How do I change report DSN at runtime?

Question

Hello,
I have some reports (some 2011 but most 9) that were created with a DSN named Dev for example.  When the reports are deployed to production, they are viewed via an ASP.NET application written in VB.NET (VS2012).  The production server has a DSN named Prod for example. The code I'm using to change the connection information "seems" to be working because if I write out the connection info before the code, it shows the Dev DSN connection information and if I write out the connection inf after the code, it shows the Prod DSN connection information.
The problem is that even though the connection information appears to be changing at runtime, when the report renders it shows data from the Dev database instead of production.
Here is the code I'm using to change the main report connection and the subreports, which seems to be working:
        Dim strPassword As String = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("ReportPassword")
        Dim strUserID As String = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("ReportUser")
        Dim strServer As String = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("ReportServer")
        Dim strDBName As String = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("ReportDatabase")
        Dim strDSName As String = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("ReportDSN")
        Dim myTable As CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.Table
        Dim myLogin As CrystalDecisions.Shared.TableLogOnInfo
        Dim blDebugFlag As Boolean = False
        'This test is needed because the flag may/should not exist in the production web.config
        If Not System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("debugFlag") Is Nothing Then
            blDebugFlag = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("debugFlag")
        End If
        'Modify the data source location for each table in the report (does not include subreports)
        strReturnData += Now.ToLongTimeString & "<br>"
        For Each myTable In Session("crpt").Database.Tables
            myLogin = myTable.LogOnInfo
            strReturnData += "<br><br>Table = [<b>" & myTable.Name.ToString & "</b>] - (Main report)" & _
              "<blockquote>" & _
              "<br>Original ServerName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName.ToString & "]" & _
              "<br>Original DatabaseName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName.ToString & "]" & _
              "<br>Original UserId = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.UserID.ToString & "]"
            'check if a DSN or non-DSN connection
            If myTable.LogOnInfo.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName = "" Or myTable.LogOnInfo.ConnectionInfo.ServerName = "Dev" Then
                myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName = strDSName
                myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName = ""
                strReturnData += "<br><br> ### DSN Connection ###"
            Else
                myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName = strServer
                myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName = strDBName
                strReturnData += "<br><br> *** Non-DSN Connection ***"
            End If
            myLogin.ConnectionInfo.Password = strPassword
            myLogin.ConnectionInfo.UserID = strUserID
            myTable.ApplyLogOnInfo(myLogin)
            ' Collect the login information after-the-fact
            strReturnData += "<br><br>Final ServerName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName.ToString & "]" & _
            "<br>Final DatabaseName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName.ToString & "]" & _
            "<br>Final UserId = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.UserID.ToString & "]" & _
            "</blockquote>"
        Next
        'Iterate through subreports and make sure ConnectionInfo matches the main report
        'set the crSections object to the current report's sections
        Dim crSections As CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.Sections = Session("crpt").ReportDefinition.Sections 'rpt.ReportDefinition.Sections
        Dim crReportobjects As ReportObjects, crSubReportobject As SubreportObject, crSubReportDocument As ReportDocument
        Dim crDatabase As Database, crTables As Tables
        Dim crtableLogoninfo As New TableLogOnInfo
        Dim crConnectioninfo As New ConnectionInfo
        'loop through all the sections to find all the report objects
        For Each crSection As CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.Section In crSections
            crReportObjects = crSection.ReportObjects
            'loop through all the report objects to find all the subreports
            For Each crReportObject As CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.ReportObject In crReportObjects
                If crReportObject.Kind = ReportObjectKind.SubreportObject Then
                    'you will need to typecast the reportobject to a subreport object once you find it
                    crSubreportObject = DirectCast(crReportObject, CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.SubreportObject)
                    Dim mysubname As String = crSubreportObject.SubreportName.ToString()
                    'open the subreport object
                    crSubreportDocument = crSubreportObject.OpenSubreport(crSubreportObject.SubreportName)
                    'set the database and tables objects to work with the subreport
                    crDatabase = crSubreportDocument.Database
                    crTables = crDatabase.Tables
                    'loop through all the tables in the subreport and set up the connection info and apply it to the tables
                    For Each crTable As CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.Table In crTables
                        'With crConnectioninfo
                        '    .ServerName = strDSName
                        '    .DatabaseName = ""
                        '    .UserID = strUserID
                        '    .Password = strPassword
                        'End With
                        'crtableLogoninfo = crTable.LogOnInfo
                        'crtableLogoninfo.ConnectionInfo = crConnectioninfo
                        'crTable.ApplyLogOnInfo(crtableLogoninfo)
                        myLogin = crTable.LogOnInfo
                        strReturnData += "<br><br>Table = [<b>" & crTable.Name.ToString & "</b>] - (Subreport - [" & mysubname & "])" & _
                          "<blockquote>" & _
                          "<br>Original ServerName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName.ToString & "]" & _
                          "<br>Original DatabaseName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName.ToString & "]" & _
                          "<br>Original UserId = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.UserID.ToString & "]"
                        'check if a DSN or non-DSN connection
                        If crTable.LogOnInfo.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName = "" Or crTable.LogOnInfo.ConnectionInfo.ServerName = "Dev" Then
