Run external program from Crystal Reports

[#1]

is that possible to run external program from Crystal Reports?

I want to protect the reports with a dongle (hardware), I can create a small program in Java, CBuilder or Delphi to detect the dongle and send the return value. From the return value I can decide to proceed with the report.

[ido_millet · Accepted solution]

It is possible using your own viewer application of a 3rd-party viewer app.

But your use case (given that you need not only to call but also receive a return value) is a better fit for creating a User Function Library (UFL). A function in the UFL can then call & return the result via a Crystal formula.
In general, I would advise you to rethink what you are doing. The direction you are taking doesn't sound like a good one.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

It will be a small module to get the return value (checking with the dongle is exist)

[former_member11696]

The short story is CR will not allow you to run any kind of executable from within it. That would be a huge security issue.

Do as Ido suggests, he's been supporting CR for 20+ years.

A UFL will be able to call your UFL dll to pass what you need. Here's is a KBA on how to:

https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/1525014

Don

[Former Member]

but can it be done? if I ask a programmer to create a UFL using Java, to check if the dongle is exist on local port and get the return value.

[ido_millet]

The complexity of the procedure call is irrelevant. The principle & architecture choices remain the same.