[ReCrystallize Pro]  [Who's using ReCrystallize Pro?]

[Sample Reports]  [Screen Shots]  [Getting Started (PDF)]  [FAQ]  [Support FAQ]  [Support]  [Activation]

How does ReCrystallize Pro work and how will it help me to make my Crystal Reports available on the web?

ReCrystallize Pro works with your existing Crystal Reports .rpt files.  It creates ASP web pages that process your reports on your web server, refresh the data,  and then display the reports in a web browser.

The ReCrystallize Pro wizard examines your Crystal Reports .rpt file to determine what information is needed to run the report.  For example, a user id and password may be required to log in to your database. Parameter values such as dates may also be needed. ReCrystallize Pro asks how you would like to set parameter values; you may prompt your users for some values while setting and hiding other values. 

ReCrystallize Pro then creates all of the web pages needed for your Crystal Report.  The web pages that ReCrystallize Pro produces are "ready to run" immediately.  If desired, you may customize the appearance or behavior of the web pages using a text or web editor.

The process of using using the ReCrystallize Pro wizard to create web pages for a report usually takes about 5 minutes.

Who should use ReCrystallize Pro?

ReCrystallize Pro is ideal for anyone who wants to make Crystal Reports available for viewing in a web browser with an easy-to-use, customizable interface.  

Anyone who has a basic working knowledge of Crystal Reports can use the ReCrystallize Pro wizard to create web pages.  At the same time, ReCrystallize provides a powerful tool for knowledgeable developers who often use ReCrystallize Pro to "jump start" their development efforts and then modify the HTML or ASP code to customize the appearance or behavior of reports.

Will this solution require any special training for end users who view reports?

Anyone who can use a web browser will be able to view reports with no little or no additional training. If you prefer, your report data can be returned directly as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or PDF files.

Will  ReCrystallize Pro work with my database?

ReCrystallize Pro is tested primarily with the SQL Server and Oracle databases, but like Crystal Reports it can use data from most sources such as Access, FoxPro, or even your web server's file system or logs. You can use any ODBC data source or Crystal Reports' native database drivers.   Proprietary databases that use non-standard ODBC configurations or login details, or that require interactive logins, may require extra configuration and troubleshooting to work with ReCrystallize Pro.  Reports based on ADO recordsets are not supported in the current release; development is underway to provide ADO support.

Can I set security to control access to certain reports or what data is in a report?

Yes, ReCrystallize Pro works with Crystal Reports, your web server and your database to control access to your data in any of three ways:

Will users be able to see or override database login information or report parameters I set?

ReCrystallize Pro creates Active Server Pages (ASP) to run your reports. Because Active Server Pages execute on the web server, passwords and preset report parameters never leave the server, so users will not be able to observe or override these values. Users can change only the parameters you select in the ReCrystallize Pro wizard.

What are the system requirements for using the ReCrystallize Pro wizard to create web pages?

Windows 2000, XP, 2003, 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
1GB RAM recommended.
250 MB available disk space .

What are the system requirements for running reports on the web using web pages created by ReCrystallize Pro?

Windows 2000, XP, 2003, 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 with IIS installed.
1GB RAM recommended.
250 MB available disk space recommended.

Will my web server need access to my database?

Yes, in order to run reports with "live" data, your web server PC will need to be configured for access to your database. To report on an ODBC data source, for example, you would create an ODBC System DSN from your web server's Control Panel. If your database requires client software such as the Oracle client, it will also need to be installed and configured on the web server.  If you only wish to run reports with saved data, no database connection is required on the web server.

 Do I need Crystal Reports Server to use ReCrystallize Pro?

Crystal Reports Server is not required to run the web pages created by ReCrystallize Pro. Instead, the web pages use the Crystal Reports Developer Edition on your web server.  Crystal Reports licensing requires that you own a license for the Crystal Reports Developer Edition ($595).

 Why would I use ReCrystallize Pro instead of or in addition to Crystal Reports Server?

ReCrystallize Pro often provides a simpler, more cost-effective solution. You can customize your report web pages to blend seamlessly with the other content on your web site.  The web pages produced by ReCrystallize Pro are "self evident"--most users will know at a glance how to set report parameters and view a report.  Making your web reports easy to use avoids the need for costly end user training and support.

Crystal Reports Server is overkill for many applications in small to mid-size companies and departmental uses within large organizations.  ReCrystallize Pro provides a less complex, more cost-effective option when you don't need all the capabilities that Crystal Reports Server provides. 

