The options you can change are:
- Alias: This is how the Parameter will appear when asked to the end user, by default it is the name or expression of the field with the Parameter in it, but can be changed to any text, for example, instead of seeing “CustID”, you can change it to say “Customer Id”.
- Default Value: This will let you select a default value for when the Parameter will be asked (the Parameter appears prefilled), you can write the value in there, or select from the values of the Parameter clicking on List Values.
- Option Show Values: This controls whether you want the end users to see a list of possible values, taken from the database or Query, or not.
- To configure the list of values click on Configure List Values.
- Option Show Filtered Values: This controls whether you want the end users to see a list of possible values taken from the Query itself, considering every filter the Query has, this list is non-configurable.
- Option All Values: This will put a value in the Parameter prompt, All Values, that you can use to see all the data from your Query instead of selecting values individually.
- Password Type: Parameters with this option enabled will appear as passwords prompts, masking the input value and not having the option to see a list of values.
- Show Date Functions: This option is for Date Parameters only and it lets you select from a list of functions that expand to predefined date intervals when used, for example “Today” expands to the current day from 12:00:00 AM to 11:59:59 PM.
- Show Cover Values Only: When you put a description to the Parameter value, you can enable this option to see only the description instead of seeing both the value being passed to the Query and the description.
- Preload List of Values: Enabling this option fills the list of values automatically in the Parameter prompt. You must click in the All Values button manually.
- Comments: You can write a comment here for this particular Parameter, this comment will be shown in the Parameter prompt when you’re asked for this Parameter.
Note: Enabling the Preload List of Values option will load the list of values from the database, which can take a while depending of how much data is retrieved.
Configuring the list of values for a Parameter
To configure the list of values for a Parameter, you need to open the Parameter Customization window, enable the Option Show Values option and click on Configure List Values, this will open the Query Builder so you can create the Query that will bring the values for the Parameter.
Note: The values for a Parameter must come from the same Data Connection.
With this Query Builder you have most of the options available from the regular Query Builder, so we recommend you to review the documentation about the Query Builder to know how to use it.
Enabling Cover Values
When you configure the list of Parameter values, you have the option to add a description to it, so for example, if your Parameter is for numeric customer ids, you can add a description to know to what customer the id refers to.
To show a Cover Value, just add a second column to your Query and verify that the Output column in the Grid Pane is enabled, this way you’ll see both the value and the description when asked for the value of the Parameter.
If you don’t want to see the value passed to the Query, you can enable the Show Cover Values Only option in the Parameter Customization window.
Nested Parameters
When you configure the list of Parameter values you can make that the value of one Parameter dependent on the value of another one.
For example, having a Parameter for cities and countries and when you select one country, you see only the cities that depend to that country.
To enable this option, you need to insert both Parameters in the Query and customize the one whose value will depend on the other (In our example Cities will depend on the value of Country, so we customize Cities), change the List of Values (Configure List Values) then in the Query Builder add the column of the main Parameter (Countries), open the Criteria Expression Builder and add the Parameter with the same name as in the main Query (For example, @Param1).
This way, when asked for the value of the Parameter (City) it will be filtered by the value of the previously asked Parameter (Country).
Note: The order of the Parameters in the main Query is important, as Parameters are asked in the order they appear on the main Query.
User – User Group Variables
User – User Group Variables are special Variables that you can use in your Query to show distinct data to different users, depending who is logged in and the user group(s) he belongs to.
User Variables change its value depending of the currently logged in user.
To configure those Variables, go to Variables->User Variables.
User Group Variables change its value depending of the Group or Groups the currently logged in User belongs to.
To configure them, go to Variables->User Group Variables.
Configuration of User – User Group Variables
Configuration of both kind of Variables is similar.
Options:
- Variable ID: This is the name of the Variable and how it will appear in the Criteria Expression Builder.
- Multiple Values: Enable this option if you want the Variable to hold multiple values.
- Value assignation can be done manually by typing a value in the row of the user or user Group you want or by bringing data from a table in your database.
- To select a value from a table in your database, you can click in Show Values.
- If you have a Query already configured for this particular User or User Group Variable you’ll be presented with a screen to select a value, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new Query so you can select a value from the list.
Using a User – User Group Variable
To use a User or User Group Variable, you need to open the Criteria Expression Builder, then in the Used Database Objects/Variables list select the User or User Group Variable you want to use.
Login Parameter
A Login Parameter is a special Variable that you can use in your Query to show distinct data to different users using its User ID as a filter for said data; to use a Login Parameter, you can click in the Login Parameter button on the Criteria Expression Builder.
Note: The Login Parameter is replaced with the User ID as defined when the User was registered on XLReport.