Symptom
- Logon failed.
- Fails to connect to MS SQL Server.
- When attempting to connect to MS SQL Server from Crystal Reports via ODBC, it fails with the following errors:
"Logon failed."
Followed by the errors:
"Database Connection Error: 28000:[Microsoft][ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server][SQL Server]Login failed for user '<USER NAME>'. [Database Vendor Code: 18456]"
"Database Connector Error: 'IM006:[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Driver's SQLSetConnectAttr failed [Database Vendor Code: 18456 ]'
01S00:[Microsoft][ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server]Invalid connection string attribute [Database Vendor Code: 18456 ]
Environment
- SAP Crystal Reports 2016
- SAP Crystal Reports 2020
- SAP Crystal Reports 2025
- MS SQL Server 2016
- MS SQL Server 2017
- MS SQL Server 2019
- MS SQL Server 2022
Reproducing the Issue
- In Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator, create an ODBC DSN to MS SQL Server
- In Crystal Reports, create a new report using an ODBC Connection.
- Select the ODBC DSN to MS SQL Server.
- Enter the database user name and password.
- It then generates the error: Logon failed...
Cause
- To connect to a database via ODBC, Crystal Reports uses a connection string in the following format:
DSN=<ODBC DSN Name>;UID=<Database User>;PWD=<Database Password>;DATABASE=<Database> - The error occurs when the Database Password contains the special character, semi-column ( ; ) because it is a reserved character to delimiter each argument in a connection string to a database. By consequent, the incorrect password is sent to the database, because only the string of characters before the semi-column is sent to the database, which causes a login failed error.
Resolution
- In Microsoft SQL Server, change the MS SQL Server user password to not include the special character semi-column ( ; )
Keywords
CR, logon failed , 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