rptView FAQ
rptView is nice and simple but that doesn’t mean people don’t ask questions. I’ll add to this list as questions come in. If you need to know something, there’s a form at the bottom of the page.
What version of the Crystal Runtime does rptView use?
Latest release (2026b) uses the SP40 version. This is the latest release as of October 2026.
Can it set the report location?
Not yet. I want to keep the report viewer as simple as possible which has made designing a simple way to do this more complex than expected. Changing ODBC connections is quite easy. Switching between different database drivers much more complex and hard to do with a simple user interface.
Recommendation is to use ODBC with consistent names.
What are the licence limitations of the runtime?
The Crystal Reports runtime licence is only ‘free’ for desktop applications. Server applications need a licence. rptView is considered to be a desktop application until it’s run on a remote desktop. At that point it becomes a server application. Makes no sense to me either, but I don’t make the rules.
All you need to do is make sure your company has at least one licence of Crystal Reports.
How is rptView licensed?
It’s per named user.
What’s the free version?
It’s old and 32 bit only. It’s also missing a lot of other goodies.
What versions of Crystal Reports rpt files are supported?
Anything since version 10 will definitely work provided you’re not using native database drivers that are no longer supported. Earlier versions will probably work. One limitation that does crop up is where a variable name in a formula clashes with what is now a function name.
Are Mac or Linux supported?
No. I could write a web interface to support them. That would be done as consultancy, so please contact me to find out more.
What about scheduling?
It’s not built into the product. Writing a scheduler is much more complex than you’d imagine.
You can use rptView with it’s command line to run reports from another scheduling application.
Are the database passwords encrypted?
Yes.
Can you provide a customised version?
Yes. Use the contact form to discuss.
Is a 32 bit version available?
The last 32 bit version was 2022 (still available to buy). SAP are stopping the support of the 32 bit runtime shortly. Crystal Reports is now 64 bit. The whole world has moved on from 32 bit.