Make Structural Changes to the Report to Support Presentation of Independent
Matrices, Based upon Ad Hoc Territories Selection
The
information consumers for whom we are developing have stated that they wish to
meet business requirements for presenting independent matrices based
upon a geographical parameter to be selected by the consumers at
runtime. This might be handled several ways, but we will examine one procedure
that works readily "out of the box" within Reporting Services.
1.
Return to Layout
view by clicking the Layout tab.
2.
Click the Matrix
Report Item in the Toolbox.
3.
Click the
canvas within the Layout view at a point underneath the existing matrix
data region, to indicate the location for "dropping" the new matrix
data region, at a point on the canvas approximating that depicted in Illustration
23.
The matrix
data region appears at the "drop point" on the canvas, as shown
in Illustration 24.
4.
Click inside
the upper left corner textbox of the new matrix data region, to
make the gray column and row bars appear for the matrix, as we
did with the other matrix data region earlier.
5.
Right-click
the upper left corner of the gray bars.
6.
Select Properties
from the context menu that appears, as depicted in Illustration 25.
Illustration 25: Accessing
Properties for the New Matrix ...
The Matrix Properties dialog appears.
7.
Using the
downward arrow to the right of the Dataset name box on the dialog,
select the primary Dataset, ProductData.
This
is the same Dataset referenced in the matrix atop the canvas.
The Matrix Properties dialog appears, with our selection, as shown in Illustration
26.
Illustration 26: The
Matrix Properties Dialog with Dataset Selection
8.
Click OK
to accept our changes and to dismiss the Matrix Properties dialog.
9.
Click within
the textbox marked Data (the bottom right textbox) in the new matrix.
The Properties
window for the textbox should appear (mine is docked underneath the Solution
Explorer, on the right side of the design environment, If the Properties
window does not appear, select View ---> Properties Window from the main menu to display it,
as depicted in Illustration
27.
Illustration 27: Displaying
the Properties Window, Should It Not Appear ...
10.
Scroll down,
if necessary, within the Properties window, to reach the Size
setting, toward its bottom.
11.
Replace the
dimensions that currently occupy the Size setting with the following:
7in, 3in
12.
Press the Enter
key to accept the new setting.
The Data
textbox expands to the new dimensions within the matrix data region.
The Size setting, within the Properties window for the Data
textbox of the matrix, appears, with our input, as shown in Illustration 28.
Illustration 28: Our
New Size Setting within the Properties Window for the Data Textbox
While
we may have to make minor adjustments, my intent here is to make the Data
textbox large enough to contain the original matrix. If, in our local
environments, it seems that we need to make the textbox larger, then we
can certainly do so at this point.
13.
In the primary
matrix (in the upper left corner of the canvas), click the Adventure
Works Cycles label textbox, within the upper left corner textbox
of the matrix data region, to select it.
The Adventure
Works Cycles label textbox becomes highlighted, indicating that it is
selected.
14.
Holding down
the Shift key on the keyboard, click each of the image file (the "cyclist"
logo) and the Sales Reason label textbox.
All
three objects should now be selected.
15.
Using the
directional arrow key set on the keyboard, once again, move the three selected
objects out of the matrix data region entirely, and to its right on the
canvas.
The
relocated objects appear (still highlighted) similar to those depicted in Illustration
29.
Illustration 29: Label
Objects Moved Out of the Matrix ...
16.
Click the now
empty upper left textbox of the top matrix data region, once
again.
17.
Click the upper
left corner of the gray bars, to select the matrix data region itself.
18.
Hold the mouse
pointer over a portion of the now-highlighted outline of the matrix,
until it becomes a four-pointed arrow symbol.
19.
Click once
on the outline to "grab" the matrix with all components, and
then, with the left mouse button of the PC (some may differ) depressed, drag
the matrix into the newly enlarged Data textbox of the matrix data region beneath it, as shown in Illustration 30.
Illustration 30: Drag
the Primary Matrix into the Data Textbox of the New Matrix Data Region
The
primary matrix data region appears within the Data textbox of the
new matrix data
region as shown
in Illustration 31.
Illustration 31: The
Primary (Now "Nested") Matrix in the Data Textbox of the New "Parent"
Matrix ...
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