Please contact us if you are unsure whether you should use ReCrystallize Pro or Crystal Reports Server and we'll recommend the best option to meet your requirements.

How many users can view reports on the web if I use ReCrystallize Pro?

If you use Crystal Reports Developer Edition version XI (recommended) with ReCrystallize Pro, there is no licensing limitation on the number of users who can view reports on the web. The practical limit on simultaneous web users will vary depending on the speed of your web server and database and on the complexity of your Crystal Reports. As a rule of thumb, it is reasonable to expect one server to support 15-20 simultaneous users viewing reports.  If needed, you may split your reports or users between two or more web servers in order to improve performance.

The largest factor in determining overall performance and the number of web users you can support is the time required for your database to run the queries in your Crystal Reports, which will be about the same viewing reports on the web as when refreshing report data in Crystal Reports.

How is ReCrystallize Pro licensed? How many ReCrystallize Pro licenses do I need?

ReCrystallize Pro is licensed as a development tool on a named user basis. This means that you would need one ReCrystallize Pro license for each person who uses ReCrystallize Pro to create web pages.

Do I need any additional licensing for web users with ReCrystallize Pro?

ReCrystallize Pro is licensed as a development tool, without regard to the number of web users who will view reports. Crystal Reports licensing requires that you own a licensed copy of Crystal Reports Developer Edition ($595) to work with the web pages created by ReCrystallize Pro.

Which versions of Crystal Reports work with ReCrystallize Pro?

ReCrystallize Pro works with Crystal Reports versions 7, 8.0, 8.5, 9, 10, XI, XI R2 and 2008. ReCrystallize Pro works with reports designed using Crystal Reports 2008, but does not yet support the use of Crystal Reports 2008 on the web server. Therefore, a licensed copy of Crystal Reports XI R2 or lower is required for use on the web server.

Can ReCrystallize Pro run reports automatically on a schedule?

ReCrystallize Pro does not include report scheduling capabilities. We recommend cViewMANAGER or cViewSERVER for report scheduling. If you have any questions about how best to meet your report distribution and/or scheduling requirements, please contact us for a recommendation.

Which web browsers does ReCrystallize Pro support?

ReCrystallize Pro works with most web browsers -- including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Opera -- running on most operating systems -- including Windows, OS X, and Linux.

The ActiveX report viewer is recommended for Internet Explorer on Windows. The Java report viewer is recommend for all other browsers.

Can I pass parameter values to my reports directly from a link or my own application, without using the parameter form that ReCrystallize Pro creates?

Yes, the *-dynamic.asp web pages that process reports will accept parameter values on the URL (GET) or from your own form (POST). Please check the parameter form that ReCrystallize Pro creates to determine field names and expected values.

With ReCrystallize Pro, can I view reports in SharePoint?

Yes, the ASP web pages that ReCrystallize creates for viewing reports can be easily integrated into a SharePoint site as a web part. This would allow users to view reports in SharePoint using one of the Crystal Reports page-on-demand viewers (ActiveX or Java). Another option would be to export the reports to PDF on-demand so that the report is refreshed with up-to-date information and then opens as a PDF.

What is the difference between the Crystal Web Component Server and Active Server Pages?

A: The Crystal Web Component Server (formerly known as the Crystal Web Reports Server) is a group of components that are included and installed as part of Crystal Reports versions 7 and 8. These components work with your web server using the Netscape API, Internet Information Server API, or CGI to render your Crystal Reports as they are requested. The Crystal Web Reports Server offers built-in caching of report data that may be beneficial if your report data does not change frequently and does not vary from user to user. However, the effectiveness of the caching may be negligible if your reports will frequently be run with different parameters or record selection formulas. (Beginning with Crystal Reports 8.5, this functionality is provided as part of Crystal Enterprise.) 

The Active Server Pages created by ReCrystallize Pro use the VBScript programming language to run your reports directly with the Crystal Reports Report Designer Component (RDC). Using ASP to run reports gives developers practically unlimited flexibility to customize the way reports are run and presented to the user. ASP also provides better security because preset or calculated report parameters and database login information never leave the server, ensuring that users can not observe or override this information.

Does ReCrystallize Pro eliminate the need for Crystal Reports licensing?

ReCrystallize Pro is not intended to circumvent any licensing required by Crystal Reports.  You are required under Crystal Reports licensing terms to own a Crystal Reports Developer Edition license ($595) in order to distribute reports using the web pages that ReCrystallize Pro creates.