Crystal Reports Pass database fields as parameter for Stored Procedure

Question

I have a Stored Procedure/SQL function that makes calculations on a specific record returning 0.00 or another DEC value. It takes the record's primary key as a parameter.

I want to implement this function/Stored procedure in Crystal Reports by passing the primary key database field for each individual record. However, when I try to do this, it requires me to manually input the id. The crystal report that I implement is grouped by the id so that there'll be a report for each record.

Is there a way I can pass a database field as a parameter for a Stored Procedure or a SQL function? Is there something similar I can use?

Answer 1

If I've understood you correctly, you want to execute some code (a stored procedure or function) which uses the value of a column as the input to the code, and you want to do that for multiple rows at once.

If you write the code as a user defined function (ideally an inline table valued function ), which is sort of like a view that takes a parameter, then you can use cross apply or outer apply to execute the code for each row.

Here's a simple example. Suppose I have a block of code written as a user defined function. It takes an integer input parameter and just adds one to the input parameter:

create or alter function MyFunction(@MyParam int) returns table as 
return
(
   select @MyParam + 1 as MyResult
);
go

Because this function returns a table, I get the result by selecting from it, just like selecting from a regular table or view, like this:

select MyResult from MyFunction(68);

-- returns a result set with a single row and column, with a value of 69

But the input parameter value can also come from values in a column. We provide the value for each row by cross applying the function to the table, because "cross apply" means "run this function for each row". Suppose I have some table with 2 rows in it:

create table MyTable(i int primary key);
go
insert MyTable(i) values (1), (2);

I want to run my function against all of the values of i in the table. I do this using cross apply , and I pass the name of the column as the input parameter:

select      f.MyResult
from        dbo.MyTable         t
cross apply dbo.MyFunction(t.i) f;

The above code returns the following result set:

MyResult
2
3

Answer 2

An alternative approach is to insert a subreport using the SP as its data source into the Group Header section. Pass the ID as the subreport link , so it gets used as the SP parameter.
If you need the returned value in main report calculations, use a subreport formula to load the value into a Shared variable so it is accessible to main report formulas.

Another option is to use a Crystal Reports UFL (User Function Library). Ken Hamady maintains a list of UFLs here . At least one of them provides a function that allows you to call a dynamic SQL statement and return a value.

Answer 3

I can't seem to edit a comment to include code, so I'm posting as a new answer to address your new question:

In the subreport, use a formula to declare and set the value of a shared variable. For example:

Shared numbervar CalcResult := {SP_Column_Providing_The_Result}; 

In the Main Report, in a section BELOW the subreport, simply declare the same shared variable. And use it. It will return the value from the subreport.