What is the best way to schedule a Crystal Report with PDF-eXPLODE processing?

ISSUE:

I have designed a report in Crystal Reports and modified it to include a PDF-eXPLODE tag. Now I need to run this report each day at 8AM before I get to work. Is it best to use the Windows task scheduler? ( START  menu/  All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/ Task Scheduler)


ANSWER:

PDF-eXPLODE is not a report manager and is not capable of scheduling a report to start on a particular day of the week or date and time. There is no standard timer or scheduler built into PDF-eXPLODE, but you can suspend a job and delay its processing till anytime after it has been suspended. This is not the same as scheduling but you can achieve your desired outcome of delayed processing and delivery. The major difference with scheduling is that PDF-eXPLODE does not specifically affect any one report, rather it un-suspends and proceses the whole report queue (one or several reports) that exists in the Queue when the un-suspend occurs.

Generally, a report must be run and then printed from your Report Writer or Report Processing software to create the necessary PDF code for PDF-eXPLODE to convert it into a PDF, then explode and email it. So if you want to use the Windows Scheduler to fully automate the running of the report to the PDFeXPLODE printer unattended, it is not possible.

If you decided to set the report off to print to PDFeXPLODE printer before you left work, but only want it to process and email anytime after hours or before you get to work the next morning, then this is how that can be achieved.

WINDOWS TASK SCHEDULING

• Open PDF-eXPLODE from the Desktop shortcut and when open, click the Printer menu, then select Suspend Printer (menu option)
• Now select Exit to close PDF-eXPLODE
• If you opened PDF-eXPLODE, this is how the Suspend Printer will look 
• 
• Now download the FindAndReplaceText.zip file  and save it in PDF-eXPLODE Folder. Then extract the files fart.exe and ChangePrinterStop.bat placing them in C:\PDF-EXPLODE\ folder:  https://www.3000ad.com.au/EXES/FindAndReplaceText.zip      (no password required)
  • Now create a Windows Task as shown in these STEPS
  • Set the Calendar Date and Time for when you want to “RELEASE” your Payslip report from suspend and allow it to process 

• Start Windows Task Scheduler

  

• Click ‘Create Basic Task’ on the right margin “Actions”

•  
• Describe the Task and how /when it will process in the following steps
• 
• Schedule whether it should be Cyclical or One-Time
• 
• Assign Date/Time to the Task
• 
• Describe action required to run the program
• 
• Point to a file to run and which folder would be used to process
• 
• Finalize – You can also assign this Task to run under Admin rights by including a User/Password
• 
•  At the precise time/date when set, the ChangePrinterStop.bat will :- 
• Close any open PDF-eXPLODE instance
• Open the INI file under C:\PDF-EXPLODE\INIS\ADMINISTRATOR\ folder and change or unsuspend the Printer by changing the setting PrinterStop=1 to PrintStop=0  (with admin permissions).

• It will then save that file and reopen/start PDF-eXPLODE to start processing the previously suspended PRINT

• Any/all files in the queue will now process.

• Instead of pointing to ‘Administrator’ INIS folder, you could have a different ChangePrinterStop.BAT to edit, then process any previously suspended reports for any User. However you MUST have the registry setting UseAdminIni= N (by running the file C:\PDF-EXPLODE\REG\TurnAdminIni_OFF.reg.

END-TO-END REPORT SCHEDULING

There are a number of Report Schedulers available for most popular Report Processing software that can fully automate your Report and PDF-eXPLODE processing from end to end without any human intervention.  Let's look at Crystal Reports for instance. You have a choice of free or purchased Viewer/Scheduler. Obviously you will have to determine the value of a purchased license over free usage yourself. In many instances, the purchased, licensed product has more features and comes with support and free updates.  

Here are a couple of good  free  Schedulers :

Logicity   -  https://www.logicitysuite.com/products/logicity.html

Crystal Delivery  -   https://www.groffautomation.com/

One of most  reasonably priced  licensed Scheduler is:

EasyView  -  https://www.easystreetsoftware.net/Products/EasyView_Main.php

NOTE : Currently, the developers of EasyView do not appear to be in business and hence any form of support may not be available for this product. Notwithstanding that, the product provides all the required functionality to manage Crystal reports from CR 2008 version and older.  Newer versions of Crystal may not be compatible with EasyView.

You install one of these programs, open the RPT (Crystal designed report) files from the scheduler interface, and configure for Printing (to PDF-eXPLODE) along with other parameters that are required by your report (such as Database password and report parameters like date range). 

Make sure PDF-eXPLODE has been set to Silent mode if running the Desktop or Terminal Server license types.  If using the Print Server version,  and the server is not left logged in, then ensure that VERY SILENT option under General Settings is also checked in the PDF-eXPLODE Options screen.

Please read our web page here for more information:  https://www.pdf-explode-us.com/TechTip_CrystalSched.php

Disclaimer:
None of the above Schedulers are in any way linked to PDF-eXPLODE or 3000AD Systems. We are not recommending one against the other nor do we get any form of commission payment if a User decides to purchase and/or use these products with PDF-eXPLODE. Each User should individually establish what is most suitable for their organisation or environment.  3000AD Systems accepts no responsibility for any choice made by the User nor its suitability to the User's requirement.