Copying format, calculations & calc options to other items in the same D-List

[Cognos_World]

Hi Gurus,

Seems like every simple task in Cognos Planning comes with an added twist...

Was trying to copy the format, calculation and the calc option of one D-list item to the other (within the same D-List). when tried as per the anlyst user guide it doesn't work.
Also, what is the best way to provide tabbed data items in the D-List?

Appreciate your time.

Thanks!

[Cognos_World]

Some more clarification:

To copy the Format from one D-List item to other was easy. Figured out.
To copy the calculation, didn't found any better way to do but do the Copy paste..
For Calc Option though, I didn't found any way to do the weighted Avg based on the items in the Items to weigh by. I have really a big list of items in the items to weigh by and I have to apply the calc option to quite a few items. So this one is still a pain. Right now, I have done manually, wondering if someone has better ideas.

Thanks much!

[jeffowentn]

You could try creating an ascii file and create/update the d-list from an ascii file.  Here's a simple example:

Item1
Item1%   Item1%Total   0.00%   W.Average
Item2
Item2%   Item2%Total   0.00%   W.Average
Item3
Item3%   Item3%Total   0.00%   W.Average
Total   Item1+Item2+Item3   0.00

Notes:  If you put an = in the formula, it thinks it is a conditional statement.  Also, formats must be saved formats, where the text put in the ascii file is the name of the saved format.  I have not figured out the calc. option field, in terms of the syntax to enter here, so that part will still need to be determined, but hopefully this will save you some time.  Maybe someone else knows the syntax to use for updating calc. options.  I could not find anything on the IBM site or in their documentation, except to say that it can be done - no examples of formatting for the ascii file.

Best of luck!

[Cognos_World]

Thanks Jeff. The format and the calculations worked out well but I am stuck with copying the calc option. Especially if it has a weighted avg based on a huge list from where you have to select the "based on" and doing this for many items... I think there is no way to do this but manually for all the items..

Thanks.

[jeffowentn]

Sure thing.  I'd like to think there has to be a way to import in the calc options, too, since they give you the ability to import any of it in, and since they reference it in their documentation.  I just do not know the syntax of how to populate the calc. option data in the import file to make it work.

[ericlfg]

'World,

Have you seen this TN:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21452125

I hope this will address your requirement.

[jeffowentn]

Eric - that should be great!  The syntax info for the dlist import is not in the help files or the IBM documentation...thanks for sharing this.