Compare FineReport and Crystal Reports

FineReport reporting software for reporting data to show the complexity of the format and web reports by multi-source fragmentation, irregular grouping, two-way extension to easily drag and drop do complex formatting reports, production reports from out complex SQL and expressions, no need to develop programming, greatly improving the efficiency in the production report.
Compare to Crystal Reports, FineReport statements either in report design，data presentation, or form, application integration, etc., Obviously has distinct advantages.
Report Design
In the report design, the advantages that FineReport reporting tool is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
• Multi Data Sources
FineReport report design naturally supports multiple data sources (set), with a report of data simultaneously from multiple data tables, multiple different databases, or multiple different user-defined data views, and then directly to operate and calculate with each other in the report to create a final report.
And a way to connect data sources are also diversity, supports JDBC, JNDI data sources, such as Oracle, DB2, SQLServer, MySQL, and other mainstream database, custom data source program, the text data source, Hibernate data source, Remedy, etc. At the same time the data source has unlimited scalability to support WebService, SOA and other standard data.
Crystal Reports only supports a single data set, in theory, support for multiple sets depends on the computing power of the database (fork by the joint or write stored procedures, etc.), multiple database support is generally difficult. Another approach is to disguise the multiple data sources into a single data source finishing, and then perform other operations, not multiple data sources in the true sense.
• Packets Adjustment, imcomplete Separate packets
Report data packets are among the most common way. Packet FineReport reporting tools, is built on a cell basis, so removing grouping, changing operations such as grouping field, you only need to operate the cell, independent of the other data in the report. In addition, in many cases, the data is not completely enumeration type grouping, but some fixed ranks, or other forms grouped by segment, FineReport report provides a user-defined groups, you only need to add some conditions to achieve an irregular grouping purposes.
Crystal Reports, all of the data model is divided in the ribbon bar which, when you delete a packet grouping related summary unit will be deleted, adjust the grouping field can only delete the reconstruction, the entire operation is relatively cumbersome, and will lead to duplication of efforts. Irregular grouping in Crystal Report which is just modify the group name can not be modified to calculate the other to follow the data.
• Data expansion and crosstabs
Extended FineReport data reporting tools, is bidirectional, that is the ranks of the symmetrical and consistent ability transverse and longitudinal directions, you can easily create cross Report (multi-layer) can be produced in the same style sheet counterparts complex header.
Crystal Reports making cross-reporting method is the use of a special cross-table model, whose header is generated automatically follow the wizard, the lack of flexibility.
• Report slice
Among complex reports, the report is divided into multiple pieces phenomenon is very common that the entire report is a big report rules, but can actually be divided into several small areas of irregular, seemingly no connection between the various regions, but the data can be correlated between the actual. FineReport With support for multiple data sources, as well as expand the ranks of the data, thus supporting the report repeat or mutual independence of each piece operation, and allows mixing fixed and variable slice.
Crystal Reports single-table model does not support fragmentation. For the fragmentation of the report, a process approach is programmed in advance to prepare the data, the other is a report by the sub-stitching to complete. Treatment rather cumbersome, and these two treatment methods are not always able to meet the requirements, the design needs of report formats.
• Interbank Group Operational
Reports often requires operation interbank group, as compared with the previous period, more than last year and so on. Cell-level coordinate concept FineReport report accurately reference any cell after an extension, then the expression common to write these interbank group operations.
Crystal Reports can easily support some fixed interbank operations, such as the cumulative value over the previous period and so on, more complex set of calculations can only be programmed in advance interbank prepare data.
Reports Display and Output
• Smilar Excel display style
Display FineReport reporting tools style, is completely analogous to Excel，the edit mode cell line alignment, which greatly facilitated the design and output of the report, and the inner grid property unit compares the freedom and flexibility, the format can be arbitrarily complex reports.
