lilputian
asked on
Crystal Report Parameter select All number format
I have a crystal Report that has a number of subreports, each linked by PO Number and PO Line (both being defined as Parameters). If the PO Line is blank, I want to select all lines within the subquery. Problem is that Crystal will not allow null values. It has been suggested to use '*' if the parameter was defined as a string, however, PO Line is a numeric field. In each subquery I had the following logic:
WHERE
{?POLine} is Null Or PO_LINE = {?POLine}
How do I best handle this?
Thanks.
WHERE
{?POLine} is Null Or PO_LINE = {?POLine}
How do I best handle this?
Thanks.
Marcus Aurelius
What version of Crystal are you using>...?
ASKER
Version 11.0.0.1282
Please post the record selection criteria from one of the linked subreprots. This is created automatically when you link a subreport to a main report. It will also help us to modify it so that it meets your requirements.
Also, you stated you have subreports, but then mention subqueries. When you say subqueries, do you really mean subreports?
Also, you stated you have subreports, but then mention subqueries. When you say subqueries, do you really mean subreports?
ASKER
Sorry, yes I mean subreports. I have 4 different subreports that are linked to the main report to the 2 parameters. The subreports use the CMD to create the SQL statement. The SQL statement includes the WHERE statement as follows:
WHERE
PO_NUM = {?PONum}
And ({?POLine} is Null Or PO_LINE = {?POLine})
The problem being that ?POLine can never be null because that parameter option is not avaliable.
WHERE
PO_NUM = {?PONum}
And ({?POLine} is Null Or PO_LINE = {?POLine})
The problem being that ?POLine can never be null because that parameter option is not avaliable.
To clarify:
1) The end user will input parameters for both PO# and Line # (12345 and line 5, for example)?
2) Alternately, the user wants to select "All lines"?
Try the following:
1) Leave the joins like they are
2) Drill down through the Crystal Reports field explorer in the main report to the parameters and edit the Line Number parameter to have it's first value be a number that is grossly outside the range of possible line number (999999 is a good one to use). Make sure this value is the first value in your pick list. You've now created the numeric equivalent of an explicit "All Lines" option.
3) Set the description to be "All lines" and set the property for show description only to be true. Allow the user to input custom values (like 5, for example).
4) Modify the WHERE clause in the subreport to be:
WHERE
PO_NUM = {?PONum}
And ({?POLine} = 999999 Or PO_LINE = {?POLine})
Now, when the user runs the report, they'll see a nice, plain English option for "All Lines", which will pass a dummy value to the database for processing. If the user selects "All Lines" then that parameter value will be meaningless to the query and all lines will be returned.
1) The end user will input parameters for both PO# and Line # (12345 and line 5, for example)?
2) Alternately, the user wants to select "All lines"?
Try the following:
1) Leave the joins like they are
2) Drill down through the Crystal Reports field explorer in the main report to the parameters and edit the Line Number parameter to have it's first value be a number that is grossly outside the range of possible line number (999999 is a good one to use). Make sure this value is the first value in your pick list. You've now created the numeric equivalent of an explicit "All Lines" option.
3) Set the description to be "All lines" and set the property for show description only to be true. Allow the user to input custom values (like 5, for example).
4) Modify the WHERE clause in the subreport to be:
WHERE
PO_NUM = {?PONum}
And ({?POLine} = 999999 Or PO_LINE = {?POLine})
Now, when the user runs the report, they'll see a nice, plain English option for "All Lines", which will pass a dummy value to the database for processing. If the user selects "All Lines" then that parameter value will be meaningless to the query and all lines will be returned.
ASKER
I like it ... sounds like this could work. I'll try it out.
ASKER
So now, what happens is that the Parameter input for the PO Line shows a pick list as well as a box for entering a value. The pick list contans 2 lines, one for All Lines and the other as .... When you select all lines from the pick list, it displays 999,999 in the entered value box. Not sure I like that display, could be confusing to the users. Maybe I should just define the field as string and then use the to_number function in my SQL statement.
What do you think?
What do you think?
ASKER
Is it possible to manipulate a parameter, ie. change it from string to number, and then link that new value to the subreports?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Well you could make the parameter a string parameter with a default explicit value of 'All Lines' (as opposed to a number parameter with a text description) and still let users enter in an explicit value for a line number (5), but you'd probably have to check for the existence of a numeric value for the parameter first. It can probably be done but it seems unnecessarily complex.
ASKER
Just did some testing with a string option. Seems to be too much manipulating within the WHERE condition. I'll change it back to a numeric and use the 999, or I could possibly use 0, as a line should never = 0.
Very cool - glad I could help:)