Wanted - report writer to access ms-access databases

[trustme1]

I am wanting to be able to write reports against an ms-access database
that is part of another package. I only want to report from the
database.

What I need is a package that will allow me to create the reports and
then be able to distribute a run-time version. The client may not have
Office so the package must run standalone. It could get to the Access
database through an ODBC driver.

Does anyone know what packages available?
It looks like Crystal Reports has taken out their runtime version with
their latest software but that was only a footnote in a book that I
was reading.

Please provide me with a list to start researching.
Thanks,
Joe

[Larry Linson]

There used to be other third-party report writers, but I don't know how many
have survived over the years -- Crystal Reports appears to have been the
most popular of these packages. (It is the only one that I have observed
closely in use, and I saw some impressive work done with it on web
applications against SQL Server.)

Unless the magnitude of the distributable would be a problem, you can create
your reports in Access, and distribute the Access application to run them
with Access' runtime support. You'll get the Access runtime support in the
Office Developer Edition for Access 97 - 2002, and in the Visual Studio.NET
Tools for Office 2003 System for Access 2003.

If you have difficulties with deployment using only the Packaging and
Distribution Wizard, you can use a third-party installer such as Wise
InstallMaster or InstallShield, and scripts that you can purchase from
SageKey. The installers and scripts are not inexpensive, but many developers
feel they are worth the cost in time, effort, and frustration saved. You
will still need the Developer Edition or the Visual Tools, in order to be
licensed to distribute the runtime support. And, if you have quite a number
of users, the prorated cost-per-user may not be great.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP


"trustme1" <jn*****@cfl.rr .com> wrote in message
news:d7******** *************** **@posting.goog le.com...

I am wanting to be able to write reports against an ms-access database
that is part of another package. I only want to report from the
database.

What I need is a package that will allow me to create the reports and
then be able to distribute a run-time version. The client may not have
Office so the package must run standalone. It could get to the Access
database through an ODBC driver.

Does anyone know what packages available?
It looks like Crystal Reports has taken out their runtime version with
their latest software but that was only a footnote in a book that I
was reading.

Please provide me with a list to start researching.
Thanks,
Joe

[Jerry Boone]

If you have a version of Sql Server, you can download Sql Reporting services
for FREE... of course you would have to link the mdb as a linked database in
Sql Server, which is do-able. I have used Crystal for years and this is the
only other solution I have even thought about for consideration. Also, I
looked at Data Dynamics Active Reports (www.datadynamics.com) a year ago,
wasn't too impressed -- seems they are trying to follow in Crystal's
footsteps, and pricing as well. Some people like them quite a bit though...

Sql Reporting services can actually send reports via email on a schedule in
PDF format, do caching, and allow you a web portal for report access -- all
free of charge for owners of Sql Server, just amazing.

Recorded web cast of the launch, gets incredibly interesting about 60% of
the way through...
http://mssql.digisle.tv/

Microsoft Official Link...
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/reporting

--
Jerry Boone
Analytical Technologies, Inc.
http://www.antech.biz
Secure Hosting and Development Solutions for ASP, ASP.NET, SQL Server, and
Access
"Larry Linson" <bo*****@localh ost.not> wrote in message
news:e2******** *******@nwrddc0 3.gnilink.net.. .

There used to be other third-party report writers, but I don't know how many have survived over the years -- Crystal Reports appears to have been the
most popular of these packages. (It is the only one that I have observed
closely in use, and I saw some impressive work done with it on web
applications against SQL Server.)

Unless the magnitude of the distributable would be a problem, you can create your reports in Access, and distribute the Access application to run them
with Access' runtime support. You'll get the Access runtime support in the
Office Developer Edition for Access 97 - 2002, and in the Visual Studio.NET Tools for Office 2003 System for Access 2003.

If you have difficulties with deployment using only the Packaging and
Distribution Wizard, you can use a third-party installer such as Wise
InstallMaster or InstallShield, and scripts that you can purchase from
SageKey. The installers and scripts are not inexpensive, but many developers feel they are worth the cost in time, effort, and frustration saved. You
will still need the Developer Edition or the Visual Tools, in order to be
licensed to distribute the runtime support. And, if you have quite a number of users, the prorated cost-per-user may not be great.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP


"trustme1" <jn*****@cfl.rr .com> wrote in message
news:d7******** *************** **@posting.goog le.com...

I am wanting to be able to write reports against an ms-access database
that is part of another package. I only want to report from the
database.

What I need is a package that will allow me to create the reports and
then be able to distribute a run-time version. The client may not have
Office so the package must run standalone. It could get to the Access
database through an ODBC driver.

Does anyone know what packages available?
It looks like Crystal Reports has taken out their runtime version with
their latest software but that was only a footnote in a book that I
was reading.

Please provide me with a list to start researching.
Thanks,
Joe

[NB]

Why would you bother to find any other tools? Access itself is a great
report writer.
Since you just need to let users view reports I'd recommend data
access pages.

Use Access to generate the reports, save them as DAP, and host them on
a server in the LAN, users just need a web browser and Office Web
Components to view the pages.

For OLAP-style analysis, you can even put Pivot table/charts in DAP.

NB