Crystal Reports: nvarchar(max) fields truncating after 255 characters in runtime

[andhcie]

Hi there,
our database previously used the Native Client 11 as a driver and our IT Support said they would no longer support it and requested for the manufacturer of the database to allow for the ODBC 18 Driver. They did this but then the memo fields in all our Crystal Reports were getting truncated using Crystal Reports 2016. The Database Manufacturer suggested update to Crystal Reports 2020. We installed a trial version and when I, as database admin, export the reports using the Crystal program I have no issue. However most of our database users work directly in the client and export the reports using runtime and the problem still exists - that nvarchar(MAX) fields are getting truncated.

Is this a bug in the runtime version? The database manufacturer said it is a problem only SAP can resolve.

[DonWilliams]

What version of the SDK is the app using? Did you save the Report after updating and Verifying the Database in CR Designer?

CR saves the DB client used in the RPT file so the SDK will use it.

If the report is not updated, saved, and it can't find the old Client CR will default to a generic database client SQL which may not be capable of using that field type.

[andhcie]

Hi, Ive asked the database manufacturer about what version of SDK is being used. Once I receive a reply ill post. I did save the report after verifying the database.

[andhcie]

So ive heard back - we are using SP34. The next version of the database will use SP35, but they say that SAP hasn't included a fix for this issue in it.

[DonWilliams]

SP 37 was just released, get them to test with that version

[DonWilliams · Accepted solution]

According to CR for VS PAM ODBC 18 is not supported, it is supported via OLE DB.

https://www.sap.com/documents/2016/06/f871031e-757c-0010-82c7-eda71af511fa.html

Your Options are to set database location to OLE DB or use ODBC 17 client.

I recall discussing this with R&D but I don't recall the reasons why ODBC can't be made to work. Often there are differences between ODBC and OLE DB clients, sometimes ODBC work and sometimes OLE DB work... sometimes they both work, it appears ODBC 18 is not 100% compatible...

In CR 9 when R&D rewrote a huge chunk of the code they separated CR's database component into a separate dll because CR had so many "hacks" to "fix" client bugs they decided it's no longer a CR issue, if there are bugs in the Clients the makers had to fix them, it's not a CR issue.

SP 37 will not likely fix the issue but still recommend they upgrade to take advantage of the security updates etc.