Question

I have about 10 fairly complex SQL queries on SQL Server 2008 – but the client wants to be able to run them from their internal network (as opposed to from the non-local web app) through Crystal Reports XI.

The client’s internal network does not allow us to (a) have write access to their proprietary db, nor (b) allow us to set up an intermediary SQL server (meaning we can not set up stored procedures or other data cleaning).

The SQL contains multiple instances of row_number() over (partition by col1, col2), group by col1, col2 with cube|rollup, and/or (multiple) pivots.

Can this even be done? Everything I’ve read seems to indicate that this is only feasible via stored procedure and I would still need to pull the data from the proprietary db first.

Following is a stripped back version of one of the queries (eg, JOINs not directly related to functionality, WHERE clauses, and half a dozen columns have been removed)…

select sum(programID)
    , sum([a.Asian]) as [Episodes - Asian], sum([b.Asian]) as [Eps w/ Next Svc - Asian], sum([c.Asian])/sum([b.Asian]) as [Avg Days to Next Svc - Asian]
    , etc... (repeats for each ethnicity)
from (
    select programID, 'a.' + ethnicity as ethnicityA, 'b.' + ethnicity as ethnicityB, 'c.' + ethnicity as ethnicityC
        , count(*) as episodes, count(daysToNextService) as episodesWithNextService, sum(daysToNextService) as daysToNextService
    from (
        select programID, ethnicity, datediff(dateOfDischarge, nextDateOfService) as daysToNextService from (
            select t1.userID, t1.programID, t1.ethnicity, t1.dateOfDischarge, t1.dateOfService, min(t2.dateOfService) as nextDateOfService
            from TABLE1 as t1 left join TABLE1 as t2
                on datediff(d, t1.dateOfService, t2.dateOfService) between 1 and 31 and t1.userID = t2.userID
            group by t1.userID, t1.programID, t1.ethnicity, t1.dateOfDischarge, t1.dateOfService
        ) as a
    ) as a
    group by programID
) as a
pivot (
    max(episodes) for ethnicityA in ([A.Asian],[A.Black],[A.Hispanic],[A.Native American],[A.Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Isl.],[A.White],[A.Unknown])
) as pA
pivot (
    max(episodesWithNextService) for ethnicityB in ([B.Asian],[B.Black],[B.Hispanic],[B.Native American],[B.Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Isl.],[B.White],[B.Unknown])
) as pB
pivot (
    max(daysToNextService) for ethnicityC in ([C.Asian],[C.Black],[C.Hispanic],[C.Native American],[C.Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Isl.],[C.White],[C.Unknown])
) as pC
group by programID with rollup

Sooooooo…. can something like this even be translated into Crystal Reports XI?

Thanks!

Answer 1

When you create your report instead of selecting a table or stored procedure choose add command

This will allow you to put whatever valid TSQL statement in there that you want. Using Common Table Expressions (CTE’s) and inline Views I’ve managed to create some rather large complex statements (excess of 400 lines) against Oracle and SQL Server so it is indeed feasible, however if you use parameters you should consider using sp_executesql you’ll have to figure out how to avoid SQL injection.