                            myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName = strDSName
                            myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName = ""
                            strReturnData += "<br><br> ### DSN Connection ###"
                        Else
                            myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName = strServer
                            myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName = strDBName
                            strReturnData += "<br><br> *** Non-DSN Connection ***"
                        End If
                        myLogin.ConnectionInfo.Password = strPassword
                        myLogin.ConnectionInfo.UserID = strUserID
                        crtableLogoninfo = crTable.LogOnInfo
                        crtableLogoninfo.ConnectionInfo = myLogin.ConnectionInfo
                        crTable.ApplyLogOnInfo(crtableLogoninfo)
                        ' Collect the login information after-the-fact
                        strReturnData += "<br><br>Final ServerName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.ServerName.ToString & "]" & _
                        "<br>Final DatabaseName = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.DatabaseName.ToString & "]" & _
                        "<br>Final UserId = [" & myLogin.ConnectionInfo.UserID.ToString & "]" & _
                        "</blockquote>"
                    Next 'crTable
                End If
            Next 'crReportObject
        Next 'crSection
Here is what gets printed after this code when the debug flag is True:
   Table = [usp_MainReportProcedureName] - (Main report)
      Original ServerName = [Dev]
      Original DatabaseName = [Dev]
      Original UserId = [UserName]
      ### DSN Connection ###
      Final ServerName = [Prod]
      Final DatabaseName = []
      Final UserId = [UserName]
   Table = [usp_SubreportProcedureName] - (Subreport - [subrptName.rpt])
      Original ServerName = [Dev]
      Original DatabaseName = [Dev]
      Original UserId = [UserName]
      ### DSN Connection ###
      Final ServerName = [Prod]
      Final DatabaseName = []
      Final UserId = [UserName]
Here is the export code that renders the report:
        'Export to new format
        Dim crExportOptions As New ExportOptions
        Dim crDiskFileDestinationOptios As New DiskFileDestinationOptions
        Dim fname As String = ""
        Dim gFileId As New Guid
        Try
            'Filename for temporary report
            fname = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("DocumentsLocation") + gFileId.ToString + ".pdf"
            crDiskFileDestinationOptios.DiskFileName = fname
            crExportOptions = Session("crpt").ExportOptions
            Session("crpt").ExportOptions.DestinationOptions = crDiskFileDestinationOptios
            Session("crpt").ExportOptions.ExportDestinationType = ExportDestinationType.DiskFile
            Session("crpt").ExportOptions.ExportFormatType = ExportFormatType.PortableDocFormat
            Session("crpt").Export()
            'Display and Cleanup
            Response.ClearContent()
            Response.ClearHeaders()
            If blDebugFlag = False Then
                'Display the report
                Response.ContentType = "application/pdf"
                Response.WriteFile(fname)    'writes out PDF if created
            Else
                'Display connection information for debugging
                '*** DEBUG CODE *** for use in TEST ENVIRONMENTS ONLY
                Response.Write(strReturnData)
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            Session("error") = ex.ToString
            'Add the location of the error
            Session("error") = "[Address: " & Request.Url.ToString & "] " & Session("error")
            Response.Redirect("ErrorEvents.aspx")
        Finally
            Response.Flush()
            'Response.Close()  'Prevents pdf's from rendering in Chrome
            System.IO.File.Delete(fname)
            GC.Collect()
        End Try
I'm wondering if there is some additional code needed after .ApplyLogOnInfo or if there are some other parameters needed when exporting after the connection info has been changed or if there is something else I'm missing.
Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Thank you for the troubleshooting ideas.
The version of the Crystal Runtime on the web server is:  CRRuntime_32bit_13_0_6.msi
The database is on an SQL Server 2008 separate server
I started with adding this code just before the export code right after all the looping to change the connection info:
   Session("crpt").Refresh()
   Session("crpt").VerifyDatabase()
I tried running a report and an error was raised a few lines later at:
   Session("crpt").Export()
Here is the error message:
CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine.ParameterFieldCurrentValueException: Missing parameter values. ---> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: Missing parameter values.
  at CrystalDecisions.ReportAppServer.Controllers.ReportSourceClass.Export(ExportOptions pExportOptions, RequestContext pRequestContext)
  at CrystalDecisions.ReportSource.EromReportSourceBase.ExportToStream(ExportRequestContext reqContext) --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
  at Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.Symbols.Container.InvokeMethod(Method TargetProcedure, Object[] Arguments, Boolean[] CopyBack, BindingFlags Flags)
  at Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.NewLateBinding.CallMethod(Container BaseReference, String MethodName, Object[] Arguments, String[] ArgumentNames, Type[] TypeArguments, Boolean[] CopyBack, BindingFlags InvocationFlags, Boolean ReportErrors, ResolutionFailure& Failure)
  at Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.NewLateBinding.ObjectLateCall(Object Instance, Type Type, String MemberName, Object[] Arguments, String[] ArgumentNames, Type[] TypeArguments, Boolean[] CopyBack, Boolean IgnoreReturn)
  at Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.NewLateBinding.LateCall(Object Instance, Type Type, String MemberName, Object[] Arguments, String[] ArgumentNames, Type[] TypeArguments, Boolean[] CopyBack, Boolean IgnoreReturn)
Next, I commented out those added lines (refresh and verify) and tried renaming the Dev DSN to Devxxx on the web application server.
I'm at a loss but somehow the report rendered still showing data from the Dev database. I checked the Prod DSN just to be sure it was pointed at the Prod database and it is. I rebooted the server and still got the same results.  I opened the report directly in CR 2011 on the web server and tried to preview it. The ODBC dialog came up and the Devxxx DSN was there.
I changed some data in Dev ran the report through the web application in Prod and the data on the report showed the changed data in Dev.
The web application says the report connection info is for Dev and then it is changed for Prod and then even though the Dev DSN no longer exits the report still renders from Dev data???
I'm totally confused as to how this can be but maybe if we can solve the refresh and verify error the DSN mystery will become mute.