How to deploy the Crystal Reports 2008 Basic Runtime

80 Comments

• It is unfortunate that Crystal is so abysmal in providing accessible support for their product. It is virtually impossible to find any needed files on their website. Their site's purpose would seem to be to induce frustration until a company is forced to pay them for Customer Support incidences. (Not cheap either.)
  
  Crystal seems content to demand expensive Enterprise licensing to get anywhere near the level of basic functionality they used to provide right out of the box with their VB6 Winforms product. ...It is a rare occurrence when a vendor, particularly a software vendor, pulls functionality they used to provide in the strategy of trying to extort more money out of their customer base.
  
  As SQL Server Reporting Services is becoming a viable alternative, Business Objects (now Seimens) is providing ample incentive for suffering IT staffers to switch as SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. Crystal lost 10% of their market to SSRS last year, and will hopefully continue their decline to reap some consequences from their deplorable business practices.
  
  To anyone not already using but considering Crystal.... ...Staying far far away from them is the best advice I can offer as a Programmer and Supporter of an application that unfortunately uses Crystal. This is after 3 years experience with the product.
  

• I've been trying to deploy a simple Crystal project for weeks with no success until I read this blog.
  
  Thank you VERY much.
  

• Thank you very much for posting this, saved me a lot of time!
  

• Thank you very, very much. We've been trying to figure this out for 2 months!
  

• Thank you very much. This is very useful information.
  

• Cannot thank you enough! Just made my day!
  

• -- "full" version of CR 2008 (version 12)...
  Thank you very much.
  

• It is incredible that the solution of my 1 month problem is right there, just some clicks away! Thank you very much Guy! I do agree with Johnny. This is my first experience with Crystal Reports and BO website is less than nothing. It is a kind of fortress only accesible if you are able to pay for the full versions. Microsoft said that you can ask for support with the license of VS 2008, but it's not true. I will work with other solutions rather than CR.
  

• thanks, it works perfect!
  

• Thank you. I've spent weeks trying to get through to BO to find out how to distribute the runtime.
  
  Amazed and relieved that the answer could be so simple. Hope it works!
  

• I am trying to deploy to new server Crystal Reports server 2008, we currently have CR 11. What do I need to do once I install the new version of Crystal into the new server? Do I need to recompile my existing reports to the new Crystal? Also, do you know if Crystal 2008 would work on a 64-bit server? I heard there are some issues with that? I a new at this project was dumped on me just recently? Any help would be truly appreciated.
  

• Thanks man!!!
  A lot of time saved. :)
  

• Thanks, this was becoming difficult to track down. I also had trouble with Crystal Reports' website.
  

• The run time versions are somewhat confusing, this post helps out. On one hand I agree that the informations is somewhat difficult to access, does that mean I would stay away from CR? No way, this product is so solid and so robust nothing compares to it on the market... I don't get Johnny's comment about Siemens? That makes no sense? Business Objects which acquired Crystal Decisions years ago is now an SAP Company. Again, glad to see the source for the runtime, but don't get caught up with a few URL links versus the functions and liberty the product can do.
  

• Thanks so much for the tip. This would probably have cost me tons of time. I, too, will be switching to using SSRS in the future. Even though the title of the software has "SQL Server" in the name, you can use client-side reports (*.rdlc instead of *.rdl) and you do not actually have to have SQL Server installed. Thanks again for the insight. This was driving me nuts.
  

• Cananyone tell me if the CR2008 runtime is x64 compliant? I kow that CR2008 SP0 addressed the issue, but I cannot find out if the runtime was also fixed.
  
  thanks in advance,
  

• Thanks... I was trying so hard to find this damn MSI at the BO site.
  

• You are the MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!
  

• try this url for CR runtime downloads.
  
  http://resources.businessobjects.com/support/additional_downloads/runtime.asp
  

• Time Saved here too!
  
  Thanks!
  

• where sould i install the CR 2008 runtime that placed in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0A\Bootstrapper\Packages\CrystalReports10_5.....
  
  i mean should i install it my develop PC or in Client PC....need help here....i hope you can help me...
  
  almost die coz frustate...coz i always get error message when i want to view my report in report viewer...the error message said unhadled error...bla...bla...keytone...bla...bla...
  
  help please...
  

• HI guy I am new for Vb6 and Crystal Report 2008
  
  I am Using VB6 to view Crystal Reoport Which version 2008 I had made setup file on my machine and It is working fine on my machine.
  
