Question

I have a query that runs correctly from SQL Developer but bombs when attempting to use it as a command-text query with parameters in Crystal Reports 2008.

The Query (hard-coded dates; runs correctly as Oracle Query and CR 2008 Command Text)

SELECT *
FROM   (SELECT PERSON.DISPLAYNAME AS NAME
               , LABOR.LA20       AS LABORRECEMPLOYEENUM
               , LABOR.LABORCODE  AS PERSONLABORCODE
        FROM   LABOR
               LEFT OUTER JOIN PERSON
                 ON ( LABOR.LABORCODE = PERSON.PERSONID )
        WHERE  LABOR.LA20 IS NOT NULL
               AND LABOR.ACTIVE = 1
               AND PERSON.DISPLAYNAME IS NOT NULL
               AND LOWER(PERSON.DISPLAYNAME) NOT LIKE '%kimball%'
               AND LOWER(PERSON.DISPLAYNAME) NOT LIKE '%electrico%'
               AND LOWER(PERSON.DISPLAYNAME) NOT LIKE '%misc labor cost adj%'
               AND LOWER(PERSON.DISPLAYNAME) NOT LIKE '%brossoit'
               AND LOWER(PERSON.DISPLAYNAME) NOT LIKE '%brossiot')PERSONINFO
       LEFT OUTER JOIN (SELECT *
                        FROM   LABTRANS
                        WHERE  LABTRANS.STARTDATE BETWEEN to_date('03/01/2011', 'mm/dd/yyyy') AND to_date('04/01/2011', 'mm/dd/yyyy')) REDUCEDLABORRANGE
         ON ( PERSONINFO.PERSONLABORCODE = REDUCEDLABORRANGE.LABORCODE )
WHERE  REDUCEDLABORRANGE.LABORCODE IS NULL; 

What I’d like to do

Replace the hard-coded values:

WHERE  LABTRANS.STARTDATE BETWEEN to_date('03/01/2011', 'mm/dd/yyyy') AND to_date('04/01/2011', 'mm/dd/yyyy')

With Crystal Reports parameters in command text.

What I’ve tried (and errors)

WHERE  LABTRANS.STARTDATE BETWEEN to_date({?BeginDate}, 'mm/dd/yyyy') AND to_date({?EndDate}, 'mm/dd/yyyy')

Yields the error: A non-numeric character was found where a numeric was expected [Database Vendor Code: 1858]

WHERE  LABTRANS.STARTDATE BETWEEN to_date('{?BeginDate}', 'mm/dd/yyyy') AND to_date('{?EndDate}', 'mm/dd/yyyy')

Yields the error: Missing Right Parenthesis [Database Vendor Code 907]

Potential Keys to the solution

• I can’t figure out what Crystal is actually sticking into the parameter values, or how they’re passed on to the query.

Answer 1

And of course, soon after I post, I find the answer.

I realize, I wasn’t trusting Crystal to put the dates in the proper format ahead of time (usually, not trusting Crystal Reports is the correct choice).

The following worked:

WHERE  LABTRANS.STARTDATE BETWEEN {?BeginDate} AND {?EndDate}

No need to additionally format the date, as they are already in the proper format coming out of Crystal into Oracle.