Crystal Reports anybody??

[Donnie]

I am currently teaching a class called Crystal Reports V.8. Anybody here on the board use it at all? Very powerful program to extract information out of a database and put it into a report. It's expensive so I don't know there would be many home users of it...but fun to play with!

[Sam Thorp]

I never heard of it. Can you give us a few more details, please or direct us to a webpage?

[Donnie]

It's a fully function application that allows you to go above and beyond the capabilities of Microsoft Access, as far as reporting is concerned. Since you never touch the data in the database itself, the data cannot be corrupted thru the program. But many of the functions available in a database (querying, calculating, etc.) can be done from within Crystal Reports! Very sweet program, but expensive. Made by Seagate. Here is a link for further information...I am liking the program a lot...can do many new queries without the need to learn VBA.

check it out:

http://www.crystaldecisions.com/products/crystalreports/

[Bernie]

Donnie,

Do you recommend the pro edition or will the standard version do the job? The standard can be bought online from www.cdw.com for $160.

[Donnie]

Let me check into it Bernie...I would think that for our peurposes, standard would be fine...but I will research the differences and post back!

[Donnie]

...also you may want to look around for a used copy of 8.0. They just released 8.5 and 8.0 is very slick, but you can probably purchase it for a song from someone on ebay or elsewhere.

[chuck]

I wrote a bunch of reports in a former job. I have not used it for a while. I think that it used to come with VB at no extra charge. I agree pretty neat and powerful program. Some of the complex stuff got pretty hairy though.

[Donnie]

That's one of the reasons I have taken a liking to it...in Ver 8 it is a matter of just knowing how to write what you are looking for..such as let's say I want to see the top 4 K numbers in each race...it can be written easy enough, or putting a weighted average to a group of numbers is pretty simple. Am just starting to really play with it concerning HTR. But so far has been fun and shows tons of promise.

[Glen]

Is this something that "spare" non techies can learn and use Donnie? Or perhaps something that I could pick up just by taking a New Horizons class? If so, I might have to look into it.

[Donnie]

Glen, you've been around the computer long enough, I think you would pick it up in a reasonable amount of time. The Report Export is a "wizard" of sorts that guides you thru the selection process.

One of my intents of bringing this forward is our Vegas seminar...I am thinking of asking Ken if we could get some extra time in the conference rooms...even a real small one, where we can work with those interested in Access, especially the beginners. Maybe even a couple hours each afternoon. Time was too short. And I am looking at other options as well that tie into Access. Crystal Reports is a great program that can be easily learned. The reports are professional and can span tables that aren't even linked together (although linking can be done, just like in Access).

Also this would free up some extra time for the experienced players to see some VBA from Mike at a little slower pace!

Just a thought...

[Carl]

Donnie,

Thanks much for the heads up.

I am presently expanding my horizons to include sportsbetting. Unfortunately I don't have the support system we have here in place at HTR, but there are not so many people using db's for capping either, so maybe it all works out. I have to even make my own break lines to download information, that's how primative things are. They think excel is state of the art....

Since I am a "one trick pony" to some extent, reports are certainly a weakness of mine in Access, this could be very good. If anybody "finds" an extra copy at a reasonable price let me know. I'll check e-bay too, although I am a rookie at that, never having shopped there.

Thanks again.

[Bernie]

Carl,

Have you looked at the Expert by Best Bets Software of Berkeley, CA? They have a database testing program for the NFL. They offer it now privately for $100 per year with the last 3 seasons of data. Also, The Optimizer for db style testing can be had with either 4 or 8 years of NFL data. I think GBC offers it.

P.S. I used the Expert for 3 years with the NFL and 2 years with their NBA version. I even built an interface to validate testing on 5 years of data outside the program. I also did db testing for 2 years on an extensive private baseball db. My results were good at times, but never seemed to hold up long term. I'd like to hear if you do well in this area.

[Glen]

Not to slice up this crystal reports thread any further but....Carl, had you tried using Norm Nitzges picks yet?

[Carl]

Not to slice any further works for me too Glen. I like this Crystal thing.

Norm just about broke me in the three weeks I followed his plays. Certainly not "Norm's fault", as a matter of fact he won great on paper the two weeks before when I did not play his plays. Don't know about last week.

Bernie,

Have you got a URL for them? I would love to check it out.

