Why aren't my data source / database changes taking affect in my enterprise environment meta-data when I look with CMC

Synopsis
I've used the Change data source / Database Conversion and Migration Wizard on Crystal Reports objects in my BusinessObjects Enterprise or Crystal Enterprise environment. But when I schedule and/or view my Crystal Reports it's still connecting to the previous data source / database.
or
When I go to the CMC and review the meta-data database settings on my Crystal Reports object it still shows the previous information.
Solution
This may be normal and easily correctable. It isn't because of an error with .rpt Inspector Enterprise Suite but rather a conceptual understanding of the way that BusinessObjects Enterprise and Crystal Enterprise was designed -- there are actually 2 places where the database information is maintained for a Crystal Reports object. When you create a new Crystal Report (using the Crystal Reports designer), connect it to a database, etc. and then save it to an .rpt file -- the database information is stored as part of the .rpt file (this is also commonly referred to as a Crystal Reports template, when there is no saved data part of the Crystal Report). Now when you take that Crystal Report and you publish/import it to BusinessObjects Enterprise or Crystal Enterprise, or if you were to save it directly to BusinessObjects Enterprise or Crystal Enterprise, the enterprise environment stores that Crystal Reports template (commonly referred to as a Crystal Report object in BusinessObjects Enterprise or Crystal Enterprise), and the enterprise environment creates meta-data information that is stored in the CMS database. This meta-data information is what BusinessObjects Enterprise uses when the Crystal Report is viewed, scheduled, etc. Also when you go to the CMC and look at the Crystal Report object properties, when you look at the database information, you're actually looking at the values that are pulled from the meta-data and you can modify the values there. However, what you modify in the CMC doesn't get pushed to the underlying Crystal Report object. And so if you were to open this report object using Crystal Reports directly from BusinessObjects Enterprise or Crystal Enterprise then you'd see that it would still show you the original database values not reflecting any changes you made in the CMC's meta-data. .rpt Inspector Enterprise Suite lets you modify both places. Here's how it works:
  • When you use the "Change data source / database conversion and migration" wizard in .rpt Inspector Enterprise Suite, it ONLY modifies the report template / report object database information, not the meta-data information.
  • When you use the "Schedules" tab in .rpt Inspector Enterprise Suite and modify database properties there, you are ONLY modifying the meta-data information for the Crystal Report object and/or schedules/recurring instances.
However, if you wanted to force a sync between the two, you can have the meta-data overwritten with the changes that you make to the actual Crystal Report object via the "Change data source / database conversion and migration" wizard. But in order for you to do that: using the CMC in the enterprise environment you'll need to turn on "Refresh Options" for each Crystal Report object you want to affect (in the object properties settings area)
or
using .rpt Inspector Enterprise Suite on the "Schedules" tab for the report object(s) / schedules/recurring instances in the "Properties" pane for that object. In both of the above case, you'll want to toggle on "Default Database Logon Information" to be refreshed when the report object is updated. After having this property on and committed in the enterprise environment, the changes you make using the Change data source / Database Conversion and Migration Wizard and then saving the report object to enterprise environment will force the meta-data to be updated for the database. NOTE: If all you're doing is updating the database (i.e. using custom database and changing it from ODBC DSN=Development to ODBC DSN=Production and the driver and structure hasn't changed) and user id & password for the meta-data information, then it should simply commit it when you change the property on the "Schedules" tab and it's not necessary to use the Change data source / Database Conversion and Migration Wizard nor modify the "Refresh Options".

Applies to

.rpt Inspector 3 Enterprise Suite (for CE 9 / CR 9)
.rpt Inspector 3 Enterprise Suite (for CE 10 / CR 10)
.rpt Inspector 3.1 Enterprise Suite (for CE 9 / CR 9)
.rpt Inspector 3.1 Enterprise Suite (for CE 10 / CR 10)
.rpt Inspector 3.1 Enterprise Suite (for BO XI / CR XI)
.rpt Inspector 3.1 Enterprise Suite (for BO XIr2 / CR XIr2)