"Load report failed." with Crystal Reports 9

[nater]

I have a "Load report failed" error when I deploy an application with a viewer using crystal reports 9. I'm using an ADO.NET dataset to feed data to the report. The application works great on my PC even when installed, however not on any with only the .net framework. Even the simpliest application, created with the help file's examples.

 

I am using vb.net.. and not the full vs.net you may be thinking of, but the stripped down VB only version.. This means by default that C++/C#/etc are not installed, which includes the vs.net standard crystal reports package. (Pretty sure this means the files normally in programfiles\common files\crystal decisions\1.0 are non existant)

 

So then, it was decided I needed to do reporting with crystal reports and so they gave me CR 9 Developer. CR9 apparently has a new version for their libraries, all in the newly created 2.0 dir at the above path. The problem now was that CR9 could not load crdb_adoplus.dll, because it didn't exist. (I'm guessing because the 1.0 version wasn't there, it didn't load the new 2.0 at install. Also it wasn't even an installation option to install for a datasource?). However it still installed vs.net things such as help, an option to add crystal reports to a project, etc.

 

Ok so I found a hotfix on crystaldecisions.com which was similar. This patch needed an old version of crdb_adoplus.dll to uncompress its new files, which I didn't have. As per the suggestion on the page, I put a 1.0 version of the dll obtained from another computer and placed it the 2.0 dir. Ran the update, bingo the latest version of crdb_adoplus.dll. The update is at http://support.crystaldecisions.com/library/kbase/articles/c2013231.asp

 

Now everything was working great so I developed my app. It uses a MS Access database for input. However, even creating a simple app with only a viewer does the same thing, it will receives the same error as my application when installed on a .net only machine. I will include it in the hope that someone will recognize I have some property set wrong.

 

I have included a small sample database in the file as well

 

My guess is that it is not packaging something needed from the full version visual studio installation?

 

Please help,

 

-Nathan

 

p.s. the main part of the sample program goes like this:

(crystalreportviewer1 is a viewer, reportDataSet is from the "summary report" table. I have a feeling it's not this code, but how I have the project set up.)

 

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

OpenFileDialog1.ShowDialog()

 

Dim conn As New OleDbConnection("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data source=" & OpenFileDialog1.FileName)

Dim adapter As New OleDbDataAdapter

adapter.SelectCommand = New OleDbCommand("SELECT * FROM [summary Report]", conn)

 

Dim reportDataSet As DataSet = New Dataset1

adapter.Fill(reportDataSet, "Summary Report")

 

Dim rpt As ReportDocument = New CrystalReport1

rpt.SetDataSource(reportDataSet)

CrystalReportViewer1.ReportSource = rpt

CrystalReportViewer1.Update()

End Sub

crtest.zip

[nater]

Fixed

 

Turns out Crystal Reports 9 Developer updates the assemblies when you install it, so it breaks all VS.NET's Crystal Reports functionality. To fix, go to http://www.crystaldecisions.com/search and search for "cr9netmergemodules", there's a pdf in the merge modules file that walks you through deploying with cr9 as well. Hey it increases the setup file by 10 megs and your installation by 20, but what do you expect if you want to use a version that is 0.0.3 higher than the regular CR9?

[Ralf]

I'm glad you resolved that issue, because we were just about to blow our limited budget on visual studio.net and Crystal Reports 9 Developer. Going with just vb.net standard and CR9 will be a much easier sell.

 

1st Question:

If you were to go through all of this again (like we are about to), what installation sequence would you recommend? Installing CR9 first, then VB.net Std? The other way around? We are just trying to get this up ASAP.

 

2nd Question:

You mentioned a file that you 'borrowed' from another computer to get things going - is there any chance you could send that file?

 

Thanks a lot in advance - we are eager to convert our VB6 apps and all of our reports!

[nater]

1st Question:

If you were to go through all of this again (like we are about to), what installation sequence would you recommend? Installing CR9 first, then VB.net Std? The other way around? We are just trying to get this up ASAP.

 

VB.NET first, CR9 second. Run VB.NET after CR9 is installed and a new icon should show up on the splash screen that shows up as visual studio loads.

 

Keep in mind you still need follow the instructions in that pdf in order package the report in a setup file. (This was the frustrating part)

 

2nd Question:

You mentioned a file that you 'borrowed' from another computer to get things going - is there any chance you could send that file?

 

I'll attach v1.0 of crdb_adoplus.dll, this goes into C:\Program Files\Common Files\Crystal Decisions\1.0 before you run that update I mentioned. (the hot fix will create the updated versions in \2.0). Everything should work at this point.

 

The only other thing I've noticed that is different with vb.net standard which may be of interest to you is the server explorer won't talk to anything but MS Access and (MS?) SQL servers. You may want to double check on this before you take my word for it, but I recently tried to inteface with a Sybase DB and it popped up a message saying it couldn't in this version of vs.net.

 

-Nathan

[Ralf]

Thank you for your quick response - I'll be looking for that attachment so I can start the installation process...

 

Thanks again!

[nater]

I guess xtremedotnettalk.com won't attach a .dll file. Here it is zipped.

crdb_adoplus.dll.v1.0.zip

[Ralf]

Got it. Really appreciated your help on this.

 

Thanks!

[vinidel]

CRYSTAL REPORTS 8.5

 

Hi there,

 

I am also trying to run crystal report on VB.NET standard version.

Here are my few questions:

 

1. I have crystal reports 8.5 version. As suggested by you NATER, I installed VB.NET standard version & then CR 8.5 version, but I don't see any new icon on the splash screen that shows up as visual studio loads. I actually did not understand what should I be looking for?

 

2. My crystal report installation path is :

 

C:\Program Files\Seagate Software\Crystal Reports\......

 

and not

 

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Crystal Decisions\1.0

 

So now where should crdb_adoplus.dll should go?

 

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[nater]

1. I have crystal reports 8.5 version. As suggested by you NATER, I installed VB.NET standard version & then CR 8.5 version, but I don't see any new icon on the splash screen that shows up as visual studio loads. I actually did not understand what should I be looking for?

 

I honestly don't know if 8.5 works with .net or not. I believe the version that is included with Visual Studio .Net is a stripped version 9. Try creating a new project, then in solution explorer right click on your project and choose add -> New Item. Then in the window that pops up, if Crystal Report is not there I would conclude 8.5 does not work in .Net.

 

2. My crystal report installation path is :

 

C:\Program Files\Seagate Software\Crystal Reports\......

 

and not

 

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Crystal Decisions\1.0

 

So now where should crdb_adoplus.dll should go?

 

In the common files directory. Typically dll files from a vendor that are shared by multiple programs go the Common Files directory. The installation directory is seperate.

 

-Nathan

[Ralf]

Pretty sure CR9 was the first version compatible with VB.NET; and by the way, after following Nathan's instructions, the Crystal Reports icon did appear (now if I can just find time to work with it!). In my case, the cost savings of not having to get the full version of VS offset the upgrade to CR9.

[yolion]

i need crdb_adoplus.dll .