  But when I try to run same setup file on any New machine which does not have any VB6 and Crystal Report 2008 software of Dll file it fails
  Giving me vierd error
  
  1) setup is out of date and asking me to restart machine to update the file
  
  2) File missing PVlocale 1-0.dll
  
  3) Error Entry point cannot found for Crtemplate.dll
  
  4) Erro Entry Point cannot found for crviewer.dll
  
  Can any help me.... with this problem
  
  Thank
  

• Oh man, you totally saved my life! Man the hours and weeks wasted. Thanks man.
  

• SMBouza: CR12 does not support COM. You need to use CR11.
  

• Gracias por el link y la ayuda, tres dias de busqueda y mucho trabajo fueron solucionados
  

• Thank you. It works !!!
  

• this runtime causes error some when installing....
  
  

• I find a way for using crystal report 12 with vb6, it works fine
  
  Create a empty project and add the 2 components
  
  CrViewer.dll and craxddrt.dll
  
  Now save the the project and run the visal basic wizard setup, here you have to add manually the follow dll that you can find in this directory
  C:\program files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12.0\win32_x86
  
  libOCAsecurityw-3-0.dll
  csprintdlg.dll
  zlib.dll
  xerces-c_2_7.dll
  XalanMessages_1_10.dll
  Xalan-C_1_10.dll
  fssl-1-2-1-3.dll
  etc-1-0-12-5.dll
  cxlibw-4-0.dll
  cxlib-4-0.dll
  cslibu-3-0.dll
  libOCAhelperw-4-0.dll
  ebus-3-3-2-6.dll
  pvlocale-1-0.dll
  
  i spend many time to find thi soluction, is unbelievable that this stipids guys that devoloup CR make the think so complicated
  
  good luck
  xan :)
  
  

• P.s. You have to install also the runtime setup CRRuntime_12_0_mlb.msi
  
  pay attention if you have install a service pack you have to use the right CRRuntime
  

• tnak you very mutch , i'm looking for this a long time
  

• Thank You very much, I was looking for the SDK Folder for days.
  

• Hi dears,
  I am using Delphi 2007 and crystal report 2008. I had upgrade the CR11 vcl to CR 2008 and the vcl is installed in my system. I got to components names TCrpe and TCrprDs. Now i want to create the report file dynamically. But i can't find the TReport component. Please help me.
  

• Hola a todos.
  
  Tengo desarrollado un aplicativo en Visual Foxpro el cual se conecta mediante ODBC a una BD SQL Server 2005 y muestra los informes mediante CR XI. El reporteador ejecuta procediemientos SQL para generar los informes. Todo me funcionaba bien, la conectividad era excelente, pero cuando se cambio de 32 bits a 64 bits, empezaron los problemas; ya que el runtime del CR XI no funciona sobre 64 bits. El aplicativo hecho en VFP funciona bien, pero no me abre el Preview del CR. Que DLL debo instalar??? o que podría hacer.
  
  Gracias por los comentarios.
  

• Hello everyone.
  
  I have an application developed in Visual Foxpro which connects via ODBC to a SQL Server 2005 database and sample reports using CR XI. The report runs procediemientos SQL to generate reports. Everything worked well, the connectivity was excellent, but when you change from 32 bits to 64 bits, the problems began, because the runtime of the CR XI does not work on 64 bits. The application made in VFP works fine, but I did not open the RC Preview. Dll that I install? or could do.
  
  Thanks for the comments
  
  mail::> risuor_rso@hotmail.com
  

• I can't get it to work on x64 bit server. It works fine on our x86 servers but not 64 bit..
  
  we are using CR2008 and runtime on server is installed same as one here for download
  

• Amazing how bad products get when SAP gets their hands on something! They have the worst website for support also.
  

• Has anyone deployed CR 12 to Windows Sever 2008 on a 64-bit processor? Everything works fine on Server 2008 on a 32-bit processor. It throws an error that states the runtime is not installed or the registry settings are not correct. Others have said this is a catch-all error that is often misleading. Not sure what to do next.
  

• Wow, thanks so much! I make it a habit to not even bother looking around the BusinessObjects website since 99% of the time there's nothing to help you there. It's like they go out of their way to provide abysmal web-based support.
  

• Thanks mate, i have been looking for this for a long time, infact i started to creating reports in DevExpress Reporting, i love working in Crystal Reports, but its deployment till now has been a headache.
  Thanks mate
  

• I am using CR12 (2008) for reporting into a .net desktop application. There are two methods to install CR2008 along with my appl
  1- Set CR2008 as a prerequisite
  2- Use merge modules
  With option one i can´t get the crystal viewer to be shown in spanish language (meaning that the installer is installing it in english although the culture settings of my app=spanish)
  And, with option two i am getting some registration errors for serveral modules of the CR meaning that reports wont work.
  Now, the only way i could deploy my app, was to use both options, wich is not good, because in the first place it is installing twice the same thing, and because using merge modules have so many disadvantages.
  This is frustrating, it should be more simple.
  Any ideas how to solve this?
  Any help will be appreciated. thanks.
  

