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Crystal reports: does not work when no SQLServer Management studio installed

  • 21 September 2023
  • 5 replies
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Hi all,

I deployed an upgrade to an end application. Ever since, some of the reports (Crystal Reports) do not work anymore on users’ systems. The platform version has remained stable.

During development and while testing no problems occurred. It turns out that having SQLServer Management Studio installed is required for a working report.

Without the management studio, Crystal Reports refuses to connect to the database.

I imagine that installing the management studio provides additional database drivers, without which the CR runtime is not able to connect to the database.

I have not been able to figure out which installable drivers the reports depend on, where to find such a driver, and why this is a problem all of a sudden.

One thing could be that development is done against a more recent SQLServer version, as we do not have access to post end-of-life databases for development. (The situation is not being helped by running a zombie platform version, because of difficulties procuring an upgrade for the database, and the bits of CR between bugs itself being outdated by half a century).

To summarize:

  • There was a release of a new version of the end application
  • CR reports stopped working on client machines that do not have SQL Management Studio installed
  • To my knowledge, problems are encountered not only with edited reports
  • development was done against SQLServer 2019
  • production runs against SQLServer 2016
  • TW platform is 2021.3; CR runtime release 25 with GUI 2022.x
  • Things ‘used to just work’

Perhaps entering the right search phrase returns a direct hit either on the community or any search engine, but I have been unable to formulate the right set of keywords.

Any suggestions?

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Best answer by Erwin Ekkel 29 September 2023, 11:55

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Userlevel 6
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Perhaps this topic can be of assistance: 

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74874663/why-do-i-need-to-install-ssms-to-open-crystal-reports-from-remote-pc

"Installed Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Native Client was the solution for my problem”

B
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Hi Erwin,

Thanks for pointing to this workaround.

It has striking similarity to my own workaround,

It turns out that having SQLServer Management Studio installed is required for a working report.

…

  • CR reports stopped working on client machines that do not have SQL Management Studio installed

 

with the difference that they use Management Studio 2012 😜

I still could try whether such an old version of MSSMS induces the correct changes in a client system. That would prove that it is not a case of a newish addition that breaks the reports. Even so: installing the management studio on each users’ system would be inconvenient.

 

Jasper
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Could this be the problem?

Crystal Reports | TLS 1.2 encryption protocol

 

B
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Hi Jasper,

Thanks for chiming in.

We had a look at the TLS version, but their server is older than that so it should not be a problem.

@Erwin Ekkel , upon re-reading your comment, I realize I misread it on first sight. I read `native client` as `Microsofts own SQL Server client`, ie, the management studio. I now realize it is a driver package of sorts.

I'll contact my customer and post back after they have tested this. Thanks both of you!

E
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Userlevel 6
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@Boudewijn did you manage to solve the problem? If so, please select a best answer. 

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