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Msdn Tech >> Visual Studio >> Crystal Reports for Visual Studio

Crystal Reports Problem

I have been working with VS2005 Crystal Reports for a while now with no problems. Now, suddenly i can't open any of my reports in design mode, VS comes up with an error message:

"Crystal Reports ActiveX Designer: Failed to open document."

and

"Microsoft Visual Studio: Failed to create the Crystal Query Engine."

Need help to resolve this urgently, deliverable time is soon . . . Thanks.

[534 byte] By [Jakino] at [2008-1-7]

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# 1

Any ideas on this problem? I have just recently started seeing the same issue. I was working on a project with crystal reports just a week ago. I come in on the following monday and suddenly started getting this message also.

PCr at 2007-10-2 >

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# 2

Ok, found out what is causing this. Seems that if you create an install package using the merge module for Crystal Reports, and install the setup package to the machine that you do your dev work on, then uninstall that same setup package, it removes all Crystal Reports files from your system, including the ones used by Visual Studio. This causes the error above whenever you try to add a new report or open an existing project's report.

So here is the fix:

Go to Add/Remove Programs and select Change/Remove for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
Select Next then Add or Remove Features from the Visual Studio 2005 Maintenance Mode app
Uncheck Crystal Reports for Visual Studio and select Update
Once the "Update" is complete, select Finish
Go back to Add/Remove Programs and select Change/Remove for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
Select Next then Add or Remove Features from the Visual Studio 2005 Maintenance Mode app
Check Crystal Reports for Visual Studio and select Update
Insert Disk 1 of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Installation CD's and select OK
Once the "Update" is complete, select Finish

You should now be able to add/edit Crystal Reports in projects again.

Unfortunately, this whole process takes 30 minutes or more to complete...

PCr at 2007-10-2 >

# 3

Thank you so much for the help, i uninstalled and it was resolved.

Jakino at 2007-10-2 >

# 4

Thanks very much, It works well

ramyik at 2007-10-2 >

# 5

This process did NOT solve my problem. I needed to reinstall my application to get back my missing features. Is there a fix for this problem?

JoyceHearn at 2007-10-2 >

# 6

There is an easier fix. Just reinstall the setup package on the dev machine and all the crystal files are put back and the development machine works again.

I hope, however, that microsoft fixes this 'bug'.

BilleV at 2007-10-2 >

# 7

I was experiencing this exact problem with Visual Studio 2005. The problem began shortly after I baked in the CrystalReportsRedist2005_x86.msm merge module into a setup/deployment project and did exactly what was described above (install/uninstall project on development workstation). However, when I was uninstalling via Visual Studio (right click on install project in solution explorer window and choose Uninstall) that the uninstall hung. After this occured, I rebooted but never fully completed the uninstall.

Later, when trying to create new Crystal Reports, I found I was having the error "Crystal Reports ActiveX Designer...Failed To Open Document". Afterwhich VS2005 would blow up and prompt to notify Microsoft with an error report.

To fix the problem, I did the following:

1. Went to Add/Remove Programs and completed the uninstall of the busted uninstall from above. It completed fine thankfully.

2. Ran the setup.exe from my installer project -- the last time I built it -- which includes the Crystal 2005 merge module.

After the software was reinstalled in this manner, I started VS2005 and upon adding a new Crystal Report to a project noted that the Wizard started up again normally. Problem solved in 5 minutes.

Hope this might help someone else suffering from the same malady.

Regards,

Grant (http://www.quagmire.com)

GrantSzabo at 2007-10-2 >

# 8

My problem is bigeer this solucion dont resolve my problem, because Can′t update Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 profesional.... I whant that went for install the mergemodule of Crystal Reports and my program is incomplete and also i dont remove...

For uninstall my program microsoft said this, but my machine is a 'CAOS', the SQL 2000, VS2003, and a dont know what application more dont function!!!!!!!

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=160910&SiteID=1

I′m going to format my machine!! ...

i hope, that you understand me , Anybody can i help me before format my machine?

Ing.MiriamEscuadra at 2007-10-2 >

# 9

I was having the same problem after testing the installshield install of my app that contains a crystal report, then uninstalling it.

I tried the solution where you remove the Crystal Reports Component from the Visual Studio 2005 install then re-add it but that didn't work. I then re-ran the install of my application and things seem to be working now. I hate to have this runtime copy of my app on my development machine but now I'm afraid to uninstall it again. I am thanking my lucky stars that I am at least able to work on my application again.

If anyone has any new suggestions on this one I would appreciate it.

SantaCruzJoe at 2007-10-2 >

# 10

Thank you! uninstalling / re-installing the component worked for me!

nikk1e at 2007-10-2 >

# 11

I had to create a new setupproject for my inhouse App. I unistalled the runtime app which was created from the original setup and then installed the app from the new setup program. It killed Crystal reports as described in this post. Uninstalling and reinstalling CR components in VS2007 was not enough. I had to do the following:

1) unistall my runtime app

2) uninstall CR runtime for .net

3) uninstall the components in VS2007 (as described in this post)

4) Reinstall the components in VS2007

5) Reinstall the CR runtime

6) open a new project and create a crystal report. I was prompted to accept the liscense agreement and the report opened.

I was then able to access CR in my project and create a new runtime that worked.

Haim

hik at 2007-10-2 >

# 12

Thanks very much, This process solve my problem