. Why use UFL? • Available to all reports/versions • More efficient processing • More powerful • Can be placed in any section • Customise your reports

  12. Writing a UFL • Create a new VB project (ActiveX DLL) • Create a new class • Create a public function • (numeric, date, string, etc.) • Compile the DLL • Register the DLL

  13. Naming the UFL • Project file Name CRUFLxxx.DLL • Project Name: CRUFLnnn • Class Name: ccc • Public Function Name: fff • UFL: nnncccfff

  14. Demonstration

  15. Processing the UFL • Report Header/Footer • Page Header/Footer • Group Header/Footer • Details • Sub Report

  16. Conclusion • UFL are very powerful and easy to develop • Available to all reports/versions • More efficient/consistent processing • More powerful • Can be placed in any section of the report • Customise your reports • Any questions?

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