Auto generated datetime parameters and poor user interface

[Former Member]

Hi,

Has anyone resolved this problem.

My report is calling a stored procedure which has startdate and enddate

datetime parameters. These parameters are passed into the stored procedure as the result set from the stored procedure - a union of select statements would be far too large to return to crystal without filtering by where clauses on the server side.

The problem is the auto generated calendar prompts when the user runs the report have the time component. A user defined datetime parameter would allow change to a date but this auto generated parameter does not.

If I specify the stored procedure parameters as dates then the auto generated parameter is set as a string with no calendar prompt and again this parameter cannot be edited /changed to a date.

Also .. the Set to Null check box appears underneath the Calendar prompts - something I do not want either.

I can remove the time portion from the passed parameters within the stored procedure but the user interface looks poor as there is the time portion which is not used.

I can ask the user to not check the Set to Null or take care of it in the stored procedure but again the user interface is poor as I do not want the Set To Null to show at all.

Thanks for any help -

I look forward to any positive news

Kind Regards

Kirk

[JWiseman]

hi Kirk, there's not too much that you can do to customize the default parameter / prompt dialogue other than changing the prompt types like you tried already.

if your end users are accessing the reports via the dhtml viewer in businessobjects enterprise (or crystal reports server) xi or higher then you can look into using the [webelements custom function library |]to design a customer parameter / prompt page for your report.

if you want to see an example of this method running live go to the experience.sap.com site [here|http://experience.sap.com/experience/html/Pages/index.htm]. now choose Clean Energy and then choose the Plant Performance Reporter. you can create a new report that acts as the user interface, like this example, and then embed your existing stored proc report in an iframe. there is an iframe control in webelements to allow you to do this.

there are a couple different date controls in the library including a calendar and a date select control. all of the controls can be assigned default values that are hard coded or set using formulas or functions. there is a users guide in the main download that will give you more info on each of the available webelements functions.

i hope this helps,

jamie

[Former Member]

Thanks Jamie for the reply. The users are accessing reports through Java Infoview, We also use Crystal reports Server to email scheduled reports to clients. Is dhtml viewer Info view or a different beast.Would reports written as you describe lend themselves to scheduling.

Thanks Kirk

[JWiseman]

this would be a solution designed for viewing from infoview and not for scheduling. it doesn't matter if you're using the java platform of infoview or the .net platform.

to utilize the dhtml viewer, a user's preferences in Infoview > Preferences > Crystal Reports > Default View Format should be set to Web (No Download Required.) if any of the other viewers are selected, e.g. Web ActiveX, then this solution will not work.

how this works is basically as follows:

1) you create a new report to act as a user interface (or you can embed controls directly on a report but i won't go into that here)

2) in the new report you add 1 control for each of the existing prompts on the existing target report that you've written off the stored proc...for example if your target report has only a date range, you could put in the control for a calendar date range control

3) the end user would go into infoview and open the new interface report (or bypass infoview by going directly to the user interface via an opendocument url) and then choose the parameter values they wanted, and then hit the submit button or link

4) an opendocument url is created by the user interface report and the target report is opened up (in an iframe or a new window...) with the chosen parameter values

[Former Member]

Thanks Jamie for this answer. I have not closed or set this as answered yet - as i've only just got round to investigating further.

Thankyou for your help and I hope the next few days go well for me

Regards Kirk

[Former Member]

Hi Jamie,

We have a live Crystal Reports Server and a test development server.

I have been allowed to test on the development server.

A third party installed the live Crystal Server and aided in the install of a Test Server.

Both Servers are Crystal Reports Server 2008 - V1 and have been service packed to SP3.

The enviroment is WACS based.

Reading the webElements User Guide 246.pdf - the first issue

To enable pass-through HTML for a .Net, IIS, or WACS based environment

1. Locate the web.config file for your BusinessObjects Enterprise

installation.

BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.1

C:\Program Files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise

12.0\Web Content\InfoViewApp\CrystalReports\web.config

This folder path does not exist on the Test box

The following path looks promising

E:\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12.0\Web Content\InfoViewApp

but only has the folders

AnalyticalReporting

InfoViewApp (Contains WebConfigMerger.exe)

The Live Server has the Web.Config file along the path

D:\Program Files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12.0\Web Content\InfoViewApp\CrystalReports

My gut feeling tells me that the Test Server has not been installed at set up with these Web Components.

Do you feel this is the case and can I install them retrospectively .

Thanks for your assistance .

Kind Regards

Kirk Armstrong

[JWiseman]

hi Kirk,

this is a bit beyond what i can help you with.

can you please repost this to the businessobjects enterprise forum under a title of "activating pass through html" in businessobjects enterprise" or something similar.

the feature in question that doesn't work is "pass through html"...webelements sits on top of that. activation of pass through html is a supported feature.

best of luck and sorry for the late reply...been on vacation.

jamie