Cascading Date Range Parameters

I've written about date range parameters in an earlier post. In that post I wrote about using a group-by month sql query to dynamically create parameter lists. As I used the technique for a while, I noticed an irritating flaw. Because the two parameters were independent of each other, it was possible to request an end date that was before the start date, which generated 0 records when the report was run. Had to be a better way. I knew about cascading parameters, but found that their use was too limiting for the reports I like to create. But maybe I could use them to make a better date range parameter.

So using the technique described in the earlier post, I made two data sets, one called begin date and one called end date.

Begin date has a query like:

select distinct convert(datetime, convert(varchar,dateadd(day,-datepart(day,ae_s_fnd_a.tranx_date)+1,ae_s_fnd_a.tranx_date), 101)) as starting_date,

right(convert(varchar, ae_s_fnd_a.tranx_date, 106), 8) as display_name

from ae_s_fnd_a

end date has a query like:

Select distinct dateadd(ss,-1, convert(datetime, convert(varchar,(dateadd (mm,1,ae_s_fnd_a.tranx_date - day (ae_s_fnd_a.tranx_date)+2)-1), 101))) as ending_date,

right(convert(varchar, ae_s_fnd_a.tranx_date, 106), 8) as display_name

from ae_s_fnd_a

where ae_s_fnd_a.tranx_date > ?

Then make a cascading parameter, with the first parameter called begin date. Make it a list box, dynamically created, and reference the begin date data set. Set it to order descending by starting date.

Then add another parameter called end date. Reference the end date data set. Everything else same as above.

Then go back to your end date data set. Create a data set parameter referencing the begin date report parameter.

End result is that your end date parameter will be filtered by dates AFTER your start date. So you just cant pick a date BEFORE your start date.

Creating Birt Sub-Reports Using Dataset Parameter Binding

I'm going to write about a feature that I only recently discovered and wished I knew about a long time ago. The concept is how to do sub-reporting and neatly tie the master value with sub-reports using something called dataset parameter binding.

For example, let's say I have a master record like a service contract, and I want to report all the associated invoices associated to the service contract.

I have a primary dataset of service contracts, and a secondary dataset of invoices.

Make a table for service contract. Inside the detail row of the service contract table, place another table for invoice data.

Create a dataset parameter in the invoice dataset. It is not tied to a report parameter, so you are forced to choose a default value. Go ahead and do this even though it seems weird.

Then go to your invoice table. Select binding and click on dataset parameter binding. Edit the existing binding by identifying the corresponding dataset row from the contract table. This ties the outer table to the inner table.

Once you get this simple example you can expand the concept. I made a dashboard for shop supervisors a combination of 5 charts and tables all using dataset parameter binding that works great in the Aim Workdesk.

Interactive Birt Chart Output Formats - Which one do you use?

If you're thinking about making some cool charts for your Birt reports, one of the first decisions you'll have to make is which output format to use. The choices are PNG, JPG, BMP, SVG. If the report doesn't need to feature any interactive features, you could pick JPG or BMP. To take advantage of the interactive features of Birt, you'll need to choose between PNG or SVG. And that's where things get a little more complicated, because different browsers render the interactive features of PNG and SVG differently. Also, some interactive features work differently in SVG than PNG.

First, read up on PNG and SVG on Wikipedia to get a little background. One of the things you'll find out is that SVG is not supported by IE 8 and only marginally by IE 9. However, I've noticed that some Birt interactive chart features don't work even in browsers that 'support' SVG. There is an adobe plug-in for IE that allows it to support SVG, but I'd like to avoid plug-ins if possible. Read more about browser support for SVG here, where some saint is documenting the results of performing 280 different tests on every known web browser.

For the reasons described above, I started using PNG. There were a couple cool interactive features that were supported by PNG, but it seemed like the best fit.

So here are the features I like best. I like to show tooltips on Mouse Over. This will allow some additional data to show up in a little window when the user hovers the mouse pointer over a data point. I find this useful because it's always a challenge to fit everything on the chart and this is a way to make the chart as big as possible while still allowing the user to get some more contextual information. As an example, let's say the y-axis is ae_s_bld_c.bldg, which is a building number or address. Because not all your users can quickly perform the mental translation from building number/address to building description, you could flash the more commonly known building description as a tool tip.

Another application for the tooltips would be when a chart has been made that normalizes the data based on percentage and you could use the tool tip to show the actual count of work orders, for example. You could also stitch a couple of these together into the same tool tip.

The other feature that I really like is hyperlink. You can drill-through from the chart report to another chart report or text report or right into a browse or individual record in the Aim application. You can see another article that I've written on that topic here.

I'll get some pictures up when I get a chance, plus some examples of the tooltips and hyperlinks code.

Birt Reports on Aim Desktop - Trailing 13 months

One of the great features of Aim is the ability to display Birt reports on the workdesk. This gives report designers the ability to create a reporting dashboard showing one or more charts in a single BIRT report.

