SAP Knowledge Base Article - Public

1216415 - How to change the isolation level for an ODBC connection in Crystal Reports?

Symptom

  • How to set a different database isolation level?
  • How to change the isolation level Crystal Reports uses when connecting via ODBC to data sources?

Environment

  • SAP Crystal Reports 2008
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2011
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2013
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2016

Cause

  • When connecting via ODBC to a database, Crystal Reports uses the highest database isolation level the database driver supports, which is: Read Committed

Resolution

  • To change the default isolation level used when connecting to a data source via ODBC in Crystal Reports, set the registry key: IsolationLevel, to the desired isolation level:
     
    WARNING: The following resolution involves editing the registry. Using the Microsoft Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems. Use the Microsoft Registry Editor at your own risk. For further information see the SAP Knowledge Base Article 1323322
          
    1. Open the Microsoft Registry Editor ( Regedit )
         
    2. In the Microsoft Registry Editor, navigate to the path corresponding to the version of Crystal Reports used:
    • Crystal Reports 2008
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Business Objects\Suite 12.0\Crystal Reports\Database\ODBC
         
    • Crystal Reports 2011, 2013 and 2016
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SAP Business Objects\Suite XI 4.0\Crystal Reports\Database\ODBC
         

    • Notes 
      It can also be added under HKEY_CURRENT_USER
      Also, for 64-bit machines the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry keys would be at the following location:
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\...

  1. Create a "DWORD value" called "IsolationLevel"
          
  2. Set the value of "IsolationLevel" to the desired isolation level.  The following are the recognized values:

  1 - Read Uncommitted

  2 - Read Committed

  4 - Repeatable Read

  8 - Serializable

  • Notes:
    • If a particular isolation level is requested but the ODBC driver does not support the isolation level specified,  it will use the ODBC driver default isolation level.
    • SNAPSHOT isolation level currently not supported.
    • For Crystal Reports Developer for Visual Studio apply the latest update: 
      https://help.sap.com/docs/SUPPORT_CONTENT/crystalreports/3354091173.html

Keywords

KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , How To

Product

Crystal Reports 2008 V1 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2011 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2013 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2016