The procedure for adding a database (i.e. the interface files that contain the selected fields) to a Crystal Reports report is described below.
1. Select the Report Expert option in the Crystal Reports Designer's Report menu.
The Standard Report Expert will then be displayed. The Data tab shows the list of entities already assigned to the report.
2. To add a new entity, click on the Active Data button in the button list.
The Choose SQL Table dialog box will appear.
3. Click on the Log On Server button.
4. In the Server Type list, select "Active Data (Field Definitions Only)" and click on OK .
The Select Data Source dialog box will be opened.
5. Click on the Browse button for the Data Definition radio button.
6. In the Select Data Definition File box, open the directory defined in the system variable TEMP (whose length must not exceed 248 characters), and then the sub-directory with the same name as the current Adelia environment and finally the sub-directory with the same name as the template code for the program currently being edited. Select the " .ttx" interface file for the required entity. Then click on the Open button.
7. The Select Data Source dialog box will be displayed again. Click on the Finish button.
8. The Choose SQL Table dialog box will reappear:
- If there is only one entry in the SQL Databases list, click on OK .
- Otherwise, select the required entity and click on the Add button, then on the Done button.
9. The Visual Linking Expert dialog box will then be displayed, with the selected entity's new table and all its data fields.
Note: The "_link" field is included with all tables. It is used internally by the system to link tables together. This link is made automatically as soon as a new table is inserted. Note that all tables must be linked by this field and only by this field.
There is an exception: a table that is not used in the report (i.e. none of its fields is placed) must not have a double link (previous table, next table). Such a case causes the following error message to appear when the print program is run: "The database file cannot be found". You can solve the problem by deleting the table from the report.
10. Click on OK .
The entity will now be incorporated into the report and you will be able to place all its component fields using the Database Field option in the Insert menu.