incorrect data in memo field

[Former Member]

I am using Crystal Reports 11.0.0.1282 and trying to generate a document via Metastorm ProVision - connecting to a MS Access database (pvReport) through a ODBC (RDO) connection.

When I bring in a database field which is a memo type, the data that is being returned is not displaying correctly. It is definitely pulling from the right source and pulling the right data - but the first character of the "memo" is being repeated, and the field is truncated. For instance - if my memo field should say "This is the text in the memo" - it instead returns "TThis is the text in th" or something to that effect. This is just an example - and in the actual report the memo is only getting truncated after 255 characters.

The Access database has all of the information in it (so it is not a data error with my data source), and when I export out to an excel, the data is messed up just as it appears in the report (in Crystal Reports) - so it is not just a display issue.

In another report I had the same issue, but rebuilt the report from scratch - and the problem resolved itself. However, it has come up again - and rebuilding the report from scratch has not resolved it. I have co-workers that have experienced similar strange behavior and I have to believe that there has to be a solution to this problem.

Please advise - Thanks.

[former_member11696]

This is an ODBC driver issue. It's telling CR it's a string field or that it's only 256 characters long. CR queries the ODBC driver to get the field types as defined in the DB. If it returns the wrong data it will be the driver.

Ask them if they have an updated driver and one that uses ANSII92 standards.

Please re-post if this is still an issue to the Data Connectivity - Crystal Reports Forum or purchase a case and have a dedicated support engineer work with you directly

[Former Member]

My first suspicion on this one is the data access drivers that you're using.

Is it possible to use another connection type?

Go back to the report that you re-built from scratch (the one that works now), and see if it's using a different data connection type. Or, if it shares an identical type, try running that report on your machine now, and see if the data is mangled. if it is, you can pretty clearly implicate the access drivers.

[Former Member]

The one that works - is still working, and it is going through the same connection. I don't think I can access that database via anything other than ODBC (RDO).

[Former Member]

Hi Benjamin,

Follow these steps, and check the output.

1.Right click on the field object and select "Format Editor".

2.Click on the "Paragraph" tab and select the "Text interpretation" as "RTF Text" or "HTML Text".

3.Click on "Ok" button.

Hope this helps.

[Former Member]

That unfortunately did not work either...

However - what we did find to work, was that when the "Select Distinct Records" option is set (when the SQL Query shows "SELECT DISTINCT"), then the problem with the memo field exists. However, when it is unselected (when it is just a normal "SELECT") then the memo field goes back to normal.

So, the problem has been "resolved" for the time being - but this obviously seems to be some sort of bug. I do not know if is a result of CR trying to compare the memo fields, since that field is lumped into the "SELECT DISTINCT" query?