SAP Knowledge Base Article - Public

1527666 - How to connect to a database using a JDBC connection in Crystal Reports? [Video]

Symptom

  • How to configure a JDBC connection?
  • How to create a report using a JDBC connection in Crystal Reports?
  • How to configure the crconfig.xml file to connect to a database using a JDBC connection in Crystal Reports?
        
        
  • Note: Images, video, and data in this SAP Knowledge Base Article is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental.

Environment

  • SAP Crystal Reports 2016
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2020
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2025

Resolution

  • To connect to a database using a JDBC connection in Crystal Reports:
       
    1. First confirm a JDBC connection to your database is supported for the version of Crystal Reports used, by looking at the Supported Platforms document:
          
           2859510 - Supported Platforms documents for Crystal Reports
                   
    2. Download a supported JDBC driver from your database vendor website.
              
    3. Install the JDBC driver to the default path, or copy the JDBC driver .jar file to a folder of your choice.  For example: C:\Database Name\JDBC Driver
             
    4. Add the path of the JDBC driver .jar file, to the classpath of the Crystal Reports configuration file: crconfig.xml: 
        
      1. 4.1 Navigate to the following folder:  

                 C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\java

             Note: This is the default installation folder, if you installed Crystal Reports in a custom location, the start of the path will be different.
               
      2. 4.2 Open in a Text Editor the file: crconfig.xml
          
      3. 4.3 Under the section: <DataDriverCommon>, add the path and the name of the JDBC .jar file to the section: <Classpath>  

             <DataDriverCommon>
                  <JavaDir32>C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\win32_x86\sapjvm/bin</JavaDir32>
                  <JavaDir64>C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\win64_x64\sapjvm\bin</JavaDir64>
                  <Classpath><INSERT YOUR .JAR FILE PATH & NAME HERE>;C:\MS SQL Server JDBC\sqljdbc_6.0\sqljdbc42.jar</Classpath>
                  <UseProxy>FALSE</UseProxy>
                  <ProxyAddress></ProxyAddress>
                  <ProxyPort></ProxyPort>
             </DataDriverCommon>

           
             For example:

             If the JDBC Driver .jar file for your database is: DatabaseJDBC.jar 
             and it is located in: 
        C:\Database Name\JDBC Driver  
             Then add the path and .jar file to the Classpath section, like:

            <DataDriverCommon>
                  <JavaDir32>C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\win32_x86\sapjvm/bin</JavaDir32>
                  <JavaDir64>C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0\win64_x64\sapjvm\bin</JavaDir64>
                  <Classpath>C:\Database Name\JDBC Driver\DatabaseJDBC.jar;C:\MS SQL Server JDBC\sqljdbc_6.0\sqljdbc42.jar</Classpath>
                  <UseProxy>FALSE</UseProxy>
                  <ProxyAddress></ProxyAddress>
                  <ProxyPort></ProxyPort>
             </DataDriverCommon>
            

      4. 4.4 Save the change made in the file: crconfig.xml
            
    5. Start Crystal Reports, and create a new report.   ( Under the menu "File" select "New – Blank Report" )
            
    6. In the "Database Expert", under "Create New Connection", double click on: JDBC (JNDI)
           
    7. In the JDBC (JNDI) window, enter the following information, corresponding to the database and JDBC driver used.
      - Connection URL
      - Database Classname

      Important Note:
      Consult your Database documentation, or Database Administrator to obtain the Connection URL, and Database Classname.


      The following table contains examples of Connection URL, and Database Classname for different database,
      but note that it may be different than what the JDBC driver you are using require, therefore it is very important to consult your database documentation to get the right Connection URL, and Database Classname.

      Database Connection URL Database Classname
      DB2 jdbc:db2://<server name>:<port number>/<database name> com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver
      Derby jdbc:derby://<host name>:<port number>/<database name>;create=true org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver
      HANA jdbc:sap://<server server>:<port number> com.sap.db.jdbc.Driver
      Informix jdbc:informix-sqli://<host name>:<port number>/<database name>:INFORMIXSERVER=<server name> com.informix.jdbc.IfxDriver
      MS SQL Server jdbc:sqlserver://<server name>:[port number] com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerDriver
      MySQL jdbc:mysql://<server name>:[port number]/<database name> com.mysql.jdbc.Driver
      Oracle jdbc:oracle:thin:@<server name>:[port number]:<service name> oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver
      PostgreSQL jdbc:postgresql://<server name>:[port number]/<database name> org.postgresql.Driver
      Sybase ASE jdbc:sybase:Tds:<server name>:<port number> com.sybase.jdbc4.jdbc.SybDriver
      Sybase TDS jdbc:sybase:Tds:<server name>:<port number>?ServiceName=<TDS service name> com.sybase.jdbc4.jdbc.SybDriver
      ODBC jdbc:odbc:DSN-name sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver
              
        
    8. Click Next, and enter your database user name and password.

 

  • Video demonstrating how to create a JDBC connection to a database in Crystal Reports:

Media not computed.

Keywords

Crystal Reports, XI R2/XI, JDBC Connectivity, JRC, CRJ, JDBC Connection, CR, Crystal Reports 2011, Crystal Reports 2013, Connection U , KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , How To

Product

SAP Crystal Reports 2016 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2020 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2025