Crystal Reports are drawn using drag and drop controls reports, this program did not reflect the form of regularity, when the meter complex, the alignment is very cumbersome. And with the resolution related to the alignment of the table on the screen, on the page and print time and can not be aligned.
• Input Output
FineReport report supports single or bulk import Excel files, so you can by business people, pre-drawn like a good table, improve the efficiency of the production of the report, and bulk import, reduce repetitive work more. The generated report files can be exported as HTML, undistorted PDF, a variety of styles Excel, Word, CSV, SVG, and text files. In addition, the built-in template files can be generated.
Crystal Reports can not support the import Excel files, can only read data from Excel. It generates HTML generally only support IE; often only data loss format when exporting EXCEL, individual tools to complete relatively careful, but also heavily dependent on the degree of alignment when drawing tables, generated text only format, including data loss, can not support the character terminal report printing needs.
• Package Printing
FineReport statements are depicting underlay, absolute positioning manner Printing template rendering, users can scan bills will come in as the background image Printing with Report Designer position display data can pinpoint the location of the data.
Crystal Reports can only use the exact measure of the program, a good amount of size to set the size of the bill Printing form controls, tedious operation inefficient.
• Paging print, columns, and other print control
FineReport report provides all the print control: According to the group, or any other way to force a page break, make up an empty line.
When the tab title can be repeated, not only the head of the table, the table wide reports, which left the header can also be set to repeat display paging.
Data can be freely column, a longer report, you can follow the line of columns to display a multi-column; more columns report, you can use the column column to multi-line display them to the same page.
Crystal Reports, generally only support header repetition, not mandatory paging, make up blank lines, columns and other operations.
Forms
Form backfill to use Crystal Reports can not support the function . FineReport support backfill based on pure HTML forms, supporting all major browsers.
• Edit Style
Forms provide general text editing boxes, check boxes, drop-down list boxes, drop-down calendar, file uploads.
• Automatic calculation
Forms can support a similar function automatically calculates the EXCEL program is completed automatically calculated based on user settings to generate JavaScript expression at the front. Automatic calculation can be cross-table, multi-sheet operation and calculation with each other.
• Data consistency check
Support for backfill data validity check.
• Extension data
Allow the report between the cell and any corresponding database fields, and has the ability to automatically expand. Support any format forms backfill data.
• Backfill directly to the database
Users fill in the data, which are stored in the database directly, without intermediaries.
• Multi-level summary reporting
Report form is also statistical tables, cell data can have different origin and destination, so you can start out lower body aggregated data coupled with additional modifications after the fill to the parent database.
FineReport reports, ten times the efficiency of its watchmaking tradition reporting tool to foreign products represented.
Deployment and Application Integration
• WEB deployment
Service program FineReport reporting tools to JAR package form, can be labeled with the application package together unified deployed on an application server, installation is very easy.
Crystal Reports is a standalone server program needs to be installed separately, report files should also be deployed individually, together, and the application can not be updated.
• Support environment
FineReport statements using pure JAVA development, regardless of the Report Designer or servers can be deployed JDK support all operating systems, there are JDBC database interface, especially for UNIX / LINUX support and Windows are exactly the same. Rather than JAVA reporting tool in this respect is much more difficult.
• Rich API interface
FineReport reporting tools to the application programmer provides a clear structure, rich JAVA API calls, the report can be extended and depth control.
Crystal Reports using a separate server program, the application interface is completed by a network protocol, scarce number of interfaces, control is weak, but also seriously affect performance. HTML charts and other external resources often uses CGI primitive way, will leave difficult to manage temporary files in the file system.
• Page Integration
FineReport generated HTML reports can easily be placed in the embedded application page (JSP), and from the browser do not see the integration of third-party products.
Crystal Reports has its own separate gateway mechanism, it is difficult to embed the generated HTML pages at random, often have to bring out its own report management interface products, it is difficult to achieve seamless embedding.
- See more at: http://www.finereport.com/en/products/crystalreport.html#sthash.rc2ECPZw.dpuf