SAP Knowledge Base Article - Public

2495626 - PDF documents stored in a database does not display in Crystal Reports

Symptom

  • PDF documents blank.
  • When inserting a database field containing PDF document, it does not display anything.
  • When inserting a BLOB field on a report, that contains PDF documents stored in the database, it displays nothing in Crystal Reports.

Environment

  • SAP Crystal Reports 2013
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2016 
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2020
         
  • SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise 4.1
  • SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise 4.2
  • SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise 4.3

Reproducing the Issue

  1. In a database, stored PDF documents in a BLOB field.
  2. In Crystal Reports, create a report off the database.
  3. Insert the BLOB field on the report that contains PDF documents.
  4. When refreshing the report, notice the BLOB field displays nothing, when the expectation is to see the PDF document.

Cause

  • Crystal Reports can display pictures stored in a database in the format: JPG, PNG, BMP, and does not support any other type of data stored in a BLOB field like: PDF, MS Word, Excel,...
       
  • Therefore this is why it displays nothing on the report, because the BLOB field contains PDF documents, and it is not supported in Crystal Reports, and in Crystal Reports for Enterprise.

Resolution

  • There is no option in Crystal Reports to display BLOB fields that contains PDF documents, MS Word documents, MS Excel spreadsheet, ... nor there is any workarounds.

Keywords

CR, BLOB object, CR4E, CR for Ent, CR For Enterprise , KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , Problem

Product

SAP Crystal Reports 2013 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2016 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2020