• I've been trying to deploy crystal report to our server using the instructions above but still I got error (missing component)
  
  Here are our server specs & config:
  
  1. Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition
  2. Windows directory D:\window
  3. Crystal components, located ..\Program Files\Business Objects\Common\2.8\managed already copied to bin folder.
  4. CRRedist2008_x86.msi, located ..\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0A\Bootstrapper\Packages\CrystalReports10_5 also installed.
  5. .Net Framework 3.5 sp1 already installed
  
  Any brilliant ideas how to solve this problem?
  
  
  
  

• hi:
  i am a c# .net software developer .
  i made my software but when i install it to other pc it gives an error of dont send and then closed.
  i installed dotnet framework on user pc but the same error occure. my teacher guide me to check that it will be the crystal report problem. it will must be installed on user pc. any body help me to how i resolve this problem. i need it
  reply as soon as posible .
  
  thanx in advance.
  
  good luck.
  

• Perfect Man
  Thanks
  

• Hi,
  I am very happy to get crystal runtime very fast. thanks a lot.
  

• Thanks for URL, saved me loads of time. What has SAP done to their web site!!!!!
  

• Thanks Man...It really helped.
  

• Still true today, Sept 2009. We have had so manyt problems with Crystal in VS 2005 and VS 2008, we are working night and day to abandon Crystal as quickly as possible. It is one of our top 3 goals for the entire organization. BO support absolutely stinks!
  

• Well, I am totally new to VS2008 but quite old to Crystal. I had used them before but not much problems. Now I do agree after using the VS2008 & crystal in that - it is a night mare without end.
  
  Why not one of you list all the other alternatives which are simpler, humane, affordable by developers also etc. This would be really help.
  
  Just like the Charting add-ons, I feel the reporting addons should be there for all - but it is just quite difficult to locate, tryout and at the end trust the add ons for reporting.
  
  Hence , pl help, if alternatives are there..
  
  Thanks in advance.
  
  Renga
  

• Awesome buddy :) Thanks a lot...
  

• I Bought the CR10 from Chili in 2006. I didn't solve the problem of deploy reports. Nobody tell me about it when I asked for help when my reports didn't appear. I agree about those people has the worst politic with their customers. I will change to SSRS as soon as possible.
  

• That's awesome ... one slight change. I'm using an x64 version of windows, so the full path for me was
  
  C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0A\Bootstrapper\Packages\CrystalReports10_5
  
  That had both the x86 and x64 versions.
  
  Cool ....
  
  Thanks.
  

• Thanks a lot for this precious information !
  
  Just for information, you can create a deployment project in VS2008 and in properties of this project
  
  choose additional components (in french, it s "composants requis") at the bottom of the window and choose "crystal report basic for VS2008..."
  
  build and you can install your solution with CR VS2008
  
  Christophe
  

• Really wanna say thanks. People like you deserve technical respect:) and i do that. God bless you man
  

• Thanks a tonne for this bit of information. It helped a lot in getting it rolling.
  

• U made my Day!! Tnx a ton!
  

• As with the hundreds of other developers who have wasted many man weeks on trying to get the right Crystal Runtime DLLs a massive thank you.
  

• many thanks to you
  

• Hi guys when you compile your project compile it for x86 not for any pc. This will work well with 64bit issue.
  

• Hi Rahul
  
  When you compile your project compile it for x86 not for anypc. Also you have to use same 32 bit dlls for 64 bit and need to give user permission to read and write to 32 bit dll directory.
  
  This will work well with 64bit issue.
  

• I have the same prob, im using VS 2008, crystal report version 10.5. We need some dll so we dont need instal the business object on clients machine... ius there any way to include some dll with Project setup?? its urgent
  
  thanks
  

• Does the server need to be recycled for this to take effect.
  

• How do you compile for x86 using VS2008. The option seems to be missing.
  

• How Can I Deploy VS C# 2008 with Crystal Report into other PC??
  

• Hi
  I merged crystal reports 2008 fix 2.5 merge modules in my app installer. I get errors while running the installer. Errors like '1308: Soure file not found' and the files it is looking for are xerces-c_2_1_0.dll, XERCES21_LICENSE.txt, CrystalDecisions.Enterprise.Desktop.Report.dll. What i abreved is there are files like xerces-c_2_7.dll and XERCES27_LICENSE.txt already in the installer. looks like it's bug in Crystal reports 2008 SP 2.5
  

• And now… VS2010 doesn’t include CR, which is good and bad. Both.
  
