Chart Selection and Filtering [10.2.1]

[Nicholas]

Hello,

Hopefully I'm not retreading on too much old ground but I've seen some conflicting information while I've been searching for answers about multi-select. Some have said it's not possible while others suggested workarounds I couldn't quite get working. My multi-select options always seem to only look at the first value selected / highlighted.

In my chart I'm showing the number of cases we have coming in by each product, with the user able to filter based on the territory and where the case was generated. By default I want to show all my products, all territories and all sources.

I've done something similar in standard reports (non-active) where you select your filters and re-run the report, but I want to email users the data and be able to embed the report into a workspace, which makes standard reports non-ideal (since my method required re-running the report).


My chart:

Another quick, less important question: Where can I change the Date format for my x-axis and actually have it change in the report? I've change the Date format in at least 2 locations but it never seems to do anything.

Thanks for any input,

Nicholas

[MFGF]

Hello,

Hopefully I'm not retreading on too much old ground but I've seen some conflicting information while I've been searching for answers about multi-select. Some have said it's not possible while others suggested workarounds I couldn't quite get working. My multi-select options always seem to only look at the first value selected / highlighted.

In my chart I'm showing the number of cases we have coming in by each product, with the user able to filter based on the territory and where the case was generated. By default I want to show all my products, all territories and all sources.

I've done something similar in standard reports (non-active) where you select your filters and re-run the report, but I want to email users the data and be able to embed the report into a workspace, which makes standard reports non-ideal (since my method required re-running the report).


My chart:

Another quick, less important question: Where can I change the Date format for my x-axis and actually have it change in the report? I've change the Date format in at least 2 locations but it never seems to do anything.

Thanks for any input,

Nicholas

Hi,

The ability to use multi-select hinges on whether you are using charts and data decks (with the control selecting the data deck) or whether you are using visualizations (with the control filtering the visualization).

If you are using charts, you cannot successfully use controls that select multiple items in the active report variable. The reason for this is that there is no embedded charting engine in a rendered active report output, so all charts you see are pre-rendered and held as png images. In the report, you link your chart to the data deck via a master/detail relationship, and this means that when the mht output gets generated, these are rendered each on a different card with a different single data value based on the master/detail. When viewing the report, your active report control selects (triggers) the deck or data deck to switch from displaying one card to displaying another card - thus the chart appears to change. It isn't, in reality though - you are simply switching between cards with different pre-rendered chart images on them. Because of this mechanism, you can see it makes sense to use a control that allows single-select of items, since a deck or data deck can display only one card at any given moment of time. If you do use a multi-select control, what happens? The answer is it selects multiple cards in the deck, but only the first of them is shown. You can't change this since it's the way a deck (and data deck) is designed to work. I am guessing this is what you are seeing right now.

The alternative is to use visualizations rather than charts. Visualizations are essentially collections of JSON code that are interpreted and rendered by a RAVE engine at runtime. When you include a visualization in your active report, the code to render it and the RAVE engine are added to the mht file as it is created. Because the visualizations are rendered "live" within your mht, you therefore have the ability to filter them interactively. This means you don't need to use a deck or a data deck to get different views of the data - your control can directly filter the visualization. The benefit of filtering (rather than selecting the cards of a data deck) are that you can filter on multiple values simultaneously, and the visualization renders for these multiple values.

Since you're on 10.2.1 you should have the ability to use visualizations in active reports - hopefully this is the solution you need :)

Cheers!

MF.

[Nicholas]

Hello MFGF!

I am indeed using charts and a datadeck. I'll give visualizations a shot, once I get them installed. 

Thanks!

-Nicholas


Edit: It seems difficult to find a download for the 10.2.1 visualizations. Opened a thread in the correct section here: http://www.cognoise.com/index.php/topic,28561.msg91855.html#msg91855