Parameter passing for custom web service reports

Question

<p>Hi,</p><p>I created a report file and published it as a .Net web service. I was able to set the web service to a report viewer in my windows application. I am using Crystal Reports Version 11 R2 and Visual Studio 2005 for my development.</p><font size="2" color="#008080">ReportWebService</font><font size="2"> service = </font><font size="2" color="#0000ff">new</font><font size="2"> </font><font size="2" color="#008080">ReportWebService</font><font size="2">(); </font><font size="2"><p>crystalReportViewer1.ReportSource = service;</p></font><p>Now, my question is how do I pass a parameter from the windows application to the custom report web service. It does not seem to accept any paramters through constructors or other custom web methods.</p><p>If I need to change my design or approach, I am welcome to that as long as I am able to host the report file on a central location. The .rpt file (exposed by the web service) does not have any parameters but the data population logic inside the web service might be based on some conditions which I need to pass as parameter.</p><p>Thanks in advance.Regards, Gulzar</p>

Answer 1

<p>When using a Report Web Service, you must use the Viewer&#39;s SDK to interact with the report. So in your case, if you want to pass parameters to the report, the viewer exposes a ParameterFieldInfo property that you can set. You can download samples on how to do this or check out the <a href="http://devlibrary.businessobjects.com/BusinessObjectsXIR2SP2/en/devsuite.htm" target="_blank">DevLibrary</a> for more details.</p><p>However, one of your last statements you said your report does not have any parameters but your web service does.....could you elaborate on that?  Did you modify the .asmx that is autogenerated to add/modify the web service methods?  If so, then you will not be able to pass parameters to the new/modified web service.  The autogenerated web service for the report cannot be modified in this way since the viewer is designed to use the web services methods as-is.   In other words, the viewer is the only client/consumer of the Report Web Service so any interaction you want with the report must be done through the viewer, if the viewer exposes the functionality.  </p><p>In general, because the viewer is the only supported consumer of the Report Web Service, there are many limitations to interacting with the report.  Depending on how much control you want over the report at runtime, you may not want to use Report Web Services.  If you want to centralize reports for a Windows application, your best option is to load the reports from a network share using a UNC path when loading the report.  Of course, this assumes your application is running from some kind of internal network.  Any other kind of solution to centralized reports would require a web-based solution.</p><p>If you must use a Windows application, then you could host a IE control on your form that accesses a web page that displays reports but then you would have to develop and support a web application in addition to your windows application.  It&#39;s not the best solution but it&#39;s an option!  :-)</p><p>-MJ</p>