Numbers and Crystal Reports 9

I exported a column of type float to SQL Server using DTS. In Crystal
reports, it 'sees' the column as a string! Is 'float' the best type to
use? Must I create a formula field in CR to 'correct' for this?Hi

From the database side you should choose the most appropriate datatype for
the data which it will hold, at a guess decimal might be more appropriate.

Its been a while since I used Crystal so I can't remember how it determined
the datatypes, but I seem to remember that you mask the output to be in the
format that you require.

John

"chrispycrunch" <chrispycrunch@.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1107712517.428328.79850@.o13g2000cwo.googlegro ups.com...
>I exported a column of type float to SQL Server using DTS. In Crystal
> reports, it 'sees' the column as a string! Is 'float' the best type to
> use? Must I create a formula field in CR to 'correct' for this?|||chrispycrunch (chrispycrunch@.gmail.com) writes:
> I exported a column of type float to SQL Server using DTS. In Crystal
> reports, it 'sees' the column as a string! Is 'float' the best type to
> use? Must I create a formula field in CR to 'correct' for this?

So if you sp_help on the table in Query Analyzer, it is reported to be
a float?

If so, you should probably ask in a forum devoted to Crystal Reports. We
use Crystal in our shop, but I don't have it installed on my machine...

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@.sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techin.../2000/books.asp|||"John Bell" <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4206972c$0$7707$fa0fcedb@.news.zen.co.uk...
> Hi
> From the database side you should choose the most appropriate datatype for
> the data which it will hold, at a guess decimal might be more appropriate.
> Its been a while since I used Crystal so I can't remember how it
> determined the datatypes, but I seem to remember that you mask the output
> to be in the format that you require.
> John
> "chrispycrunch" <chrispycrunch@.gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1107712517.428328.79850@.o13g2000cwo.googlegro ups.com...
>>I exported a column of type float to SQL Server using DTS. In Crystal
>> reports, it 'sees' the column as a string! Is 'float' the best type to
>> use? Must I create a formula field in CR to 'correct' for this?
>
I would imagine decimal is probably more appropriate than float.

I usually base my crystal reports on stored procedures rather than directly
on tables.
I can then do any "work" necessary to make the crystal report easier to put
together in the stored procedure which I, quite frankly, find a lot easier
to work with than the crystal alternatives.
I'd do any maths I could in the stored procedure as well.
If float is best for storage and decimal for presentation then you could
cast the field in your stored procedure's select statement.

If these are no good for you then, is it just a presentation thing?
You can specify a formula for display format of a field in crystal.

HTH
--
Regards,
Andy O'Neill