Update report in 2011

[former_member1082140]

We are running Crystal Server 2011 (Version: 14.0.9.1474) on a server.

From the CMC Folders view, reports were added via Manage -> Add -> Local Document.  The reports had been created in the older Crystal Reports Designer XI Release 2 on a different machine.  The corresponding .rpt files are what were imported via the mentioned step.

Now one of these reports has changed.  I cannot find a simple explanation or set of steps for how to get this updated .rpt file into the CMS in Crystal Server 2011 beyond deleting it and following the above steps again.  Given this software edition has Version Management and Promotion Management, that does not seem the right approach.  Neither are currently in use as this server/software was recently setup.

1) What is the right approach to get an updated .rpt file from the development machine into this Production machine?

2) Was this the right approach to use, if not, what is the suggested approach?  Only 30 or so reports exist.

[Former Member]

Hi Jason,

Promotion Management is the right approach to updated .rpt file from the development machine to  Production machine.

Reference threads:

thanks,

DJ

[former_member1082140]

I realize now I left off one detail.  All these methods, from what I understand of them, assume the report resides in a CMS to start with.  If I am wrong on that, please correct me.

That is not the case for what we have.  It appears that Crystal Reports Designer XI Release 2 can only save created reports out to disk as a .rpt file.  The only CMS we have is the production Crystal Server 2011, so how does an updated .rpt file on disk get into the CMS to replace the existing report?

[DellSC]

To get the report into the CMS, you'll open it in Crystal and then "Save As" and then:

1. Select "Enterprise" on the left panel of the Save As screen.

2. This will bring up a screen where you enter your credentials to log into CRS.

3. Navigate to the folder where the current version of the report is located and select the report.

4. Click on Save (or OK - I don't have Crystal on this machine so I can't check it...)

This will save the new version over the top of the old one and preserve any instances that may exist.

One thing to note - when you save a new version of a report that has existing schedules, those schedules will NOT automatically pick up the new version of the report.  When you schedule a Crystal report, it keeps a copy of the report template as it exists at the time of the schedule.  So, you need to create a new schedule from scratch - rescheduling the existing schedule will just give you the old version of the report.

-Dell

[former_member1082140]

I found that option and understand exactly what you are telling me.  The additional detail on the scheduling is useful to know as I had not read across that point before.

This is where I hit my next issue.  The Production server is accessible via VPN either using a Remote Desktop or via the BI Launch Pad/CMC over port 8080.

As you picked up, I'm new to all this.  Is this where we need to open up port 6400 and the Request port range for the CMS.  As only the report designer software is the only thing outside the Production server that needs to communicate with it in this manner, is there a clear set of documentation for what I need to setup somewhere then?

[DellSC]

You have a couple of options:

1.  Install Crystal Reports 2011 on the server, copy the report there, and publish it from that copy of Crystal.

2.  Open ports 6400 through 6499 so that you can connect through the default ports.

3.  In the CMC, set the following servers to use "specified ports" (see the Admin Guide for more info):

     Crystal 2011 Report Application Server

     Crystal 2011 Report Processing Server

     Input File Repository Server

     The CMS server will run on 6400 and 6401 (it uses two ports...)  Do not use port 6405 for the above servers because that's in use by the RESTful web services.  You would then open just those few ports in the firewall and you should be able to connect from there.

-Dell

[former_member1082140]

Dell,

Thanks for that additional option and the information regarding the ports and the additional options.  I will discuss with the client to see how they want to handle for their environment.  For now I would appear to have enough detail, but if I have additional questions I'll start a new thread in the forum.

Thanks