I like to show the trailing 13 complete months in chart reports that auto-load on the work desk so that the user can see the annual trend and the same month from the year prior. I riffed of the last second of the month sql discussed in my "nice looking date parameters" article to come up with the where clause for the chart dataset.

First, read up on the dateadd function here. http://www.w3schools.com/sql/func_dateadd.asp

Maybe there's a cleaner way to do this, but it works.

Here's a simple application:

select ph_workorder, ph_date_created
from phase
where ph_date_created > dateadd (m, -13, dateadd
(ss,-1, convert(datetime, convert(varchar,(dateadd (mm,1,getdate() - day (getdate())+2)-1), 101))) )
order by ph_date_created

Nice Looking Date Parameters in Birt

When making a Birt report with parameters for a date range, I like to build data set(s) for the date parameter(s) from the same Aim table as the eventual results set. For example, if I'm reporting from the phase status table, (ae_p_pst_e), I'll select the dates for the parameter data set from that table. That way you don't have to build a bunch of static dates and your parameters always will match the data available in the table from which you are reporting.

We generally look at results on a monthly basis, so to make sure I get all records, I have my start date with a datetime of the first second of the month and the ending date with the last second of the month. And because in Birt you can display one column as the display value and have another column as the data value, I also use a shortened date format that is a little more visually pleasing for the display.

In short, create a data set called start date. Here's your query.

select distinct convert(datetime, convert(varchar,dateadd(day,-datepart(day,ae_p_pst_e.status_date)+1,ae_p_pst_e.status_date), 101)) as starting_date,
right(convert(varchar, status_date, 106), 8) as display_name
from ae_p_pst_e
order by date desc

Then create a data set called end date. Here's that query.

Select distinct dateadd(ss,-1, convert(datetime, convert(varchar,(dateadd (mm,1,status_date - day (status_date)+2)-1), 101))) as ending_date,
right(convert(varchar, status_date, 106), 8) as display_name
from ae_p_pst_e

Then create two report parameters called start date and end date. Within the config for each parameter, reference the respective data sets. Set the value column to the data set column with the last/first seconds format, and the display column to the more visually pleasing column. Set the sort to the display column and order descending to show the most recent dates at the top.

Then create your main data set. Maybe its something like

select * from ae_p_pst_e where status_date > ? and status_date < ?.

Create your two dataset parameters referencing the report parameters and let it rip. You'll have nice looking parameters that underneath are very specific in setting the limits of the month.

Report Item Visibility based on parameter

Birt allows users to hide data elements based on the parameter selection. For example, maybe you have a report with a chart at the top with a corresponding table at the bottom. You can allow the user to dictate whether the table would be visible.

Create a report parameter with static values of Y and N. Then select the report item (a table in this example) and select visibility in the properties editor.

In the check the hide element box and select the radio button "for all outputs". Click on the formula editor and paste in:

BirtComp.equalTo(params["Parameter_name"].value, 'N')

where Parameter_name is the name of your report parameter.

When the report is run, the user will be presented with a parameter that allows the user to hide or display the report item.

Multiple, Multi-Select Parameters

One limitation in Birt is the lack of a simple way to create multiple, multi-select parameters. What I mean by that is when you want to have parameters where the user can select more than one value for a parameter. This can be overcome by writing scripts that modify the query at runtime. There are two ways to do this, but one of them is much more powerful than the other, especially when you want to have multiple parameters.

Here's the first way and I think it is is an inferior solution compared to the second one described below. It's utility seems to be limited to reports with a single parameter. In this method, you write a query with no where clause. Create a report parameter. Make sure to click the Allow Multiple Values checkbox. In the screen shot below, I built the parameter off a data set from the database as opposed to hard-coding in the values.

Next, go to the dataset and click on the scripts tab. Set the drop-down box to 'Before Open'. Enter the following script with the appropriate modifications to match what you've named your parameter.

var endOfQuery = " WHERE workorder.proposal IN ('" + params["proposal"].replace(/,/g,"','") + "')";
this.queryText += endOfQuery;

Another way to view this would be:

var endOfQuery = " WHERE tablename.columnname IN ('" + params["parametername"].replace(/,/g,"','") + "')";this.queryText += endOfQuery;

This will append the where clause onto the end of the query. It may be possible to modify this script to accomodate additional where clauses. It's been a while since I used this method and I may have tried and failed or maybe I never tried it.

My current preferred method is to write the query, but to include the where clause. A script is still required, but write string variables in the where clause. The script replaces these strings with selected parameter values.

The where clause may be something like this:

where tablename1.columname1 in ('xxx') and tablename2.columname2 in ('yyy')

Here's the script.

this.queryText = this.queryText.replace("xxx",params["parameter1"].value.join("','" ))
this.queryText = this.queryText.replace("yyy",params["parameter2"].value.join("','" ))

where parameter1 refers to tablename1.columnname1 and parameter2 refers to tablename2.columname2

I like this for its simplicity and there doesn't seem to be a limitation on the number of parameters that you can have.

A note: no dataset parameter is required when this is used.