Crystal Reports: Mapping Expressions

[Dan Hugos]

The customer I'm working for uses Crystal Reports. I'm rather unfamiliar with it, but it's at least a banded report writer.



If I reset the datasource underlying a report, it pops up a list of fields on the report that are unmapped. On the right of it is a list of possible fields from the underlying query - the expression field is not there. Why not?

I re-map, and that field is still unmapped. Anyone know if Crystal handles expressions?

[June7]

No idea, never used Crystal. Have you searched web? Tried a Crystal forum site?

[Dan Hugos]

Personally, I think it adds complexity where none is needed, but ... I'm a consultant.

So I'm looking online everywhere I can think of, but if anyone knows, feel free.

[June7]

Suggest the result you experience is probably the best answer. It won't map calculated field. Did you test for consistency - try another calculated field in same query, in another query.

[Dan Hugos]

I did try those things and was beginning to think that either calculated fields are not mapped, or else I'm missing something very obvious.

[June7]

On second thought, it would be ridiculous for Crystal not to use calculated fields.

Bing: access crystal report calculated field
Does this help http://www.mindstick.com/Articles/ad...t#.VRsRKmdFD0M

[Dan Hugos]

One would think!

I was searching for the term 'expression' instead of 'calculated field' so thank you for that thought.

I did look at the link you sent and that may well give me what I need. I'll play with it and get a tiny bit of expertise, and then check it out with the client tomorrow and let you know what happens. Again, many thanks.

[Dan Hugos]

The one thing that's a bit tricky is that the underlying query has a field with an iif statement that doesn't map...

[June7]

Do simpler expressions (price * quantity) work?

[Dan Hugos]

I tried changing the recordsource to a copy of the query, and then changing the expression to the simplest possible calculated field by just saying defect:"x" (instead of using the iif statement formula), "defect" ironically being the name of the calculated field.

But no, it continues to be unmapped, which led me to wonder about Crystal using expressions in general.

[June7]

Can only wish you luck.

[rpeare]

Can you re-create the calculated fields within crystal? That's what I would do if you are having trouble getting calculated fields to come through.

The other thing you can try is this:

Create a query based on your current 'final' query. Bring in all the fields(including the calculated ones)

Then build your crystal report on this 'ultimate final' query, if it's choking on a formula being in the root query you can remove the appearance of your calculated values being calculated doing this.

[Dan Hugos]

OK thanks, I'll give it all a shot.