Prima's Guide to Seagate Crystal Reports 8 Book

Part 1: Introduction to Segate Crystal Reports

Chapter 1: An Overview of Seagate Crystal Reports

Getting Started

Launching the Crystal Report Designer

Making Use of the Report Experts

Blank Reports

Start with an Expert, Then Customize

Connecting a Report to a Data Source

Design Tab Sections

Designing Reports: Where Do I Start?

Making Reports Available on the Web

Chapter 2: Creating Your First Seagate Crystal Report

Creating a Report Using the Standard Report Expert

Opening the Crystal Report Designer and Starting a Report

Choosing the Source of Report Data

The Links Tab

Selecting Fields to Print on the Report

Adding Groups to a Report

Adding Summaries, Grand Totals, and Percentages

Sort Tab: Sorting Groups Based on Summary Information

Adding a Chart or Graph with the Chart Tab

Selecting Records to Include

Applying a Report Style

Previewing Your Report

The Other Experts: Creating Specific Report Types

Form Letter Report Expert: Repeating a Report with Different Data

Form Report Expert: Making a Report Look Like a Pre-Printed Form

Cross-Tab Report Expert: Analyzing Data in a Spreadsheet

Subreport Expert: Preparing a Report for Insertion into Another Report

Mailing Labels Report Expert: Printing Data on Standard or Custom Labels

Drill Down Report Expert: Combining Summaries and Details on One Report

OLAP Report Expert: Making Data Three-Dimensional

Designing from a Blank Report

Connecting to Data

Inserting Fields into Your Report

Grouping Data on Your Report

Sorting Records

Totaling and Subtotaling

Adding Titles and Special Fields to the Report

Saving Your Report

Previewing Your Report

Starting from an Existing Report

Part II: Adding to Your Crystal Reports

Chapter 3: Reporting from Your Database: Connecting to and Linking Data

Databases 101

Determining Your Data Source Type

Using the Data Explorer

Linking Tables Together

Adding and Removing Databases and Tables

Verifying Your Database and Changing Its Location

Chapter 4: Selecting Records

Using the Select Expert

Setting Selection Criteria

Beyond the Select Expert: Writing Selection Formulas

Handling Null Values

Using Parameter Fields in Record Selection

Performance Issues with the Select Expert

Chapter 5: Sorting, Grouping, and Totaling Data on Your Report

Sorting Detail Records

Creating Groups

Specified Order Grouping: Much More than Ordering Groups

Adding Totals to Reports

Creating Running Totals

Chapter 6: Introduction to Formulas

What Is a Formula?

What Can Formulas Do for Me?

How Do I Write a Formula?

Formula Examples

Boolean Formulas

The If-Then-Else Statements

Using Variables

Chapter 7: Formatting Your Report

Page Formatting

Formatting Fields

Absolute vs. Conditional Formatting

Formatting Sections

Adding Graphics to Your Report

Part III: Advanced Reporting Topics

Chapter 8: Advanced Formulas

Introducing Basic Syntax

Control Structures in Crystal Syntax

Formula Limitations

Programming Shortcuts

Multi-Pass Reporting

Print State Functions

Using Custom Formulas in Selection Criteria

Chapter 9: Working with Subreports

Inserting Existing Reports into Main Reports

Creating a Subreport from within the Main Report

Linking the Subreport to the Main Report

Filtering Data in a Subreport by Linking to a Main Report

On-Demand Subreports

Using Subreports to Overcome Database Issues

Passing Data from the Subreport to the Main Report

Chapter 10: Cross-Tab Reports

Identifying Potential Cross-Tab Data

Adding a Cross-Tab to a Report

Chapter 11: Using Parameters

When and Where to Use Parameter Fields

Creating a Parameter Field

Chapter 12: Adding Charts and Maps for Better Data Analysis

Adding Charts and Maps to Reports

Using the Chart Expert

Customizing Your Chart with the Chart Analyzer

Using the Map Expert

Putting the Map Analyzer to Work

Chapter 13: Using SQL in Crystal Reports

Introduction to SQL

Benefits of Server-Side Processing

Using SQL Expressions

Using Crystal SQL Designer

Creating Reports from Stored Procedures

Final Suggestions for Working with Your Data

Chapter 14: OLAP Reporting

What Is OLAP?

OLAP Data Sources

Creating OLAP Reports

Modifying the Report by Changing the Grid Dimensions

Part IV: Using Seagate Crystal Reports with Other Tools

Chapter 15: Using Crystal Reports with Other Software Applications

Exporting Reports

Add-Ins for Microsoft Excel and Access

Chapter 16: Publishing Segate Crystal Reports to the Web

Features of the Web Component Server

Overview of Architecture

Installing the Crystal Web Report Server

Samples and Exercises

Developer Active Server Page Samples

Additional Help and Documentation

Chapter 17: The Benefits of Seagate Info

What Is Seagate Info?

Migrating from Crystal Reports to Seagate Info

Chapter 18: Project Management

Planning a Report

Building a Report Step-By-Step

Recommended Settings and Tips

Part V: Appendixes

Appendix A: Setting Up and ODBC Data Source

What Is ODBC?

Creating an ODBC Data Source

Troubleshooting Suggestions

Appendix B: How to Get Help

Types of Help Available

Appendix C: Crystal Dictionaries

What Is a Dictionary?

Benefits of Using Dictionaries

Creating Crystal Dictionaries

Designing a Report Using a Dictionary

Appendix D: Seagate Analysis

What Is Seagate Analysis?

The Components of Seagate Analysis

Designing the Basic Query

Creating Summaries and Totals

Adding Parameter Fields

Adding Formulas to the Query

SQL Expressions

Getting the Results of the Query

Exporting to Excel from the Query Tab

Formatting the Query as a Report

Creating Charts on the Report Tab

Exporting from the Report Tab

Maps in Seagate Analysis

Viewing the SQL Statement

Printing the Report

Drill Down

Pictures

Subreports in Seagate Analysis

The Cube Tab

Index