Using Crystal Reports mySQL Visual Studio 2010 with change in database at runtime

Question

Can someone please explain to me how to use crystal reports with mySQL on visual studio? The problem I have is that all the runtime servers are different from the design time servers. The structures of the databases are the same though. So what I need is to design a crystal report using a connection then change that connection on the clients computer.

Sam Hobbs · Answer

ODBC is old technology. ADO is newer and ADO .Net is for use by managed programs. There is something for MySQL that uses ADO .Net; use that. I don't know the details of how to use Crystal Reports with it but there are articles in this web site (look to the right of here for suggestions) and the MySQL site has some help too.

patrick · Answer

Let me try to clarify. Up to now I have never used crystal reports. My program has always connected to mysql using the mysqlConnection class and a connection string (server='s';username='u';password='p'). So my original issue was trying to get the mysql database to load data into a crystal report using the same connection string that the rest of the program uses which is always specified by the client settings. What I have done so far to make progress was to set up and ODBC connection (which i never used in the program before) on my computer and matching ones on the client computers using windows admininstrator tools -> data sources. So essentially my current issue comes down to this: how can I let the user choose an ODBC connection at runtime to ensure they are not having an issue connecting to their database? Like I said I've never used crystal reports or the mySQL ODBC connector before I have always just connected with code so let me know if I am going in the wrong direction.

Sam Hobbs · Answer

Your question is very unclear. The original question says  all the runtime servers are different  which implies that you have no problem connecting and using MySQL but you have a question about how to use a database. Now you seem to be unfamiliar with the use of MySQL. So what is the question?

patrick · Answer

So crystal reports can't actually connect to mySQL data? I might be a little confused. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/database/MySQLCrystal.aspx in this article it gives instructions on how to connect to a dataSet but wouldn't I have to reload that on the client computer everytime? Would it be easier if I set up a windows ODBC connection using the mySQL driver and connected to that?

Sam Hobbs · Answer

Typically when Visual Studio creates a data source it puts the connection string in the application's properties. The application's properties are stored in a XML file; I think the file name is actually app.config. You can have a different connection string in the app.config in your development system than what is in it for production.

Gomathi Palaniswamy · Answer

check msdn link to use crystal report. http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-AU/vscrystalreports/thread/c4782911-8bfb-43f8-8206-3e523eff4b6a

Using Crystal Reports, mySQL, Visual Studio 2010 with change in database at runtime