Crystal Report database connection in ASP.NET

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Introduction

In this article I am going to discuss how to use UDL file with Crystal Report to connect particular database.

Using the code

What is UDL?<o:p>

Universal Data Link files (.udl files) can be used to store information of connection string. So it works as a common user interface for specifying connection attributes.

How to create a UDL file? <o:p>

1. Open a notepad and save it using .udl extension. (Note: don not write anything in that notepad). 2. Now it displays with small computer icon.

3. Now you should configure your udl file. Double click on the udl file. Now it displays as follows.

4. Now select a provider. In this example I have used Microsoft SQL server 2005 express edition. So I need to use Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server as the provider. Then click Next button or Connection tab.

5.Then you will have to select details which related to SQL server. After providing those data, you can check connection is success or not by clicking Test Connection button.

Now you can add crystal report to your project. Select OLE DB (ADO) as the data source of the project.

Then display OLE DB (ADO) dialog box. Now select use data link file and browse your .udl file.

After configuring data source, you can add SQL query to crystal report by double clicking AddCommand. Now you can SQL query here.

After creating crystal report you can display it on your asp.net web page. For that you have to add CrystalReportViwer control to your web page. After then write following code in the code behind page.

using System.Data;

using System.Configuration;

using System.Web;

using System.Web.Security;

using System.Web.UI;

using System.Web.UI.WebControls;

using System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts;

using System.Web.UI.HtmlControls;



using CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine;

using CrystalDecisions.Shared;

using CrystalDecisions.Web;

public partial class _Default : System.Web.UI.Page 

{

    ReportDocument doc;

    protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)

    {

        try
        {
            doc = new ReportDocument();

            doc.Load(MapPath("~\\TestReport.rpt"));



            CrystalReportViewer1.ReportSource = doc;

        }

        catch (Exception ex)

        {

            Label1.Text = ex.Message;

        }

    }

}

Points of Interest

You can use the for windows based application development also.