How do I upload, download, and edit Custom Crystal Reports in the cloud?  (VRL Method)

Author: Eric Vasbinder

OVERVIEW

Getting custom reports into Vista, or downloading them from Vista's "Viewpoint Repository" used to require a number of steps outside of Vista:  browsing to the Viewpoint Repository share, ensuring you had the access rights to that share, finding the custom reports folder, and dragging the reports into the folder, or dragging them from the folder.   This has now been greatly simplified.

As of version 6.19 of Vista and higher, only the Vista client is needed to provide this access for end users.  With the release of VRL in our cloud, we have also created our first web services API (a.k.a. File System API).  This REST-API is used behind the scenes in Vista to allow for new custom reports, create and send templates, and import files to be added into Vista, directly through the client.  Vista still uses, behind the scenes, the Viewpoint Repository, with a reports\custom directory.   However, as of version 6.19 and higher, the end user can add new reports into Vista by merely dragging the files on to the Info tab of the specific RP Report Location for Custom reports; no VPN, RDP, or Windows file Share access needed.  Conversely, downloading them from Vista merely requires the end user to drag the file in question from the Info tab to the user's desktop or other location using the local workstation's File Explorer.  

In effect, Vista's RP Report Locations Info Tab has become a pseudo "File Explorer" for the Viewpoint Repository, allowing end users to upload, download, rename, and delete files in the Viewpoint Repository without ever needing a VPN connection or visibility to the Windows File Share directly.  This increases security and provides a much more convenient method to access the files in the Repository.

Please see the next section for the steps in detail.

IMPORTANT - Custom Reports Folder Structure

As you will see below, in the cloud, unlike on-premise, we need to ensure that custom reports are located in folders that are only one folder deep from the main reports folder.   In other words, a custom report folder structure should be in the format of 

• \\servername\viewpoint repository\reports\custom

• \\servername\viewpoint repository\reports\custom_AP

• \\servername\viewpoint repository\reports\custom_PM

• etc

There should be NO custom report folders that are nested more than one folder down from the "reports" folder itself.  For example, the use of a custom report folder called, \\servername\viewpoint repository\reports\custom\AP  would fail as the cloud connection mechanism (VRL) cannot read reports in child folders, such as the \AP folder.  

UPLOADING REPORTS

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

Browse to the Custom Reports Location

• 1. Open Vista and Proceed to the Reports Module in the Main Menu.

  2. Open it and click on Programs

  3. Open RP Report Locations.

• 1. Make sure it opens in the Grid view.  If not, click on the Grid Tab.

  2. Then click on the “Custom” reports location.

Review the Directory Location

• 1. Review your Viewpoint Repository Custom reports directory location. This should already be configured in your client: (in this case – a generic company is represented as “abc”)

• •     EXAMPLE:    \\abcD1\Viewpoint Repository\Reports\Custom\

• 1. Your Custom Reports locations PATH, correctly filled in should look like this:

• • (Note that this list has been filtered for viewing, by adding the filter bar, and typing ‘Custom’ in the filter bar).

Upload the Report

• 1. To add a newly created Custom Report, Select the CUSTOM Report location and then navigate to the INFO tab, your screen should look like this:

• 1. At this point, you can drag and drop your custom RPT file onto this form. When you do so, it will show up in this file list, like the following:   

DOWNLOADING REPORTS

Reports may be downloaded from the Vista server using the same method as uploading reports, but merely in reverse.   The end user browses to the RP Report Locations Form's Info Tab for Custom Reports.  Then drags the file in question to their local desktop or file system.  Boom!

EDITING REPORTS

Once a report has been downloaded to your local workstation, you can then edit the report using a copy of Crystal Reports Builder installed on your local workstation to update any fields, formatting, settings, etc.  However, to test the reports in Crystal Reports Builder, you will need to ensure that your local workstation has direct database visibility to the Vista database server in the cloud.  There are two methods to enable that access:

1. TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) (PREFERRED):  TLS Database Endpoint 

2. IPSEC VPN:  How do I set up an IPSEC VPN to access my Vista database directly? 

SPECIAL NOTE on Data Source Names (DSNs)

You will need to ensure that the DSN in each Crystal Report is set up to point correctly to the cloud Vista database server.  Without this, your report will not be able to pull up any data.  If you have using the IPSEC VPN, when you download the report to your local workstation to edit it, you will just need to change the DSN once, to point to the private IP of the Vista DB server.  However, the TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) is NOT reachable from the Vista server inside the cloud - only externally.  As such, you'll need to switch the DSN twice if you use the TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN):  once upon download for testing and dev purposes and once just prior to upload.

Process Steps for TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) Users

1. Download Report to local workstation as per above section in this FAQ article.

2. Open the report in Crystal Reports Builder.

3. Update the existing DSN to point to the server name of the TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) for testing purposes.

4. Make changes to the report.

5. Once the changes have been tested, update the DSN for the report to point to the private IP of the Vista database server.

6. Finally, upload the report to the Vista server, using the instructions at the top of this article.

Process Steps for IPSEC VPN Users

1. Download Report to local workstation as per above section in this FAQ article.

2. Open the report in Crystal Reports Builder.

3. Update the existing DSN to the private IP of the Vista database server, if not already done.

4. Make changes to the report.

5. Finally, upload the report to the Vista server, using the instructions at the top of this article.

Please see the next section for the steps to set up new reports in detail..

SETTING UP NEW REPORTS

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Open Vista and Proceed to the Reports Module in the Main Menu.

  2. Open Reports, click Programs, then open RP Report Titles

• 1. Click the info tab, then click new Record.

• 1. Once the new record is open, then click on Report Location, and use the F4 lookup to find Custom report location and select it.

• 1. Click on the button to load reports stored in the report location, and select your newly uploaded report

• 1. Proceed to customize the report as per your wishes and then save that report.

     1. Do not forget to set up permissions to access the report for those who need this.