1219503 - Error: ""definition of Main Report is invalid"" when using .NET application

When attempting to view a report in the Report Viewer using a Visual Studio .NET application, the following error message appears:

 

"The definition of Main Report is invalid. The report definition is not valid. Details: Invalid character in the given encoding."

 

Why does this error message appear and how do you resolve it?

This error message appears because the application is using the Microsoft and not the Crystal .NET Report Viewer. The Microsoft .NET Report Viewer is a new control in Visual Studio .NET 2005 that cannot be used to view Crystal Reports.

To resolve this error message, use the Crystal .NET Report Viewer control.

VISUAL STUDIO 2005 DOTNET DOT NET REPORT DEFINITION NOT VALID CHARACTER Crystal Reports .NET 2005 Application Error Viewing Report , c2018427 , KBA , BI-DEV-NET , BI Software Development Kits (SDKs) - .NET or Other , Problem

SAP Crystal Reports, developer version for Microsoft Visual Studio ; SAP Crystal Reports, version for Visual Studio .NET 2008