When a user migrates from Crystal Reports on Stimulsoft Reports, this may cause some issues related to the differences between methods of designing and rendering reports. The most frequently asked questions in this regard will answer the head of technical support Stimulsoft Reports, Ivan Shmatov.
"The first major difference is working with data bands. The data is displayed in a report from the data source using a data band. In the reporting tool Crystal Reports on the same report page only one data band can be placed, so it is possible to use only one data source. In software products Stimulsoft Reports the number of data sources, you can work with in the report, is not limited. For example, when designing the Master-Detail report, you should use at least two data sources - master and detail. In Crystal Reports, the construction of this type of reporting is possible using sub-reports and scripts. In our products all the data sources can be placed on a single page and no additional scripting is required.
The second difference is different specialization of components. Plain text, expressions and fields of data sources have different components in Crystal. In Stimulsoft Reports a TextBox component is used. In this component you can combine regular text and expressions in any combination.
Another difference is using different syntax of expressions and scripts. Crystal Reports uses Visual Basic, while Stimulsoft Reports uses C# (by default) and Visual Basic.
The third important difference concerns data sources. For example, you create a report using a test database, and then you need to replace a data source in a report on the source of a different type. In Crystal Reports, when clearing the current data source, all the fields are cleared from the page. In Stimulsoft Reports you can remove all sources in the dictionary but required data will remain on the report page.
Our reporting tools have a grid - linking fields. When you drag a TextBox component you can use this grid to bind the component to a report page accurately and quickly. For this, select a component and click "Snap to Grid". Crystal Reports has no grid, only a Grid Lines component, by means of which it is not possible to accurately define the size of the TextBox.
Designing of the table, too, has some differences in the various reporting tools. Since Crystal Reports is quite difficult to place components in neat rows, users generally put a textbox as it will, and then draw borders with shapes. Users that migrate to Stimulsoft, often try to do the same, but we have a simpler way. You can use the margins of text components. You can also use the special cross-primitives - horizontal and vertical lines, and rectangles. It is possible to create tables using the Shape component, but one should make a reservation that Shape – is rather “heavy” component for exports, so that it is easier and faster to use primitives created especially for tables.
Our developers created an importing tool - a special application that allows you to convert reports from Crystal Reports to Stimulsoft Reports. Reports created in Crystal Reports, have its own internal format, which eliminates the possibility to open and view them in our tools. They can only be opened with help of API Crystal Reports. Before working with the importing tool you need to install Crystal Reports and recompile the converter specifically for working with the current version of the reporting tool. Please note that through the API Crystal Reports, not all the properties of the components are available, therefore, the converter only converts the properties available to it.
A few words about the properties of components
Properties of the components can be “not calculated”, that is, the value of which is set to a particular value; and “calculated”, the values of which are set by the expression and calculated each time they are accessed. In Crystal Reports, you can add a script to various not calculated properties, the result of execution of which is controlled by this property, i.e. actually turn the property into a calculated one. In our products, properties are clearly divided into calculated and not calculated. So, when converting a report, some logic of the report can be lost.
To solve this issue, you can use special events of components - BeforePrint, AfterPrint, Rendering, GetData, etc. They allow you to achieve almost the same result, but in other ways. Unfortunately, automatic converting of scripts from CR into our product does not work because there are differences in the data structure, engines, etc.
Differences in licensing policy
There are many differences between products by Stimulsoft Reports and Crystal Reports not only in functionality, but also in the licensing policy. Says Executive Director of Stimulsoft Company Andrew Savin: “First of all I would like to say, that the licensing of Stimulsoft products has two main advantages: minimum limitations and easiness in understanding”.
Crystal Reports provides the license for a named user. It means that the license is assigned to the specific user. Stimulsoft Reports license is per company, it means the license may be transferred to other developers within the company.
Crystal Reports allows the unlimited using of product within the company, when you develop the product only for internal using, then it is enough for you to have a license for your developers. The license you purchase in Stimulsoft relates not only to actions within the company, but even when to transfer your application to the third party.
Another difference: for example, the company creates the application and shares it to the third party. In this case the application must be provided with the Crystal Reports license. It is allowed to integrate in Rich Internet Applications 750 license free components for modification, previewing and printing of reports with free distribution and delivery of application to the third party. Stimulsoft Reports license does not have such limitations.
