Business Objects-Crystal Reports Interview Questions & Answers

Question 1. Explain What Is Crystal Reports?

Answer :

Crystal report is a window based report writer that enables the programmer to make reports from different data sources with a minimum of written code. Crystal report can access data from various data-bases and can synchronize data from multiple databases into a single report.

Question 2. Explain How Can You Connect Crystal Report To The Databases?

Answer :

To connect crystal report to the databases, there are two ways

1. Use crystal report built in query.
2. Use the tool “Crystal SQL Designer” given by crystal report.

Question 3. Explain Whether It Is Possible To Create Our Own Formulas In Crystal Reports?

Answer :

Yes, it is possible to create your own formulas in Crystal reports. For that from insert menu item choose “Formula Field”. Write the formula in “Formula Editor”, here you will see “Function Tree” , “Field Tree” , “Operator Tree” which will show the report fields, functions supported by crystal reports, operators etc.

Question 4. Is It Possible To Edit Sql Made By Crystal Reports?

Answer :

No, it is not possible to edit SQL made by crystal reports, however you can view the SQL.

Question 5. Explain How Can You Enhance The Performance Of Crystal Reports?

Answer :

To improve the performance of Crystal Reports :

1. Avoid using sub-reports as it hampers the performance.
2. Use report bursting indexes.
3. crystal_reports_hosting.

Question 6. Where Is The “save Data With Report” Option?

Answer :

You can find File menu

Question 7. Can We Create Report Using More Than One Database?

Answer :

We can create report using more than one database like Oracle, Access. Create data source name for both the databases. Select tables from them and create the report. Only restriction is if you use two databases then you cannot see the SQL generated by crystal reports.

Question 8. Explain What Does It Mean When You Choose Enforce To, Enforce And Or Enforce From In Crystal Report?

Answer :

Enforce and, Enforce to or Enforce from in crystal reports are chose to enforce link created in report. Enforcing a link between tables make sure that the report’s respective SQL uses this link, regardless of whether fields are required from one or both the involved tables.  The default function is unenforced links, which means that the crystal report uses the link only if the report’s respective SELECT statement needs it.

Question 9. Mention Whether We Can Use Our Own Sql For Creating A Report?

Answer :

You can create your own query by using tool “Crystal SQL Designer”.  You can insert your own SQL statement, it will save your file as “.qry”.  Also, while creating a report instead of using “Database” button use “Crystal SQL Statement” button.

Question 10. Explain How Can You Burst Crystal Reports By E-mail?

Answer :

There are traditionally three methods to burst crystal reports by e-mail :

1. Using a PDF tool.
2. Using Crystal Reports Scheduler such as CRD.
3. Data driven publishing method.

Question 11. Mention If There Are Any Limitation Of Crystal Report?

Answer :

Limitation of crystal report includes :

1. If database is having field whose length is more than 255 characters then you cannot make formula using that field.
2. Formatting is lost while exporting data.
3. By right clicking on the field you can browse data that is in the database and not the data selected by the query.

Question 12. Mention How Many Sub-reports Can Be Added In The Mainreport?

Answer :

In the MainReport, you can add 255 sub reports, and you cannot add sub-report under a sub-report.

Question 13. Explain How Can You Export Crystal Report With Linked Sub-reports Into One Excel Sheet?

Answer :

• First create a main report and sub report discretely.
• Now open the main report and in the insert menu, choose sub-report option.
• In sub-report option, “select an existing report”.
• Choose the sub-report that is already created.
• Place the link between the Main report and Sub report with the fields required.
• Now, export the report to Excel Format.

Question 14. Explain How Can You Create A Bar-code In Crystal Reports?

Answer :

To create a bar-code in crystal reports, you have to follow the following steps :

1. In crystal report, from the main menu -> Click on View -> Design -> Field Explorer.
2. Choose formula field and click on New icon on the top of the menu bar.
3. Enter the name for the new formula like MYUPCEANBarcode and click OK.
4. Now enter the name and argument into the editor UPCA ({items.item_barcode}). The item_barcode is the table name and field name from data source. Click on Save and Close. The function names may be listed under any one of the locations, either in “Functions>additional functions> Visual basic UFLs (u2lcom.dll)” or in “Functions>Additional Functions>COM and.NET UFLs (u212com.dll)”.
5. The new function will appear in Field Explorer now, to use it drag/drop it onto the report.
6. Drag the field onto the report and configure its font properties.
7. Report is ready, click on the preview to see or print.

Question 15. Can We Use Crystal Report As A Standalone Application?

Answer :

Generally we use Crystal Reports with VB6. However we can make crystal report stand­alone application also. But for that limitation is for viewing the report user should have crystal reports installed on his/her PC.

Question 16. How Do We Format Field?

Answer :

For formatting any field just right click on it and you will get many options like ‘Format Field.’ ‘Browse field data’ etc. Click on ‘Format Field.’ You can align data, suppress, make it multiline, change the font size, style, and type, make it hyperlink etc.

If it is an amount field then you can display currency symbol also. Right click on the field select ‘Format Field’.

Question 17. Can We Give Parameters To The Report?

Answer :

We can very well give parameters to the report. For creating parameters select ‘Parameter Field’ in Insert menu item. ‘Create Parameter Field’ dialog box will popped up, it will ask for the name of parameter, prompting text and datatype. Now when you run the report it will prompt for these parameters.

Question 18. Can We Export Data Of Reports Into Other Format Like In Word Doc Etc?

Answer :

Generated data can be exported to word doc, or in rich text format. Just click on ‘Export’ icon in the menu. Export dialog box will be popped up. It will ask for the ‘Format’ like comma­separated value (csv) etc and the ‘Destination’ like disk, application etc. After that it will ask for the file name and save the data.

