The Data Explorer
The Data Explorer provides an integrated tree view of all data sources you can use with Crystal Reports. With the Data Explorer, you can:
- create a report using one of the currently connected data sources
- create a report based on a customized "Favorites" list of data sources (which you also maintain within the Data Explorer)
- create a report based on a list of recently accessed data sources (that the Data Explorer automatically maintains for you)
- create a report by connecting to an existing data source (for example, a data file residing locally, or an ODBC data source that has already been set up)
- create a report by first creating a new connection (for example, a new ODBC data source, or an OLE DB File Data Link).
Tree View
The main window of the Data Explorer shows a tree view of possible data sources you can select when creating a report. The tree is made up of folders for:
- Current Connections
- Favorites
- History
- ODBC
- Database Files
- More Data Sources
- Metadata / Query.
For a brief description of each of these folders, see Selecting the data source.
Find out more about the Shortcut Menu and the Options button in the Data Explorer.