Crystal Reports formulas and Blank reports

[G. Stoynev]

I can't seem to be able to prevent a Crystal Reports formula to
evaluate an expression when the report contains no records to show.

Here's the formula (DateTransferred is a DateTime column):

If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
" " //empty string
Else
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
" " //also pring an empty string - 1/1/1900 means "no date was
selected"
Else
ToText({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}, "MM/dd/yyyy");

It looks that even if IsNull returns true, Crystal is still trying to
evaluate this line
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
which is causing the error "A date is required here" to be displayed.

I tried changing Report Options -Convert DBNull to Default, bub that
didn't help.

I'd appreciate any help/advice

Using Crystal that comes w/ VS 2005

[Ignacio Machin ( .NET/ C# MVP )]

On Jun 26, 12:18*pm, "G. Stoynev" <[e-mail]:

I can't seem to be able to prevent a Crystal Reports formula to
evaluate an expression when the report contains no records to show.

Here's the formula (DateTransferred is a DateTime column):

If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
* *" " //empty string
Else
* *If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
* * * " " //also pring an empty string - 1/1/1900 means "no date was
selected"
* *Else
* * * ToText({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}, "MM/dd/yyyy");

It looks that even if IsNull returns true, Crystal is still trying to
evaluate this line
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
which is causing the error "A date is required here" to be displayed.

I tried changing Report Options -Convert DBNull to Default, bub that
didn't help.

I'd appreciate any help/advice

Using Crystal that comes w/ VS 2005

how do you know if isnull is returning true?

[G. Stoynev]

On Jun 26, 12:26*pm, "Ignacio Machin ( .NET/ C# MVP )"
<[e-mail]:

On Jun 26, 12:18*pm, "G. Stoynev" <[e-mail]:

I can't seem to be able to prevent a Crystal Reports formula to
evaluate an expression when the report contains no records to show.

Here's the formula (DateTransferred is a DateTime column):

If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
* *" " //empty string
Else
* *If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
* * * " " //also pring an empty string - 1/1/1900 means "no date was
selected"
* *Else
* * * ToText({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}, "MM/dd/yyyy");

It looks that even if IsNull returns true, Crystal is still trying to
evaluate this line
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
which is causing the error "A date is required here" to be displayed.

I tried changing Report Options -Convert DBNull to Default, bub that
didn't help.

I'd appreciate any help/advice

Using Crystal that comes w/ VS 2005

how do you know if isnull is returning true?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

if I modify the formula like that (eliminate the problematic
expression)I see "no data" printed:
If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
"no data" //empty string
Else
"some data"

[Mr. Arnold]

"G. Stoynev" <gs******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:42**********************************@l64g2000 hse.googlegroups.com...

>I can't seem to be able to prevent a Crystal Reports formula to
evaluate an expression when the report contains no records to show.

Here's the formula (DateTransferred is a DateTime column):

If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
" " //empty string
Else
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
" " //also pring an empty string - 1/1/1900 means "no date was
selected"
Else
ToText({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}, "MM/dd/yyyy");

It looks that even if IsNull returns true, Crystal is still trying to
evaluate this line
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
which is causing the error "A date is required here" to be displayed.

I tried changing Report Options -Convert DBNull to Default, bub that
didn't help.

I'd appreciate any help/advice

It seems to me that you should short-circuit the IF statement if IsNull
(remove the ELSE off the ISNull) and just come out of the formula return a
null string, a separate if for the null check.

If it's not ISNull, then do the other part of the formula, fall through.

[G.S.]

On Jun 26, 1:14*pm, "Mr. Arnold" <MR. [e-mail]:

"G. Stoynev" <[e-mail] in message

news:42**********************************@l64g2000 hse.googlegroups.com...

I can't seem to be able to prevent a Crystal Reports formula to
evaluate an expression when the report contains no records to show.

Here's the formula (DateTransferred is a DateTime column):

If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
* " " //empty string
Else
* If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
* * *" " //also pring an empty string - 1/1/1900 means "no date was
selected"
* Else
* * *ToText({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}, "MM/dd/yyyy");

It looks that even if IsNull returns true, Crystal is still trying to
evaluate this line
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
which is causing the error "A date is required here" to be displayed.

I tried changing Report Options -Convert DBNull to Default, bub that
didn't help.

