CrConnectionInfo- ServerName when a datasource is not defined in the contro

Question

I have been testing dbconnectivity.cpp from cppnet_win_dbengine in preparation for a project to migrate from the legacy CR apis to NET, but I cannot seem to get the database logins correct. Instead of cluttering the control panel with datasources, we create a DSN from scratch, but I cannot seem to get it to work:
crConnectionInfo = new ConnectionInfo ;
crConnectionInfo->Servername="SQL Native Client;Server=10.0.20.63;UID=sa;Database=blabla";
crConnectionInfo->DatabaseName = "blabla";
crConnectionInfo->UserID = "sa";
crConnectionInfo->Password = "password";
Ie, if I use a name defined under the ODBC control panel then it works, but anything else,I just get a failed login.

Answer 1

OK. Please remember that I am trying to port an application with perhaps a hundred reports from the legacy interface to .NET. I would naturally like to do so with a minimum changes to the original app. When you say:
"Once the connection is established and a resultset object created, you can bind that resultset to a Crystal report.
Microsoft documentation provides more information on potential issues and methodologies regarding programming DSN-less applications."
There is no way for me to provide the servename to the report this way? I have to create a result set and then bind that one to the report? If so, can you point me to some examples?
Please note that I am using DBConnectivity.cpp from cppnet_win_dbviewer.zip as a template.
Update:
Apparently am I not alone. When googling I found several posts describing similar issues, for example:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/vscrystalreports/thread/29c0bb9c-98f5-458d-b643-41d5b739535a
At one point did I even see Crystal Reports pull down all data from SQL Server (on the wire) and then complaining about a login failure?? What seems to work though is this:
Create a System DSN or a User DSN that point to the server. You can then select database on that server:
            crConnectionInfo = new ConnectionInfo ();
     crConnectionInfo->ServerName = "Pedago SQL Native Client"; // System or User DSN
            crConnectionInfo->DatabaseName = "lp0001_xx"; // database to use
            crConnectionInfo->UserID = "sa";
            crConnectionInfo->Password = "password1";
What irks me is the error reporting. CR will report a "Logon Failure" for all types of errors. It would be much better if you got more detailed error info.
Edited by: Anders Gustafsson on Dec 16, 2010 1:41 PM