Is it necessary to install crystal reports run time to run basic crystal reports in a c# application?

I have a software having just three crystal reports in it, but when we install it on client's pc, it requires crystal report run time, otherwise it gives exceptions. In exceptions it asks for missing dll files like CrystalDecisions.Shared etc, for this we need to install a full fledged 70mb cr run time, .net framework installation is a separate overhead, so to run a basic application of 3 mb, i have to install 70mb+48mb setups, thats quite weird. I then followed a way, i added these missing dlls in pre requisites of the setup, and installed it, exceptions were away but it gaves the error wrong version like that, i have seen a guy who built an app with Vb6 and crystal reports and he did not need any run time but just 3 dlls for crystal reports to execute his software reports. Please su开发者_开发技巧ggest a better solution.

Thanks in advance Atif

.NET framework is surely needed if you plan to execute C# applications, there is a client profile with limited features but if you are not sure what developers will develop and deploy I would install the whole .NET framework.

for CR, I had lots of issues in the past and punctually missing dlls or missing components and clients unable to render or export reports. I would recommend installing the whole CR runtime package just to be on the safe side. 70 MB is not much nowadays.

You can do this, if you precisely know which dlls your (your app) using which has correct signatures i.e version, public key, culture info, etc. You can add them to GAC. Then your app works great.

I rem from my first project where i had to use CR, CR assemblies also needs VC++ libs along with it. So what you can do is, check which are the ones it uses in /Program Files/Common sum thing, i dont rem the xact path. Get all the files needed (which your using in your project) and test with them.

Get required dlls or go for package.