I'd appreciate any help/advice

It seems to me that you should short-circuit the IF statement if IsNull
(remove the ELSE off the ISNull) and just come out of the formula return a
null string, a separate if for the null check.

If it's not ISNull, then do the other part of the formula, fall through.-Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You mean:
If (IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
"no data";

If (Not IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
(
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} <CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
"good data - date has been selected"
Else
"deliberately not selected";
)

??
Is there a way to force-exit from Crystal formula? Something like
"return;"?

[Mr. Arnold]

"G.S." <gs******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:8b**********************************@34g2000h sf.googlegroups.com...
On Jun 26, 1:14 pm, "Mr. Arnold" <MR. [e-mail]:

"G. Stoynev" <[e-mail] in message

news:42**********************************@l64g2000 hse.googlegroups.com...

I can't seem to be able to prevent a Crystal Reports formula to
evaluate an expression when the report contains no records to show.

Here's the formula (DateTransferred is a DateTime column):

If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
" " //empty string
Else
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
" " //also pring an empty string - 1/1/1900 means "no date was
selected"
Else
ToText({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}, "MM/dd/yyyy");

It looks that even if IsNull returns true, Crystal is still trying to
evaluate this line
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
which is causing the error "A date is required here" to be displayed.

I tried changing Report Options -Convert DBNull to Default, bub that
didn't help.

I'd appreciate any help/advice

It seems to me that you should short-circuit the IF statement if IsNull
(remove the ELSE off the ISNull) and just come out of the formula return a
null string, a separate if for the null check.

If it's not ISNull, then do the other part of the formula, fall through.-
Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You mean:
If (IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
"no data";

If (Not IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
(
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} <CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
"good data - date has been selected"
Else
"deliberately not selected";
)

??
Is there a way to force-exit from Crystal formula? Something like
"return;"?
When you're in the language IDE for creating the formula is there *return*
there for the function you can choose? It's been many years since I last saw
Crystal.

That statement by itself will exit the formula if it's true and return "no
data", if I recall correctly.

If (IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
"no data";
I guess you got that email instead of this post, since I didn't get a not
delivered email.

[G.S.]

On Jun 26, 2:33*pm, "Mr. Arnold" <MR. [e-mail]:

"G.S." <[e-mail] in message

news:8b**********************************@34g2000h sf.googlegroups.com...
On Jun 26, 1:14 pm, "Mr. Arnold" <MR. [e-mail]:

"G. Stoynev" <[e-mail] in message

news:42**********************************@l64g2000 hse.googlegroups.com....

>I can't seem to be able to prevent a Crystal Reports formula to
evaluate an expression when the report contains no records to show.

Here's the formula (DateTransferred is a DateTime column):

If IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}) Then
" " //empty string
Else
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
" " //also pring an empty string - 1/1/1900 means "no date was
selected"
Else
ToText({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred}, "MM/dd/yyyy");

It looks that even if IsNull returns true, Crystal is still trying to
evaluate this line
If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} = CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
which is causing the error "A date is required here" to be displayed.

I tried changing Report Options -Convert DBNull to Default, bub that
didn't help.

I'd appreciate any help/advice

It seems to me that you should short-circuit the IF statement if IsNull
(remove the ELSE off the ISNull) and just come out of the formula return a
null string, a separate if for the null check.

If it's not ISNull, then do the other part of the formula, fall through..-
Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You mean:
If (IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
* * "no data";

If (Not IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
(
* * If ({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred} <CDate("1/1/1900")) Then
* * * * "good data - date has been selected"
* * Else
* * * * "deliberately not selected";
)

??
Is there a way to force-exit from Crystal formula? Something like
"return;"?

When you're in the language IDE for creating the formula is there *return*
there for the function you can choose? It's been many years since I last saw
Crystal.

That statement by itself will exit the formula if it's true and return "no
data", if I recall correctly.

If (IsNull({MyReportDataSet.DateTransferred})) Then
* * "no data";

I guess you got that email instead of this post, since I didn't get a not
delivered email.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thank you for your help!
No, I didn't see a return statement in any of the canned functions/
operatorrs list in the IDE. The Crystal Reports help in VS2005 Help is
not helpful at all... I tried to guess a few times Exit, Return,
Stop... no avail.

I've used crystal enterprise in the past and have never encountered
that problem. This is typical Crystal stuff - not intuitive and hard
to debug/find help. Thanks again!