Specify the Data Source

Use the fields within the Data Source section on the Crystal Report tab to specify whether the report is to query data from just the local ClearSCADA database, or from other database(s):

• Location—Use this combo box to specify the location of the database(s) that the report is to query. Crystal Reports accesses the database(s) via ODBC, using one or more ODBC DSN connection(s) (one per database). You specify the DSN(s) that are required to access the data in a particular report, using the Crystal Reports application (see Accessing the ClearSCADA Database).

  Choose from:

  • Local Database—The report is only to query the local ClearSCADA database. (The Local Database is the database in which the report is located).
  • Remote Database(s)—The report is to access database(s) other than the Local Database.

    A Remote Database might comprise:

    • A different ClearSCADA database on another server
    • One of several other ClearSCADA databases on the local server
    • A database belonging to another application, which Crystal Reports can access using an ODBC DSN connection.
    • If you select the Remote Database(s) option, your system needs to be set up so that:
    • The ClearSCADA servers are configured to have all of the ODBC data sources that are used in the report (see Server Installation).
    • The ODBC data sources have exactly the same names on each server (the names of the data sources are determined by the DSNs that are on the client that is used to create the report—see Installation on ViewX Clients on Which You Want to Edit Reports).
    • The data sources allow access to their respective databases without prompting for any information (such as a password). For more information, see Configure an ODBC Client - System Connection using a DSN in the ClearSCADA Guide to Client Configuration.
• User—Only applies if a report queries the Local Database (see above). You can optionally use this field to specify the user that is to generate, print or export the report. Use the browse button to display a Reference browse window, and select the user from the window.

  Specify a user in order to restrict the content that can be included in a report when that report is generated, printed or exported. The report content is restricted to the data to which the specified user has access, in addition to the restrictions that are specified for the report itself.

  If you use security settings on your ClearSCADA system, we recommend that you set up one or more Crystal Reports users on your system and specify such a user in the User field. (If your system is divided into regions or other logical divisions, you can set up a series of Crystal Reports users, each having access to a different division or set of system features, and specify the required user in the User field.)

  If you set the User field to be blank (have no value), the Crystal Reports application will attempt to access the ClearSCADA database using the ODBC Data Source logon account (the Crystal Reports application accesses ClearSCADA using a ODBC Data Source—see Configuring Crystal Reports Server Settings).

  If the DSN user name and password are left blank (as recommended), the Crystal Reports application will log on to ClearSCADA using the Guest user account.

  If security has been used to restrict the Guest account so that the user does not have read access to the database items that might be included in reports, blank reports will be produced.

  If the Guest user only has read access to some of the items in the database, then the reports may only contain some of the expected information (they will only contain those items to which the Guest User has access).

  If your system does not use ClearSCADA security, set the User field to have no entry (be blank).

  For information on ClearSCADA security and setting up user accounts, see Setting up System Security in the ClearSCADA Guide to Security.