Crystal Reports: Repository

A solid understanding of the repository can really improve the the efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of your reports. Hammerman and Associates offers classes on this very subject. We aren't going to cover all of it here, but will provide some highlights. 

Use the CR9 Repository for those commonly used objects

The Crystal Reports 9.0 repository is a great place to store some commonly used items in your report. This includes text strings, images, SQL Commands (see next item) and Custom Formulas.

The Repository is initially stored in an Access database and has an ODBC connection with the System DSN of “Crystal Repository.” But you can use any ODBC data source including a database in your network so you can all share the same common objects.

Create a new database for the repository. We recommend you copy the existing MS-Access database, but you can start with an empty database. (The initial repository is Repository_en.mdb, stored in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Crystal Decisions\2.0\bin).

Create an ODBC connection to the new database. The new database does not have to be an Access database. If you use your SQL Server or Oracle server then, by using server security you can control who can view and who can edit items in the repository. 

You next need to set Crystal Reports 9.0 to use this new Database connection. This control information is stored in an INI file and can be edited with any text editor such as NotePad. The INI file is at C:\Program Files\Common Files\Crystal Decisions\2.0\bin\orMap.ini .

There is a line in this file that says… Crystal Repository=Crystal Repository .

Edit this to say Crystal Repository=New ODBC DSN.

You can also add a Custom Formula to the CR9 Repository.

The repository system has evolved a bit since its introduction, and is easy to use in, for example, Crystal Reports 2011. The tool you want to use is the Repository Explorer. It's available if you have Crystal Reports Server or SAP Crystal Reports Enterprise, the assumption being you're in a networked environment where you'd actually have a repository. And, of course, you need to log on to the server to save and share files in the Repository.

You can use Repository Explorer to save common objects to the repository location from which they can be shared. If you've done Sharing with Windows Explorer, you have the idea of what Repository Explorer allows you to do.

To access Repository Explorer, use the View | Repository Explorer dropdown menu. If you have the Standard Toolbar showing, you can click on the Repository Explorer button there.

The View Settings icon lets you select the items you want in the Repository. You can filter the items shown buy using the Advanced Filtering Settings icon. There's also a Delete icon.

So Repository Explorer is fairly obvious in terms of what the controls are. The real question is how you will administratively manage the Repository so it's not cluttered with junk. Set up some rules. For example:

• Only one person can actually add items. This should help prevent having several versions or filenames of the same item.

• The filenames must follow a specific taxonomy. Plan this out very, very carefully.

• Only items that are likely to be used can be added. The "just in case" items don't go in.

• A master list of contents will be maintained. It will have a table (e.g., in Excel) that provides the filename, short description, author, and creation date of the item.

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