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From: ken.mack@mwaa.com (mackkm)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.oracle.tools
Subject: Crystal Reports integration with Oracle 9iAS
Date: 3 Mar 2004 10:33:49 -0800
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We have developed many Crystal Reports w/ CR 8.5.  These were all run
against an Oracle 8i database through an Oracle 6i Forms.  We are now
moving to Oracle 9i database and Oracle 9i Application Server.  Have
moved the Forms 6i to the Application Server and everything works
great except the reports.

We cannot get them so the user can view and then print the report form
their workstation using the Oracle Forms interface.  We have tried the
HOST command and the ORA_FFI.  They do not run.

I have opened a TAR with metalink.oracle and this was their response.

****************************************************************************

We do not have any information about the Crystal Reports integration
with Oracle Forms 6i as Crystal Reports is a 3rd party application. 
You can try using Host command or ORA_FFI functionality.  To
reiterate, ORA_FFI and Host commands all execute on the middle tier,
not on the Java Client.  This implies that they cannot carry out any
user interface interaction, as the display being used by the user is
not the same display as the middle tier.  Hence, the web forms
client/user cannot view and interact with the report, as the report is
not visible to him.

FORMS SERVER RESTRICTIONS
===========================
Although the Forms server allows you to deploy your existing
applications without major changes, some restrictions are imposed by
the three-tier architecture which you will need to take into account:
*** OCX, and VBX controls are not supported. As the user interface is
not on the same machine as the runtime engine, there is no way for the
control to display. As version 6.0 of Developer Forms Server supports
the use of Java Beans, you can replace the functionality provided by
the Windows Specific control with a similar Bean.
*** User_Exits, ORA_FFI and Host commands all execute on the middle
tier, not on the Java Client. This implies that they cannot carry out
any user interface interaction as the display being used by the user
is not the
same display as the middle tier.

****************************************************************************

I would like to avoid redoing all of the many complex reports in
Oracle.  What alternatives do we have?