Error: Invalid TLV Record - when previewing a Custom Crystal Report

When opening or previewing a Custom Crystal Report the following error may appear:

Error: Invalid TLV Record

Error: Invalid TSLV Record

Error: Read Past end of TSLV record

The Text String Length Variable (TSLV, also known as TLV in older versions of Crystal Reports) is a portion of the RPT file that holds information about every object that is in a report.

This variable assigns approximately 2 bytes for each object to determine where this object sits on the report, what kind of object it is, and so forth. The maximum size for this record is 64K. That means that Crystal Reports can track approximately a maximum of 32,000 objects on a report. 'Objects' includes fields, tables, graphs, text boxes, lines, boxes, and pictures.

The causes for exceeding the TSLV record limit are:

Having too many objects in a report.

Let's say you have a very complex report pushing the limit (the report doesn't even have to be complex, it can just have a couple of really large tables with hundreds of fields in each). Then you modify this report and add another table or text field. This pushes the report over the 64K limit. However, you won't receive a TSLV error message at this point; in fact, Crystal Reports allows you to keep adding objects and saving changes to your report.

It is once you've closed the report, then tried to re-open it that you receive the error message. Unfortunately, once you receive the TSLV error message, it can't be opened.
The report has been edited many times. To determine the number of revisions:
On the File menu, click 'Summary Info' and open the Statistics tab.
The Statistics tab displays the number of revisions. Revisions refers to how many times the report has been edited, and presumably changed.

If you have an old report that has been around for years, and modified often, then it is possible for the TSLV to lose track of an object. This does not necessarily mean you have exceeded the 64K limit, it just means that an object in your report has become 'lost'. Since Crystal Reports checks the TSLV before it opens the report, it detects a mismatch and displays the error message indicating the TSLV is corrupt.

The report has been overwritten by a data file.
The Crystal Report runtime components are missing or corrupt.

Article Number: 48248

Products:

Crystal_Reports
Education_Edge_EE
Financial_Edge_FE
Raiser_s_Edge_RE

In order to resolve this error, try each of the following until the error is resolved:

Ensure that the export out of Raiser's Edge or Financial Edge was done in either a Blackbaud Report Writer Database format or an MS Access Report Writer Database format. Do not name the export with a .rpt at the end of it.
When opening the Crystal Report, be sure to open a file with a .rpt file extension, not a .mdb file extension.
Replace the problem report (.RPT file) with a backup copy of the .RPT file. For custom reports run from the Plug-Ins module or the Reports, Custom Reports module, refer to Knowledgebase solution BB284805.
Install the Crystal Reports runtime components

Note: All Crystal reports end with a .RPT file extension and this is the only file type which can be opened in Crystal Reports. The data that the reports are run off of will have a .MDB file extension and cannot be opened in Crystal Reports.

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