Ad hoc query/query builder
CR has a data dictionary with some nice features. I think it may have
changed names though.
The problem with custom reporting is controlling the processing involved.
Intelligent users may understand this, its the inexperienced or stubborn
ones that don't. Too many of them and you could see your system drag...
You may want to look into OLAP tools, like COGNOS, Platinum Forest & Trees,
Business Objects, DataDynamics, Seagate's Holos, etc. Just get ready to pay,
maybe not DataDynamics as much or Seagate's Worksheet.
I hope you liked Rubik's Cube.
Quote:
>I'm not sure that it does everything you might want, but Crystal/Info has a
>tool called 'info views'. This allows an administrator to create
user-friendly
>views of data with all joins etc hidden away so that an end user can just
pick
>the data up and put it on a report.
>If you use template reports with nice formatting in conjunction with these
then
>you can get a fairly user friendly environment which allows reasonably
>competent people to get what they want. I guess it's a question of
degrees - if
>things are too structured for users then they end up loosing the
flexibility
>that they want (especially as they get used to using the tool). In my
>experience, if a user if doesn't fancy doing ad-hoc reports because it's
'too
>complicated' then it's almost impossible to make anything simple enough for
>them to use !
>(though having said all this, Seagate could certainly make this whole area
work
>better).
>dt.
>> No, and this is the one thing that is keeping Cryatal Reports from
becoming
>> a huge success in software development. Everyone wants this! Seagate...
>> get a clue!
