Crystal Reports XI Runtime Installer

by Peter van Mil

The only supported way to deploy Crystal Reports XI applications using the Report Designer Component (RDC) is using merge modules. In this document is described how to make a Windows Installer based setup package, that does nothing more or less than installing the Crystal Reports XI runtime to run a VDF 11.1 sample report. I have used the following tools: Crystal Report XI Developer Edition, updated merge modules, Orca and Installer2Go.

Crystal Report XI Developer Edition

For developing RDC based applications you need Crystal Reports XI Developer Edition or Crystal Reports XI for DataFlex. Both versions copy the necessary deployment files on your PC. CR XI for DataFlex includes the Connectivity Kit for Crystal Reports, that supports native DataFlex files.

Merge Modules

Business Objects put all the necessary files and settings for the Crystal Reports XI runtime in merge modules. Merge modules are components, that can be included in Windows Installer based packes. Crystal Reports XI needs the license keycode to be included in the installer, so I isn't possible to convert somehow the four merge modules into one installer.
Updated merge modules are available at http://support.businessobjects.com/fix/merge_modules.asp. Copy these files to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules.

Orca

Orca is a Windows Installer package editor provided as part of the Windows Installer SDK. You will find it by looking for PSDK-x86.exe in Google. The title of the download site is confusing: "Windows Server 2003 SP1 Platform SDK Web Install". When you install PSDK-x86.exe you will find Orca.Msi at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Bin. Install it and you will have a shortcut to Orca.exe.

With Orca you can open the file CrystalReports11_RDC_License.msm. It is tempting to change everything that is possible, but it might be better to change just one thing: the license keycode. In the left pane you can choose for property and in the right pane you can set the value of PIDKEY. This isn't the serial number, but the code with the format XXXXX-XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX-XXXX. Orca saves the code in the merge module.

Sasmo Practice Papers -

Do not jump straight into timed full-length exams. Start by isolating specific topics. If a student struggles with geometry, have them work through 20-30 geometry-specific olympiad problems. Master the tools before trying to build the whole house. Step 2: Conduct Untimed Mock Exams

For example, a school textbook might ask a student to calculate the area of a rectangle. A SASMO practice paper might show a rectangle overlapping a circle and ask the student to find the area of the non-overlapping region, requiring them to subtract areas conceptually.

Example: Counting the total number of triangles or squares embedded within a complex grid. 4. Combinatorics and Counting Principles sasmo practice papers

When starting out, do not use a timer. Allow the student to sit with a paper and spend as much time as necessary to solve each problem. This builds foundational problem-solving endurance and removes time-induced panic. Step 2: Simulated Exam Conditions

Algebraic word problems and simultaneous equations (for older grades) Speed, distance, and time problems 2. Geometry Area and perimeter of composite shapes Angles in triangles, polygons, and parallel lines Spatial visualization and 3D cube counting Do not jump straight into timed full-length exams

SASMO has a unique structure, mixing multiple-choice questions with open-ended sections. Regular practice helps students navigate this layout without surprise.

SASMO questions are not standard school exam questions. They are "heuristic" problems. For example, a Grade 4 school exam might ask: "What is 15 + 8?" A SASMO question asks: "Using the digits 1, 2, 3, and 4 exactly once, what is the largest two-digit number you can make that is divisible by 7?" Practice papers familiarize the student with this "twist" in language and logic. Master the tools before trying to build the whole house

Simply printing out papers and completing them mindlessly will yield diminishing returns. To maximize your growth, adopt a deliberate, three-tiered practice methodology. Phase 1: Topical Exploration (Untimed)

: Practice materials focus on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) , teaching techniques like "Working Backwards," "Change the Representation," and "Guess and Check" rather than just formula memorization [13, 24].

Crystal Reports Runtime

The end result is the installer Crystal Reports XI Runtime with a size of more than 70 Mb. Leaving away several option (export filters, etc) doesn't result in a smaller size. The installer doesn't include the Connectivity Kit for Crystal Reports. If you want to test a report, take the report "Crystal - Address Labels in the orderentry sample of Visual DataFlex 11.1.

Download

runtime installer ~ 135kB

related hyperlinks:
MSDN merge modules
DAW 2161-INFO: Running Reports from Crystal XI from Visual DataFlex Application