usually people start by adding a Crystal Report to their project.

The 'simplest' reports connect directly to the database using either OBDC or OLE connection...create one on your machine. Create a connection in the report using the one you created for the machine. You should be able to see your database and select some tables (under dbo usually) link them together in the link screen, then drag and drop the fields. I think that you need to create Cystal Reports Viewer to view the results of report after you tell your application to create it.

While I don't have the .net book, I would expect this is laid out by Brian. I do have his Crystal Reports book, just not the .net.

For an alternative, you could have your application connect to your database, retrieve the data and then 'set' the datasource for a report (this simplifies the connection issues)...but to design the report you need to stop/code the application to write out your dataset to XML file and to use the ADO.Net connection in designing the report. The rest is the same, linking if you need to, and displaying the report.

I know it's vague, I'm sure that Brian has covered it, just some pointers/idea of the path.

HTH