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Using ODBC connection for READ only reporting

Printed From: Crystal Reports Book
Category: Crystal Reports .NET 2003
Forum Name: Data Connectivity
Forum Discription: How to connect to data sources and export reports
URL: http://www.crystalreportsbook.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7412
Printed Date: 01 May 2025 at 12:32pm


Topic: Using ODBC connection for READ only reporting
Posted By: dimsrob
Subject: Using ODBC connection for READ only reporting
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2009 at 10:32am
Our current new project runs reports based on C# classes build withing the application using VS Crystal Basic going through multiple layers for Business and Client. This is fine for the end users accessing the application but report preformance is very very slow.
 
What I would like to do is have the users still access the db through the application using the different layers for bd access but use a seperate ODBC connection for the purpose of report generation.
 
The application is using the users information from Active Directory to allow access.
 
If I add seperate users in SQL security can I set up an ODBC connection that is used only for reporting but that also allows READ only access? I want to use ODBC but plug any holes that would allow a user to say connect to the SQL db with access and be able to update and delete records. I need the ODBC connection to allow users to generate reports but also limit any other connection type to the db via this IDBC connection to RAD only.
 
Any suggestions?
 
 
Thanks
 


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Thanks a lot.


Replies:
Posted By: jkwrpc
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2009 at 11:51am
Something you have probably thought about, but how about simply creating a  and adding a new user for the report(ing). It would be best to set the report(ing) user permissions to read only (select) on the database side for the new reporting user.  On the database side you can have very granular control over tables, columns, procs, etc.
 
Effectively that limits any ODBC connection using the reporting user to read only.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Regards,
 
John W.
http://www.CustomReportWriters.net - www.CustomReportWriters.net
 

Posted By: lockwelle
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2009 at 6:56am

I realize that I am late, and a solution has probably already been implemented, but as a thought for later reports (there are always more). How about having your application generate the dataset, and then just setting the datasource for the report.  There is no chance that a user can use the connection or in anyway change the data, as they don't have access.  The application gathers the parameters from the user, gets the data needed via stored proc and then passes via ADO.Net to the report.

The only bottlenecks are your data/business layers, but the pluses are your report doesn't have to worry about OBDC, OLE, dynamically changing of these values, changing database names/locations.  Your application knows all of this, and gathers the correct information from the correct database and passes it to the report...everyone is happy
 
HTH


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