Have the person who designs the reports double-check your database connections. If all else fails, configure your computer the same way as the person who builds the reports.
If you override the datasource connections for an ODBC driver, make sure to use the ODBC DSN as both the database and server, since the viewer connects to the ODBC driver and not directly to the server. If it's SQL Server, you can setup using ODBC, or you can override the connections inside the viewer and enter the datasource directly it depends on the way the reports are setup. If the report references a file path, make sure that you have access to that file.
If it uses an ODBC driver, make sure the DSN installed on the computers 32 bit ODBC driver matches the one references in the report.
Some report reference multiple data sources. For example, some reports reference XLS spreadsheets while others reference ODBC database drivers. Detailed walk-through and example on setting up ODBC connections with The Report ViewerĮach report references a data source.Article on overcoming connection issues.Setup the computer the same way as the machine that designed the reports configure the database server to allow connections from the client PC (some databases have security configuration that has to be set for new clients). Getting a vendor error means that you are connecting to some database, but perhaps don't have permission to view a specific table or shared procedure. If you get a connection error with " vendor database error" number, then that number is an error number from your specific database type.
Many database servers will reject connections if their IP, PC, or username isn't explicitly allowed to connect and they won't tell you why.
You have to setup the PC and database drivers the same way you would a system with full Crystal Reports. The software support most any type of database driver, so guidelines are general.You have to setup the database driver on the client PC (the one with The Report Viewer).Your report files contain database references.
Install the same database drivers (32-bit versions). Setup the system the same way as the computer used to design the reports. The computer has to be configured to connect to the datasource referenced in the report. You try to open or refresh data on a report, and get a message box that says " failed to open the connection." Resolution Setup the database drivers exactly as they are set on the system that is used to design the reports. Generally this is done by the person who designs the reports or the person who maintains the database. Just takes a bit of work to setup and configure the connections properly. If they are not setup, you will get a "failed to connect message." This is expected and normal.
Before The Report Viewer will work on your system, you must setup and configure the database connections that are referenced inside your report.