Is it Possible to Control the Final HTML Formatting of a Report?

Download PDF version of this faq: HTML_Formatting.pdf

Issue: Since HTML 3.2 format does not provide all of the formatting features available in the Crystal Decisions Crystal Reports report format, translating reports to HTML introduces several limitations described here. As a web administrator or designer, keep these limitations in mind when deciding how to distribute reports over Internet or intranet sites.

Solutions:

1. There are some constants that may be used to explicitly specify which version to export to in HTML. By exporting to a specific version of HTML, there may be some improvements in the quality of formatting. However, there are some formatting issues with Crystal Reports 7 that Parallel Crystal cannot control.
   Download the Crystal Decisions technical brief: SCR7ExportLimitations.zip
   
   The constants are not up to date in the Parallel Crystal 2.4 release with what is available in Crystal 7. The constants have been updated in Parallel Crystal 2.6. The raw numbers, which the constants represent, can be used since the constants do not exist. The following raw numbers will allow a workaround until an upgrade can be made to Parallel Crystal 2.6. The constants are as follows:
   
   HTML Constants:
   #define UXFHTML3Type 0 // Draft HTML 3.0 tags
   #define UXFExplorer2Type 1 // Include MS Explorer 2.0 tags
   #define UXFNetscape2Type 2 // Include Netscape 2.0 tags
   #define UXFHTML32ExtType 1 // HTML 3.2 tags + bg color extensions
   #define UXFHTML32StdType 2 // HTML 3.2 tags
   
   Sample code:
   

   PCREJobExportInfo info = new PCREJobExportInfo();	
   info.formatDLLName = "u2fhtml.dll";
   // THIS IS THE LINE THAT CHANGES
   // info.formatType = PCREJob.UXFHTML3Type;
   info.formatType = 2;
   info.formatOptions = new UXF_HTML3Options( "outputfilename.html" );
   info.destinationDLLName = "u2ddisk";
   info.destinationType = PCREJob.UXDDiskType;
   info.destinationOptions = null;
   aJob.ExportTo(info);
   

   
   
2. Additionally, Crystal Decisions has prepared a document to assist in creating a report that exports to HTML with a minimum of format changes. The tips and hints refer to features and options available in Crystal Decisions Crystal Report’s version 7.0.2.100. They also apply to most other versions of Crystal Decisions Crystal Report Designer.
   Download the Crystal Decisions Knowledge base document: exporthtml.pdf or see: http://support.crystaldecisions.com/communityCS/TechnicalPapers/exporthtml.pdf.
   

Object Layout/Positioning in HTML 3.2

HTML 3.2 translations preserve relative positioning of objects and fields. However their absolute positioning, height, and width is browser dependent.

Limitations

• Overlayed Report Objects
  
• HTML 3.2 does not support overlaying. Report objects which are partially overlayed (even a tiny fraction) will appear alongside each other.
  
  
• Report Object Borders
  
• If all 4 sides of the object border are chosen, an HTML box is drawn around the report object.
  
• If either a bottom or top side of the object border is chosen, an HTML horizontal rule is drawn above or below the object accordingly. (Lone vertical borders are not translated.)
  
• Dotted lines appear as solid lines.
  
• Double lines appear as thick solid lines.
  
• Drop shadows appear as a box drawn around the report object.
  
• If the Tight Horizontal option is chosen, HTML box width will be the approximate "width of report object" or "width of data."
  
• If the Tight Horizontal option is not chosen, HTML horizontal rule width will be the "width of report object."
  
• Border/rule heights appear as "Height of font" only.