User`s guide

When you access a database directly through Crystal Reports, only that database type can be used
by the report. You cannot switch to a different type of database or table without creating a new report.
For example, if you design a report based on Pervasive data, you cannot change the tables accessed
by the report to Access data. Crystal Reports communicates with Pervasive data using Pervasive-specific
syntax, a syntax that is not compatible with Access data.
If you access data through ODBC, on the other hand, the syntax used is always the SQL language,
regardless of the actual database type. See ODBC data sources.
A.2.3 Three layers
Direct access of database files from Crystal Reports requires three layers:
• Crystal Reports
• Data translation
• Database
Crystal Reports uses the data translation layer to talk to the database and access its data.
A.2.3.1 Crystal Reports
Crystal Reports operates as an interface through which you can format, arrange, select, and sort the
data stored in database files. It obtains data by communicating with one or more files in the data
translation layer that can actually read the database. Since Crystal Reports can work with many forms
of data, it must rely on other files in order to work directly with the data. Crystal Reports can then use
a native method of communication to talk to the translation files.
A.2.3.2 Data translation
Data is translated through a set of DLLs specific to Crystal Reports. The program uses the DLLs specific
to a certain data type to understand how data is organized for that type and to present it correctly when
your report is printed, previewed, or exported.
Note:
Crystal Reports comes with all the data translation files for each of the direct access database types
that it supports.
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Accessing Data Sources