Only restriction is formatting of data will be lost, but crystal report will try to maintain as much formatting as it can.

Question 19. Can We Suppress Printing In Crystal Reports If 0 Records Are Fetched?

Answer :

Yes, we can suppress printing if no records are fetched. Select ‘Report Options’ in File menu item. ‘Report Options’ dialog box will pop up. In that there is one option ‘ Suppress printing if no records’ Check this option. If no records are found then nothing will be printed on the report.

Question 20. What Are The Sections That We Have In Crystal Reports?

Answer :

• Report has got standard sections like ‘Page Header’, ‘Page Footer’, ‘Report Header’, ‘Report Footer’, and ‘Details’.
• However you can add other sections also. Select ‘Sections’ in the Insert menu item. You can insert group sections also.
• If you don’t want to show any section just right click on that section and suppress that.

Question 21. Can We Add Any Database Field Once We Have Chosen ‘close’ Button?

Answer :

1. Yes, we can add any database field afterwards also. Select ‘Database Field’ in Insert menu item.
2. If you are using crystal report built in query then it will display the tables that you have selected. And you can select whichever field you want to display on the report.
3. But if you are using ‘.qry’ file then it will display Query and you can select only those field, which are there in the query.

Question 22. Does Crystal Report Support All The Functions That We Have In Oracle?

Answer :

No, Crystal report does not support all the functions. Like Decode function is there in SQL but not there is crystal report. You need to convert that in crystal report format (in if and else etc.). However if you use ‘.qry’ files then it take the SQL as such. There is no need of changing any syntax.

Question 23. Can We Use Stored Procedure For Creating The Report?

Answer :

Yes, we can use stored procedure.

Question 24. Is There Any Feature Like Summing Total In Crystal Report?

Answer :

Crystal reports provide features like grand total, sub­total, running total etc. You can select any of these features in Insert menu item. You can sum up records on the basis of each record or on change of group using ‘Running Total ‘ option in Insert menu item.

Question 25. What Are Crystal Reports And Crystal Reports Explorer?

Answer :

With Crystal reports explorer one can quickly create and modify reports on the web, and since its built on the trusted Business object enterprise platform, it can easily manage massive user loads, individual access, and application customization.

Question 26. How To “print” In Crystal Reports While Using Asp Dot Net Platform?

Answer :

Using Crystal Decisions :

SharedCrystalReport1 cr= new CrystalReport1;here crystalreport1 is crystal report which we design.
CrystalViewer1.ReportSource = cr;

OR

we can directly print the report without showing reportCrystalReport1
cr= new CrystalReport1;cr.PrintToPrinter(1,False,1,1);

Question 27. What Are The Advantages Or Disadvantages Of Using Crystal?

Answer :

Reports in a Windows Forms application as opposed to say rolling our own reports as HTML and displaying them in the Internet Explorer control.

Advantages :

1. Secure as End user cannot modify the data which is appear in the report if we use crystal report to show the report but in HTML, user can modify the report data.
2. Report layout is not transparent, so that end user will not know about how we design the report. But in HTML, anybody can study the report layout and can copy the technology.
3. Can export into different format like PDF, HTML, XML, etc, and many more.

Disadvantages :

1. End user need to have the crystal report viewer in his PC in order to see the crystal report output. But this can be overcome if you export the report as PDF/HTML.
2. You need to buy Crystal Report license for each pc you are used to design the crystal report.
3. Must buy the version which allows you to install run time components in end user PC.
4. Crystal Report is slow as compare to Active Reports.
5. If we have 100 pages report then crystal will need to process all pages and then it shows the output. and many more.

Question 28. Is There A Way To Export A Report Definition Without Writing Code?

Answer :

Yes. The following steps work assuming you have Crystal Reports on the machine and the appropriate export dlls loaded.

1. Open the report.
2. Preview it.
3. Click the EXPORT envelope.
4. Select REPORT DEFINITION for the format.
5. Select DISK FILE.
6. Click OK.
7. Enter a file name or accept the default.
8. Click SAVE. The file is a text file and can be viewed with NOTEPAD.

Question 29. What Is The “refresh” Button Suppose To Do On The Crystal Report Viewer?

Answer :

1. When you use Refresh Button in crystal report viewer, it refreshes the report data.
2. When you refresh data from the Preview tab, the Refresh Report Data dialog box appears Select the “Use current parameter values” option to use the current parameter value, Select the “Prompt for new parameter values” option to enter a new parameter value.When you select this option and click OK, the Enter Prompt Values dialog box appears. The program now runs the report using the new value(s) you specified.

Question 30. How To Pass Stored Procedure Parameters To The Report?

Answer :

Choose File–>Options menu.

In the Options dialog box :

• Click the Database tab and ensure that Stored Procedures is selected. Selecting “”Stored Procedures”” automatically displays any available stored procedures when you log on to an SQL database.
• Click OK to exit the Options dialog box.
• On the Start Page, click Blank Report.
• Locate and select the SQL Server data source that contains the stored procedure you want to use.
• Click Next to go to the Connection Information dialog box–>Enter the required information to log in.
• Click Finish.
• Highlight an SQL stored procedure in the Stored Procedures folder, and click the–>arrow to add it to the Selected Tables list.
• The Enter Parameter Values dialog box appears.
• Highlight a parameter in the Parameter Fields list.
• Assign a value by typing into the Discrete Value box and then click OK.
• You are returned to the Database Expert.
• Click OK and create your report using the fields in the stored procedure.