You're correct in that you want to comment out the datapipe= line if you want to use the ODBC versions of the Crystal Reports - I'd very much recommend going that route.

Optional fields are slightly challenging for reports. One way to get them into the report is to link OEORDD to OEORDDO with a left outer join. Then you can filter the records coming from OEORDDO for the optional field you want. If you have more optional fields you can add that table a second time and give the table an alias.

Another way is to create a sub-report that will show the value of the optional field. This is slightly less conceptual and easier to have full control over it. I'd recommend this route.

The last way is much more complicated and that is to use Shared Variables along with sub-reports. But it does give you the most control.

I think you will have to link the LineNum field from the detail to the opt table as well.

hi Terry, you deserve a swivel chair in Heaven. that worked like a charm 

surprisingly on oerpt.ini oeinv04 doesn't have the datapipe path and data query line to comment out

after commenting out, the report oeinv04 pop up a parameter screen. once you enter first line, it then prints

not sure what's upsetting to have  the pop up of parameters screen