Configuring Crystal Reports Server Settings

Some driver-specific settings need configuring on the server by a system administrator when a Geo SCADA Expert system is first installed. These settings are configured using the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool.

This section explains the settings that are specific to the Crystal Reports driver. These settings are in addition to:

The steps in the procedure below need to be performed locally on the server(s) on which Crystal Reports is installed. The procedure cannot be completed successfully from a client PC.

To access the Crystal Reports section of the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool and make any necessary configuration adjustments:

  1. Run the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool (see Accessing the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Server Administration).
  2. Expand the Global Parameters branch in the Server Configuration tree-structure.
  3. Within the Global Parameters tree-structure, select the Crystal Reports entry.

    The Crystal Reports section is shown in the right-hand pane of the Server Configuration window.

  4. Crystal Reports uses Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) to access the Geo SCADA Expert database. In order to produce Crystal Reports within Geo SCADA Expert, you need to add a System Data Source (DSN) for the Geo SCADA Expert driver, to each server on your system (see Server Installation).

    To do this, access the ODBC Data Source Administrator Tool from the Administrative Tools section of the Windows Control Panel (see Configure an ODBC Client - System Connection using a DSN in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Client Administration).

    If the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool is running locally on the server, you can also access the ODBC Data Source Administrator Tool from the Crystal Reports section of the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool. Select the Setup button in the Crystal Reports’ Data Source section.

    Now, follow this procedure:

    1. Select the ODBC Data Source Administrator Tool’s System DSN tab.
    2. Use the tab to modify or create a suitable data source (for restrictions and recommendations, see Server Installation).

      For information on creating a System DSN for the Geo SCADA Expert driver, see Third Party ODBC Client - System Connections in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Client Administration. You need to specify a name that is clearly recognizable as the Geo SCADA Expert System data source, as the data source will need specifying for each report on your system. (We recommend that you leave the data source User Name and Password fields blank and restrict access to the Geo SCADA Expert database by creating one or more Crystal Reports users within Geo SCADA Expertsee Configure the Report Properties.)

      If ‘Date Time’ Parameters are to be used to query the Geo SCADA Expert database (see Parameter Field), set the DSN to use Local Time, rather than UTC.

      For further information on creating DSNs, refer to your Windows® documentation.

    3. Select the OK button.
      The ODBC Data Source Administrator window is closed.
    4. Enter the data source name in the DSN field of the Crystal Reports’ Data Source section.

      This provides the association between the Geo SCADA Expert database and the ODBC System DSN that the Crystal Reports driver uses to access the local database.

  5. The Crystal Reports’ E-Mail section of the Geo SCADA Expert Configuration Tool includes two option buttons. Use the section to specify how reports are exported using e-mail:

    By default, Geo SCADA Expert is configured to Use MAPI to e-mail reports. For more information on Windows MAPI settings, see Export the Report in an E-Mail Message.

    If you want Geo SCADA Expert to Use SMTP server to e-mail reports instead of MAPI, select the second option button. Geo SCADA Expert will use the SMTP settings specified in the E-Mail section of the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool when exporting any Crystal Reports via e-mail. For further information on these settings, see E-Mail Settings in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Server Administration.

  6. Right-click on the server (‘node’) entry in the hierarchical list in the Server Configuration window.
    A context sensitive menu is displayed.
  7. Select the Apply Changes option.
    The changes are applied to the server configuration.
  8. If the server is currently running as the main server, restart the driver for the changes to take effect.
  9. Repeat the above steps for each server in your system (with the exception of permanent standby servers).

Disclaimer

Geo SCADA Expert 2020