Compare SQL Server Reporting Services to Crystal Reports -

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which of crystal reports , ssrs (sql server reporting services) better use?

on one-hand, crystal reports steaming pile of expensive , overhyped donkey poo, , on other hand ssrs fulfils promises cr marketing makes - , it's free.

my contempt cr stems many years of being obliged use horrible thing. there's no point in detailing utter odiousness of cr when can give references clubbing crystal dodo or crystal reports sucks donkey dork (not funny rather more literate , substantiated technical details).

free?! yup. don't have buy ms sql server - can install sql express advanced services. available download includes sql server reporting services. while sql express limited in number of concurrent users can support, following observations salient:

  • the licence ssrs obtained part of sql express requires deployed part of sql express. there nothing forbidding connection other data sources or requiring report obtain data sql server.

  • the abovementioned version of ssrs has no intrinsic restrictions on user connections. limitations imposed on sql express database engine.

  • ssrs uses ado.net, includes, out of box, drivers oracle, jet (access), oledb , odbc

thus can connect free version of ssrs back-end can connect ado.net, includes (for example) mysql. told rory in comment below "not supported". that's true can't find in licence forbids , while drivers not supplied by ssexpress are supplied versions of visual studio , can ship them in setup kit. may not expressly supported configuration what? if did have full mssql licence asking bit expect microsoft talk third party database (not mention bit weird).

i use ssrs extensively @ work both inward facing reports , outward facing reports embedded in asp.net applications provide bureau services large numbers of paying customers. in our case happens backing store licensed copy of microsoft sql server 2008, incidental technical merits of our reporting solution.

there long list of capabilities crystal reports claims support either don't work or require staggeringly expensive licence if want more 5 users. can't trust cr sql correctly. select count(*) sometable 1=0 should produce result of 0 it produces one. built-in query engine defective, , team screws bunch of amateurs can free (eg mysql) has no hope of getting you'd describe performance out of code.

and don't. evil thing leaks memory bucket no bottom, , if use sql profiling tools find spectacularly inefficient.

as alleged support, can attest dialog resize bugs have gone uncorrected decades after first publicly documented. if out credit card , pay extortionate ransoms demanded (i want handsome pay support such horror) find talking claims name david, inexplicably pronounces "dah-feet", , doesn't understand question, less have answer.

the ssrs support situation similar, works don't need much.

ssrs, on other hand, cr claims to. not without bugs, delightfully few, , seldom survive more 1 release cycle.

the ssrs designer ui hosted within visual studio ide. attractively presented in typical microsoft style, more quite thought out, incorporating several simple fundamental departures traditional report designers. example, present tabular data define table rather fiddling individual text boxes. result don't have screw around trying line them up, , putting borders on them trivial stylesheet exercise.

ssrs things cr claims to, it's inexpensive, there extensive reliable technical documentation, it's designed extended (also documented) , can connect can odbc driver. no brainer.

some shortcomings of ssrs

  • it not obvious how bind fields in page headers , footers.
  • it not possible (so far know) position relative bottom of page. genuine problem types of report, , 1 can think of no workaround.
  • there's no support expando horizontal rollups in cross-tabulations.
  • there's no direct support report headers , footers. use rectangle objects @ top , bottom of report layout, pagebreaking properties set appropriately. or use subreports. people complain haven't tried hard.
  • lack of support overlapping group intervals (the cr grouping system can this) update ssrs 2008 r2 supports this. it's buried in grouping edit dialog. "group variables" , read this.

it looks overlapping groups can done ssrs2005 too, although never knew that. wonder did ever crack bottom-relative positioning issue?


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