Deploying VB.NET Application with Crystal Reports

[Former Member]

Hello everyone.

I'm new around here and this is my first post. I hope I'm not crossing any rules, with this thread or the section where I'm starting it.

I have an application in VB.NET that requires Crystal Reports in order to be completely functional, in other words, appart from performing its main purposes I also need to print reports from data I get from grids.

I'm going to point out that you check this link, in order to better understand my problem at hand and I'll do a brief summary of it below.

To put it short, at first when I tried to preview a report for printing I get an error about the assembly "CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine". Then I downloaded the Crystal Reports Runtime package and I thought it would solve the problem, but it looks like the package doesn't contain all the basic assemblies? I get the following error:

"Could not load file or assembly 'CrystalDecisions.ReportAppServer.CommLayer, Version = 13.0.2000.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=692fbea5521e1304' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified."

Note: This happens on every target machine as to where I've deployed my project, even on VM

I hope someone can shed some light on this problem, because I really need to get my project running on every machine of the company I'm working on.

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

What you have downloaded; Crystal Reports Runtime package, is not the correct runtime. E.g.; you are using crvs (v.13.x), but the package you downloaded is of another version. The correct runtime is documented here:

- Ludek

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Ludek and thank you for your reply.

What you're saying makes sense, but I'm confused here, because for the machine where I'm developping the application I downloaded the Support Pack 9 (filename: CRforVS_13_0_9.exe) and for the target machine (where I'm trying to use the application), I've downloaded the 64bit.msi (filename: CRforVS_redist_install_64bit_13_0_9.msi), as you can see in the following image:

I checked the version installed on the developping machine and the target machine and this is what I have:

Developping Machine

Target Machine

As you can see both machines have the same version of Crystal Reports. However, when I check Visual Studio on the Developping Machine, more specifically on the "References" tab of the project Properties, the Crystal Reports version is shown below:

Furthermore, I went to check the versions of the files on Windows and I have the following:

On directory: "C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\Crystal Reports for .NET Framework 4.0\Common\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\win32_x86\dotnet"

On directory: "C:\Windows\assembly"

Everytime I add the references even from the directory "C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\Crystal Reports for .NET Framework 4.0\Common\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\win32_x86\dotnet", I still keep getting references added with the versions 13.0.2000.0 and I don't understand why this is happening...

May anyone please help me with this problem? I've tried clearing the references and adding them again, but it still keeps adding the same references with the wrong version...

[former_member188030 · Accepted solution]

For every CR assembly there are two versions, a File version and an Assembly version.

File version is 13.0.9.xxx which gives the service pack level of the assembly.

13.0.7.xxx is for SP7, 13.0.8 is for SP8 and so on.

Assembly version is 13.0.2000.0 which tells us what version of .NET framework is used to compile the assembly. 13.0.200 is compiled with .NET framework 2.0 and so on.

With every service pack upgrade the File version of the assembly changes but the assembly version remains the same.

When referenced in an app the assembly shows the assembly version so as in GAC so as in web.config of the app. In gac you can see the assembly version but if you right click the assembly go to properties and version tab you would see the file version too.

See this related KB.

http://search.sap.com/notes?id=0002005516&boj=/sap/bc/bsp/spn/scn_bosap/notes.do?access=69765F6D6F64...

Hope this clears your doubts.

- Bhushan

Senior Engineer

SAP Active Global Support

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Getting started and moving ahead with Crystal Reports .NET applications.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Ok! Now we're getting somewhere!

So, from what I understand, what I need to do is download a diferent version of Crystal Reports Runtime for the target machine? Let's say this one from here?

Edit* Well... I downloaded this version and it doesn't even install the Crystal Reports Engine...

I'm at a loss here, because I have no idea which version I need for the target machine.

[former_member188030 · Accepted solution]

Earlier you were installing CR for VS 2010 which is version 13.0. all the sanpshots show the same version. Now, I am not sure why you are trying to install CR 2008 redistributable from "this one" link above? CR 2008 is evrsion 12.0.

Make sure you have same version of assemblies on development and client machine.

For development with VS 2010/2012/2013 install CRforVS_13_0_10.exe.

And for client / Server machine where you will be deploying the app install the runtime MSI (of the same version.) either 'CRforVS_redist_install_32bit_13_0_10.msi' or 'CRforVS_redist_install_64bit_13_0_10.msi' depending the target platform of your app i.e. X86 or X64.

Thanks,

Bhushan

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Well, I'm going to try out what you're suggesting, even though I did exactly that but for CRforVS_13_0_9 and 'CRforVS_redist_install_64bit_13_0_9.

I'll come back with feedback soon.

Edit* Wow I can't thank you enough, this did solve my problem! I don't understand why I was having this problem with the previous version of CR. Although, I did notice something interesting on the CRforVS_13_0_10 package. After installing CR it asks if you want to install CR Runtime for 64 bit machines and I'm going to bet that does all the difference there, but I'm not sure about it.

May anyone confirm this?

Thanks for helping me out, now I just have to find out how to deploy the application with the CR Runtime integrated, so that the user doesn't have to do anything but one simple click