Set Up the Grouping and Group Member Sorting Report Parameters
We are ready at this
point to add a couple of new report parameters. We will reference these
parameters later in our procedure.
1.
Select Report
-> Report Parameters ..., from the main menu, as shown in Illustration 32.
Illustration 32: Select Report --> Report Parameters ...
The now
empty Report Parameters dialog opens.
2.
Click Add
to begin adding our first report parameter.
3.
Type the
following into the Name box in the Properties section (at the top
of the right side of the dialog):
RowGroupBy
4.
Type the
following into the Prompt box in the Properties section (the
second box down from the Name box ):
Group Rows By:
5.
Clear any
check marks in the lower part of the Properties section.
6.
In the Available
values section (just below the Properties section on the right
side of the dialog), click the From query radio button to select it.
The Dataset,
Value field and Label field selectors appear.
7.
Click the
downward pointing arrow on the Dataset selector (currently displaying
the ProductData selection) within the Data tab.
8.
Select the new
RowGroup dataset.
9.
In like
manner, select ParameterValue within the Value field.
10.
Select ParameterCaption
within the Label field.
11.
Leave all
other settings at default.
The Report
Parameters dialog for the new RowGroupBy parameter appears, with our
input, as depicted in
Illustration 33.
Illustration 33: Settings for the New RowGroupBy Parameter
We will
next create a report parameter to for use in sorting the members of the
group we select at runtime.
12.
Click Add,
once again, in the bottom left corner of the still open Report Parameters dialog.
13.
Type the following
into the Name box in the Properties section (at the top of the
right side of the dialog):
RowSortBy
14.
Type the
following into the Prompt box in the Properties section (the
second box down from the Name box ):
Sort Rows By:
15.
Clear any
check marks in the lower part of the Properties section, as we did with
the first report parameter above.
16.
In the Available
values section (just below the Properties section on the right
side of the dialog), click the From query radio button to select it.
The Dataset,
Value field and Label field selectors appear, as we saw earlier.
17.
Ensure that
the new RowGroup dataset is selected within the Dataset selector.
18.
In like
manner, select ParameterValue within the Value field.
19.
Select ParameterCaption
within the Label field.
20.
Leave all
other settings at default.
The Report
Parameters dialog for the new RowSortBy parameter appears, with our
input, as shown in
Illustration 34.
Illustration 34: Settings for the New RowSortBy Parameter
21.
Click the OK
button on the Report Parameters dialog to accept the new parameters and to
dismiss the dialog.
Let’s
preview the report at this stage, simply to ascertain that the new parameters
appear to work properly (we will have to do some further work on the Layout
tab before they actually affect the report display – we just want to determine
that the picklists appear appropriate, etc.).
22.
Click the Preview
tab, once again.
The two
new report parameters appear atop the report - actually execution
is held up until we make a selection here. We can click the selector arrows and
see that the three grouping / sorting criteria appear in each parameter
picklist, as depicted (for the Group Rows By parameter) in
Illustration 35.
Illustration 35: The Parameter Picklists (Only the Group Rows By Parameter is Shown Here) Appear to Work Properly
We are
now ready to “hook things up” within the Layout tab of the report so
that the new parameters actually work, and so that the report reflects our
selections in a user-friendly manner.
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