Looking for a reporting tool that will allow vector graphics in output file (PDF)

Question

I have been tasked with evaluating our current system that we use for creating and outputing reports.

Currently we are using Crystal Reports ver 8, (I know that this is and old version.), which has a custom commandline app that we wrote in C# to execute the report for a given parameter passed through the command line.

We like Crystal becuase it's easy to setup and design the report. It's also easy to print and create a PDF file from crystal using our custom commandline program.

One of the problems/complaints that we have is that Crystal does does not appear to have a method that will allow us to create a PDF file with a vector images, such as our company logo. Crystal Reports always converts an image into a bitmap. When the PDF is printed, the results are less than flattering, and the PDF file size is increased.

Does anyone have any recomendadtions for a reporting product that we should consider?

Answer 1

iTextSharp supports importing WMF as vector image. Maybe other formats too.

See sample here. N.B.: it seems, it's a bit outdated... you'll need to replace 'getInstance' with 'GetInstance'.

Answer 2

www.hagridsolutions.com/xtraction
Offers easier use than Crystal and a rich export that can cater for exporting data into a MS Word template (that could contain vector images, headers, table of contents) and also export this into PDF or HTML format. Design is drag-and-drop with no coding or dependence on specialized staff whatsoever.

Answer 3

You can define the reports once and have them scheduled to output to PDF, saved to the system to be viewed online or to a file system. The dates can be rolling (as in Last Week, Last Month) and so always deliver based on what you need. The design is drag-and-drop, the dashboards are interactive, the reports are available when you need them, and there is security to lock down access to the dashboards/reports and control of who can design dashboards/reports. The flexibility is surely there for whatever combination is needed.

Answer 4

I think that Combit's List and LAbel will fit this requirement.

www.combit.de

however the support for EMFs is not perfect, it works good for small and medium complexity.