Create presentation-quality reports from virtually any database using the most powerful data analysis toot and this authoritative guide. Crystal Reports 7: The Complete Reference explains in detail how to use the software to analyze and format data,generate reports, and perform advanced interactive reporting from the Web. The book also illustrates how to develop custom applications and incorporate any Crystal Report into your Windows applications-without leaving the Visual Basic development environment. Complete with bonus CD-ROM containing free Seagate software, VB code, utilities, and a sample Web site, this is a resource no Crystal Reports user should be without.

You'll find out how to :

• Perform powerful data analysis and create professional-quality reports
• Report directly from data sources including SQL databases-easily
• Maximize report flexibility with advanced formulas and sophisticated reporting techniques
• Use the query, reporting, and multidimensional OLAP features of Seagate Analysis
• Integrate reports into Visual Basic applications using the ActiveX Report Designer Component, as well as other integration methods
• Execute interactive, Web-enabled reporting with the Crystal Web Reports Server or Microsoft Visual InterDev and Active Server pages

Table of contents

Chapter 1 : Common Ground : Creating a Simple Report
Chapter 2 : Enhancing Appearance with Text Objects
Chapter 3 : Sorting and Grouping
Chapter 4 : Creating Geographic Maps
Chapter 5 : Using formulas
Chapter 6 : Analyzing with Advanced Selection Criteria
Chapter 7 : Making Your Reports Visually Appealing
Chapter 8 : Using Sections and Areas
Chapter 9 : Analyzing with Cross-Tabs
Chapter 10 : Creating Charts
Chapter 11 : Using Subreports
Chapter 12 : Viewer Interaction with Parameter
Fields
Chapter 13 : Distributing and Compiling Reports
Chapter 14 : Reporting from SQL Databases
Chapter 15 : Accommodating Database Changes and Field Mapping
Chapter 16 : Importing Legacy Reports with the Document Import Tool
Chapter 17 : Reporting from OLAP Cubes
Chapter 18 : Using Seagate Analysis
Chapter 19 : Querying SQL Databases with the Crystal SQL Designer
Chapter 20 : Simplifying Databases with Crystal Dictionaries
Chapter 21 : Reporting from Proprietary Data Types
Chapter 22 : Creating Your First Visual Basic/Crystal Reports Application
Chapter 23 : The ActiveX Control
Chapter 24 : The Report Designer Component
Chapter 25 : The Report Engine Automation Server
Chapter 26 : The Report Engine API
Chapter 27 : Distributing Visual Basic/Crystal Reports Applications
Chapter 28 : Creating User Function Libraries with Visual Basic
Chapter 29 : Crystal Reports and the Web
Appendix A : Installing and Configuring Crystal Reports Components
Appendix B : What's on the Accompanying CD
Index