  Careful when upgrading existing projects from VS2005/8 to 2010 if you have CR dependencies (and reports). It won’t work. CR References will be missing and you’ll not be able to compile. CR says there’s a BETA version of the product (beta? seriously?) …
  
  

• how to conncet several mdb databases for one crystal report in c# coding give me sample code
  

• An error has occurred while attempting to load the Crystal Reports runtime.
  
  Either the Crystal Reports registry key permissions are insufficient or the Crystal Reports runtime is not installed correctly.
  
  Please install the appropriate Crystal Reports redistributable (CRRedist*.msi) containing the correct version of the Crystal Reports runtime (x86, x64, or Itanium) required. Please go to http://www.businessobjects.com/support for more information.
  Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.
  
  Exception Details: CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.LoadSaveReportException: An error has occurred while attempting to load the Crystal Reports runtime.
  
  Either the Crystal Reports registry key permissions are insufficient or the Crystal Reports runtime is not installed correctly.
  
  Please install the appropriate Crystal Reports redistributable (CRRedist*.msi) containing the correct version of the Crystal Reports runtime (x86, x64, or Itanium) required. Please go to http://www.businessobjects.com/support for more information.
  
  
  In web site when i want to show Crystal Report
  

• Another grateful victim of CR.
  

• i have solve out in 2005 and now in 2008
  i got file related which i need and need test
  

• After i run the CRRuntime msi, all the dll will store at C:\Program Files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12.0\win32_x86
  
  It fail to run the crystal report at my project. After i copy all the dll into c:\windows\system32 then it work.
  
  Any solution for my project direct refer dll from C:\Program Files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12.0\win32_x86 i/o copy all dll to c:\windows\system32 ?
  

• friends, I have developed a desktop application using VS2008 professional edition with built in CRYSTAL Report. The report works fine with Visual studio IDE. But after i create a setup of my application using Setup and Deployment of Visual Studio and install in the clients computer, when i open the report, the report viewer opens but the actual report doesn’t show up. I have gone through different blogs and read about the CRRedist2008_x86.msi file. So i have also tried
  
  1) installing it in the server then create the setup of my application-> IT DOESNOT WORK.
  
  2) installed CRRedist2008_x86.msi file on the client computer and the install my application -> STILL IT DOESNT WORK.
  
  3) added CRRedist2008_x86.msi file during setup and deployment and installed it in the client computer -> STILL IT DOESNOT WORK.
  
  In all of these 3 cases, my application only shows the empty Report Viewer whose all the tools are disabled. I doesn’t show the page number, doesn’t show the Total Page No. but shows Zoom factor : 100% in the status bar of the report viewer.
  
  CAN ANYBODY PLEASE HELP ME OUT. I have been stuck with this for a long time now.
  
  Thanks in Advance.
  

• I couldn't get CR to work in applications complied 64 bit. I had to change to X86
  
  Don't forget that if you're using ClickOnce and click Crystal Reports as a dependancy, the X86/X64 version is installed on the client PC, regardless of what you target your application for.
  
  You have to uninstall it and install the X86 redistributable manually
  

• i need use crystal report 11 in visual studio 2008
  all feathers use in Visual studio 2008 crystal report
  

• i want to use Crystal report XI R2 in ASP.NET 2008
  
  please help me.
  

• thanx alot. its gr8.
  

• When I try to install the crystal report 2008 runtime files to my Windows Vista, it's asking me for a product key, am I trying to install the correct runtime files? I don't recall being asked for a product key when I tried to install it in XP a couple of years ago. I would very much appreciate your help.
  Victor
  

• hi,
  
  im working in a company where we are trying to use crystal reports in asp.net with oracle as our database
  this is the first time we are working with crystal reports in our company
  
  1)but the problem is with deployment server
  while we are executing the crystal report in iis server by passing the parameter it doesnt deploy
  (shows only the empty page in deployment server)
  but its working fine in local host
  
  2)is there any options for exporting the reports to the text format???
  

• this is so frustrating ….We have currently purchased crystal Report 2008, version number 12.0.2000.0 . how can I install service pack 3 ? Without installing the prerequisite service pack 1 and 2.... Since service pack 1 is no more exists on SAP site.
  

• i install crystal report 2008 but that is creat error the message popup show first install sp 4 or 5 what is the solution provide link how to install and work friendly thanks and regards
  

• Thanks for the Crystal runtime URL, I am hopeful that it works.