Crystal Reports XI: Basic (FAQ/Notes)

Frequently asked questions and instructor notes

All our courses assume that each student has a personal computer to use during the class. Our hands-on approach to learning requires they do. This topic gives information on how to set up the classroom to teach this course. It includes minimum requirements for the students’ personal computers, setup information for the first time you teach the class, and setup information for each time that you teach after the first time you set up the classroom.

Hardware requirements

Each student’s personal computer should have:

· A keyboard and a mouse

· A Pentium II or higher processor (Pentium III-class recommended

· 128 MB of RAM (256 recommended)

· 2.5 GB of available hard-disk space

· A CD-ROM drive

· An XGA monitor (1,024´768 minimum resolution support)

Software requirements

You will need the following software:

· Windows XP (You can also use Windows 2000, SP4, although the screen shots in this course were taken using Windows XP, so student’s screens might look somewhat different.)

· Crystal Reports XI Professional

· Microsoft Office 2003

· A printer driver (An actual printer is not required, but students won’t be able to complete Activity B-3 in Unit 1, and Activity B-2 in Unit 7 unless a driver is installed.)

Network requirements

The following network components and connectivity are also required for this course:

· Internet access, for the following purposes:

· Downloading the latest critical updates and service packs from www.windowsupdate.com

· Downloading the student data files from www.courseilt.com (if necessary)

· Unit 1, Activity A-2

First-time setup instructions

The first time you teach this course, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.

1 Install Windows XP on an NTFS partition according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. If the student machines have Internet access, and they are behind a software or hardware firewall, install the latest critical updates and service packs from www.windowsupdate.com.

2 From the Control Panel, open the Display Properties dialog box and apply the following settings:

· Theme — Windows XP

· Screen resolution — 1024 by 768 pixels

· Color quality — High (24 bit) or higher

3 Do a Custom installation of Microsoft Office 2003 Professional. Install only Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Access.

4 Do a Custom installation of Crystal Reports XI Professional Edition. On the Select Features screen, expand Export Support. For ODBC Data Source Format, Report Definition Format, and XML Export, select Will be installed on local hard drive. Click Next. On the Web Update Service Option screen, check the Disable Web Update Service. Click Next.

Warning: The activities in this course were tested with updated software as of January 2006. This includes Crystal Reports XI Service Pack 1. If any subsequent Crystal Reports updates include significant changes, some activities might not work exactly as described, and some screen shots might not match what students will see on their screens. Therefore, if you choose to update the software, we strongly recommend that you walk through the entire course, noting any changes so you can point them out during class.

5 On the registration screen, click Register Later.

6 Leaving the Check for product updates box checked, click Finish.

7 Install a printer driver. An actual printer is not necessary.

8 If you don’t have the data CD that came with this manual, download the student data files for the course. You can download the data directly to student machines, to a central location on your own network, or to a disk.

a Create a folder named Student Data at the root of the hard drive.

b Connect to www.courseilt.com/instructor_tools.html.

c Click the link for Crystal Reports to display a page of course listings, and then click the link for Crystal Reports XI: Basic.

d Click the link for downloading the student data files, and follow the instructions that appear on your screen.

Setup instructions for every class

Every time you teach this course, it’s best to do a fresh install of Crystal Reports. If you choose not to do this, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.

1 If necessary, reset any defaults that have been changed in previous classes.

a On the Start Page, choose View, Workbench.

b Open a report. “Pin” the Field Explorer so that it is visible at all times. Close the report.

c Remove StudentDSN from the System DSN tab in the ODBC Data Source Administrator. To do so, choose Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance, Administrative Tools. Open Data Sources (ODBC) and activate the System DSN tab. Select StudentDSN and click Remove.

d Start Microsoft Access. Navigate to the unit folder for the unit on exporting, open the Employees database, and delete MY_EMPLOYEE_DETAILS_REPORT. Close Microsoft Access.

2 Delete the contents of the Student Data folder, if necessary. (If this is the first time you are teaching the course, create a folder named Student Data at the root of the hard drive. For a standard hard drive setup, this will be C:\Student Data.)

3 Copy the data files to the Student Data folder. (See the download instructions in the preceding section.)

Topic B: Frequently asked questions

There are no frequently asked questions for this course at this time.

Topic C: Course notes

There are no notes for this course at this time.

Topic D: Additional information

There is no additional information for this course at this time.