SAP Knowledge Base Article - Public

1651124 - Dynamic Parameter List of values empty when refreshing a report in Crystal Reports or in SAP BI LaunchPad

Symptom

  • Some prompts does not have List of Values to select from.
  • When refreshing a report in Crystal Reports, the parameter shows an empty box to enter a value, when the expectation is to see a List of Values.
  • When the same List of Values is scheduled, it always return a dynamic List of Values for the prompts in Crystal Reports, and in SAP BI LaunchPad.
  • On a multi-node installation of SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform, when refreshing a report created in Crystal Reports, it sometimes display a dynamic List of Values for the prompts, and it sometimes shows an empty list of values.
         
         
  • Note: Images 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
                
  • SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform 4.2
  • SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform 4.3
  • SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform 2025

Reproducing the Issue

  1. In Crystal Reports, create a report with a Dymamic Parameter.
  2. Save the report to the SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise repository.
  3. In Crystal Reports, or in SAP BI LaunchPad, refresh the report, and notice the dynamic parameter List of Values is empty, and sometimes it displays a List of Values.

Cause

  • Crystal Reports Processing Server default maximum number of records is set to 20,000. When a report associated with the List of Values reaches the limit, the prompt will display an empty list of values.

Resolution

  • Set the maximum number of records to read to zero (unlimited), for the Crystal Reports Processing Server, on each nodes in your SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform:
    1. Logon the Central Management Console (CMC)
           
    2. In the CMC, go to Servers.
         
    3. In the Servers screen, under "Service Categories", select: "Crystal Reports Services"

      Crystal Server 01.png
         
          
    4. In the List of Crystal Reports Services, right click on the "Crystal Reports Processing Server", and select "Properties"   
      ( For example, the Crystal Reports Processing Server name can be like: CrystalReports2020ProcessingServer )
         
               
    5. Set the Crystal Reports Processing Service option: "Database Records Read When Previewing or Refreshing" to: 0    ( 0 is for Unlimited )
          
       Crystal Server 02.png  
         

    6. Click "Save & Close" to accept the change.
                  
    7. Restart the "Crystal Reports Processing Server" for the change to take effect.
        
    8. If there is more than one Crystal Reports Processing Server, and multiple nodes, perform the above steps on each of the Crystal Reports Processing Server.
        
      Important Note: Failing to update each Crystal Reports Processing Server, will cause intermittent empty List of Values.

Keywords

Empty LOV box, Cascading parameter prompt, Dynamic Cascading Prompt, failed to populate data , KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , Problem

Product

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