[Rick]

Bernie,
If you have a good valid URL send a copy to Ken Massa.

[Bernie]

www.snoopdata.com

They also sell their db picks as well as the software and data. They did well the first 2 weeks of the season. Don't know about after that.

[Carl]

They look a little barren and broke to me off of their website, but I ordered the "evaluation copy" anyway.

I like the idea of taking my own stats downloaded from CSW and playing with them with the Crystal/access thing better though. I don't think the Snoopdata guys track what I think should be tracked.

Will post back if I find out anything more.

[Glen]

Donnie,

I'm thinking about getting into Crystal Reports. Question: Would you recommend taking the New Horizons Crystal Report class for HTR use?

[hurrikane]

I developed a GIS package using ArcView and Crystal Reports some time ago. Believe I have a recent copy of it with the ArcView release from last year. I remeber it being very powerful and pretty open to development. ESRI used it for thier report capabilities in all thier software for a long time..as did others. Not sure what version I might have but will check as see what's availible.

[Carl]

If you can get me a copy, e-mail me at person4762388@yahoo.com

I need a copy bad, if you can get me one I'll set you up with a $100 or so of offshore accounts that will even pay if you win......

[hurrikane]

Will check tonight Carl and let you know.

[Donnie]

Glen,
Like all of our classes, obviously it wouldn't be based on the horseys, but if you do want to go with it I can get it for you at just about cost. Once again, like Beg Access, it is a 2 day class. If you are interested, email me at donn@newhorizonsdm.com

I think it will cost you about $100 a day, but I will check!(normally $349 for 2 days)

Do you have a copy of Crystal yet?

BOL

Sorry it took so long to respond...out teaching at an onsite yesterday, had no Internet access!

[Glen]

No prob Donnie. Email sent!

[Carl]

It installed fine, but if I try and open an access file with it it gives me an "invalid TVL" message.

Now I don't have a clue if I am even trying to open a file the right way, I just got a dialogue box up and I asked it for an access 2000 file to open and that is what I got.

[Carl]

I think I got it too look better at an access file, but it gave me an "unrecognizable type" message this time.

Would that be because access 2000 was created after 6.0?

It looks like it likes excel better. I'll see it it will do one of those babies for me.

[hurrikane]

Carl, happen to have come across Crystal 8.0. Email me. gparrott5@comcast.net

[Maxspa]

Donnie,
I expect to receive the Crystal 8.5 program this week. Keep up the dialogue and
tips for better understanding on how this product will help the HTR group!
Max

[Glen]

Carl,

Have you been able to do anything w/ CR6.0 that you have not been able to do with the ROI report in Access?

[Donnie]

I happen to prefer 8.0 over 6.0 anyday...is more user friendly and intuitive. If enough people are using or getting Crystal, maybe we should do a short session on it in Vegas...I can teach how to set conditional formatting or look at the TopN in any race, or write some formulas that can be plugged in as additional fields in your reports....really good stuff.

[Carl]

I couldn't get the 6.0 to recognize the Access 2000, then "back burnered it" till I get a "care package" from Hurrikane (by the time we get to Vegas I am going to owe him a whole bottle, not just a few drinks hehe).

[Donnie]

Carl did you try saving your data into an Access 97 file then pointing to that data? I would think it should have been able to handle it with no problem. You may want to go into File>>Options and check what kind of data files it should be looking for! At least you can do that in 8.0.

[fred4now]

Donnie, could you list a couple of good things about Crystal Reports or what I can do with it. We got a copy here at the office and I loaded it on a few people's computers, but really didn't pay too much attention to it.

[Maxspa]

Donnie,
I received Crystal Reports (standard version) last week. The
company representative called my home to verify that the product had
been received. The CD installation was an easy task. The HTR data was
imported without a problem.
Keep the discussion going on how we can utilize this software for
handicapping purposes.
Max

[Glen]

Hi Max,

I also purchased crystal reports but won't be able to look at it till next month...Let me know what you come up. Massa says it creates nice pie charts...

[Donnie]

LOL....yeah I think that's all it's good for...making pie charts!!

Actually you would be surprised what you can do with it...quite robust. When I have a spare second to breathe I'll post here how you might use Crystal!

[Glen]

BTW, I might buy a CReports class from you next month Donnie to improve my pie chart making.