"The first major difference is working with data bands. The data is displayed in a report from the data source using a data band. In the reporting tool Crystal Reports on the same report page only one data band can be placed, so it is possible to use only one data source. In software products Stimulsoft Reports the number of data sources, you can work with in the report, is not limited. For example, when designing the Master-Detail report, you should use at least two data sources - master and detail. In Crystal Reports, the construction of this type of reporting is possible using sub-reports and scripts. In our products all the data sources can be placed on a single page and no additional scripting is required.
The second difference is different specialization of components. Plain text, expressions and fields of data sources have different components in Crystal. In Stimulsoft Reports a TextBox component is used. In this component you can combine regular text and expressions in any combination.
Another difference is using different syntax of expressions and scripts. Crystal Reports uses Visual Basic, while Stimulsoft Reports uses C# (by default) and Visual Basic.
The third important difference concerns data sources. For example, you create a report using a test database, and then you need to replace a data source in a report on the source of a different type. In Crystal Reports, when clearing the current data source, all the fields are cleared from the page. In Stimulsoft Reports you can remove all sources in the dictionary but required data will remain on the report page.
Our reporting tools have a grid - linking fields. When you drag a TextBox component you can use this grid to bind the component to a report page accurately and quickly. For this, select a component and click "Snap to Grid". Crystal Reports has no grid, only a Grid Lines component, by means of which it is not possible to accurately define the size of the TextBox.
Designing of the table, too, has some differences in the various reporting tools. Since Crystal Reports is quite difficult to place components in neat rows, users generally put a textbox as it will, and then draw borders with shapes. Users that migrate to Stimulsoft, often try to do the same, but we have a simpler way. You can use the margins of text components. You can also use the special cross-primitives - horizontal and vertical lines, and rectangles. It is possible to create tables using the Shape component, but one should make a reservation that Shape – is rather “heavy” component for exports, so that it is easier and faster to use primitives created especially for tables.
Our developers created an importing tool - a special application that allows you to convert reports from Crystal Reports to Stimulsoft Reports. Reports created in Crystal Reports, have its own internal format, which eliminates the possibility to open and view them in our tools. They can only be opened with help of API Crystal Reports. Before working with the importing tool you need to install Crystal Reports and recompile the converter specifically for working with the current version of the reporting tool. Please note that through the API Crystal Reports, not all the properties of the components are available, therefore, the converter only converts the properties available to it.
A few words about the properties of components
Properties of the components can be “not calculated”, that is, the value of which is set to a particular value; and “calculated”, the values of which are set by the expression and calculated each time they are accessed. In Crystal Reports, you can add a script to various not calculated properties, the result of execution of which is controlled by this property, i.e. actually turn the property into a calculated one. In our products, properties are clearly divided into calculated and not calculated. So, when converting a report, some logic of the report can be lost.
To solve this issue, you can use special events of components - BeforePrint, AfterPrint, Rendering, GetData, etc. They allow you to achieve almost the same result, but in other ways. Unfortunately, automatic converting of scripts from CR into our product does not work because there are differences in the data structure, engines, etc.
Differences in licensing policy
There are many differences between products by Stimulsoft Reports and Crystal Reports not only in functionality, but also in the licensing policy. Says Executive Director of Stimulsoft Company Andrew Savin: “First of all I would like to say, that the licensing of Stimulsoft products has two main advantages: minimum limitations and easiness in understanding”.
Crystal Reports provides the license for a named user. It means that the license is assigned to the specific user. Stimulsoft Reports license is per company, it means the license may be transferred to other developers within the company.
Crystal Reports allows the unlimited using of product within the company, when you develop the product only for internal using, then it is enough for you to have a license for your developers. The license you purchase in Stimulsoft relates not only to actions within the company, but even when to transfer your application to the third party.
Another difference: for example, the company creates the application and shares it to the third party. In this case the application must be provided with the Crystal Reports license. It is allowed to integrate in Rich Internet Applications 750 license free components for modification, previewing and printing of reports with free distribution and delivery of application to the third party. Stimulsoft Reports license does not have such limitations.