Details on Define Input

Option

Description

Selected parameter

Shows the name of the parameter that was selected in the On-Demand Settings dialog in a previous step.

Input for the selected parameter

Allows you to select whether to retrieve the input for the parameter from values or a range. See a description of the various options below.

   Values from column

Use this option to set the conditions for the parameter from the values in a column already in the analysis. The data retrieved for the on-demand data table can be based on filtered or marked rows, or a combination of both. See below for details.

   Range from column

Use this option to set the conditions for the parameter from the range of a column already in the analysis. The resulting range will be the min and the max values from the selected column.

   Values (fixed/properties/expression)
   

Use this option if you want to specify fixed values or connect the parameter to a property. You can also calculate the values with an expression.

   Range (fixed/properties/expression)

Use this option if you want to specify a fixed range or connect the parameter range to properties. You can also calculate the values with an expression.

Note: This option can also be used to set a single limit for a range, either an upper or a lower limit, such as loading only "Sales < 100".

Option

Description

Data table

Select the data table where the column of interest is located.

Column

Select the column from which the input values should be picked.

Limit by

Use a combination of filtering and markings to limit the loaded data to rows matching the specified settings only. If more than one option is selected then data will be retrieved for rows matching the intersection of the selected filtering and markings only.

Leave both the Filtered rows and the Marked rows controls untouched to retrieve data for all rows.

   Filtered rows

Select a filtering scheme from the drop-down list to retrieve data for values remaining after filtering with the specified filtering scheme.

   Marked rows

Select the check box for a marking to retrieve data for values marked by the selected marking.

If more than one marking is available in your analysis you need to determine which marking or markings to control the loading. If more than one marking is selected, then data will be retrieved for rows matching the intersection of the markings.

Number of identifiers to limit data loading to

[Available for the Values from column option only.]

Use this check box to determine whether the on-demand data should be loaded regardless of how many identifiers have been marked or whether there should be a limit to how many identifiers one can retrieve data for.

The purpose of this option is to be able to limit the amount of data loaded from the server. If more identifiers than the specified number are marked and this check box has been selected, the data table will be empty.

Use distinct values

[Only available for named parameters in a custom query or information link.]

Select this check box to make sure that a value is only used once for the on-demand call when using named parameters or marked items.

For example, when working with external data (like SQL server connections), you could potentially get a lot of duplicate values in the call to the external data source, which has negative impact on performance since the SQL will be larger than necessary. By selecting this check box, duplicate values in the where clause are filtered out and the query is minimized.

If the check box is cleared, the complete data set is used in the call.

Option

Description

Fixed value

Select this option to type a value to use as input for the parameter.

   Select...

Opens the Select Value dialog where you can pick a value available in the selected column element to use as a fixed value. This may be helpful when you are uncertain of which values are valid for the specified information link.

The button will not be available if your information link is parameterized.

If the selected parameter is a date or a datetime column, you will be able to select a date by clicking on the calendar icon instead, .

Property

Select this option to tie the parameter value to a property value. Property values can easily be changed if you add a property control to a text area. See Using Properties in the Analysis for more information.

   Select...

Opens the Select Property dialog where you can specify a property to tie to the selected parameter.

Expression

Select this option if you need to perform some calculation to obtain the desired input parameter value. For example, if the input is to be affected by multiple columns and properties, these can be defined in an expression.

   Edit...

Opens the Edit Expression dialog where you can specify the expression to control the input parameter.

Limit by

Use a combination of filtering and markings to limit the loaded data to rows matching the specified settings only. If more than one option is selected then data will be retrieved for rows matching the intersection of the selected filtering and markings only.

Leave both the Filtered rows and the Marked rows controls untouched to retrieve data for all rows.

   Filtered rows

Select a filtering scheme from the drop-down list to retrieve data for values remaining after filtering with the specified filtering scheme.

   Marked rows

Select the check box for a marking to retrieve data for values marked by the selected marking.

If more than one marking is available in your analysis you need to determine which marking or markings to control the loading. If more than one marking is selected, then data will be retrieved for rows matching the intersection of the markings.

Number of identifiers to limit data loading to

Use this check box to determine whether the on-demand data should be loaded regardless of how many identifiers have been marked or whether there should be a limit to how many identifiers one can retrieve data for.

The purpose of this option is to be able to limit the amount of data loaded from the server. If more identifiers than the specified number are marked and this check box has been selected, the visualization will be empty.

Include empty values

Select this check box to also include rows that do not contain any data for the specified column.

Use distinct values

[Only available for named parameters in a custom query or information link.]

Select this check box to make sure that a value is only used once for the on-demand call when using named parameters or marked items.

For example, when working with external data (like SQL server connections), you could potentially get a lot of duplicate values in the call to the external data source, which has negative impact on performance since the SQL will be larger than necessary. By selecting this check box, duplicate values in the where clause are filtered out and the query is minimized.

If the check box is cleared, the complete data set is used in the call.

Option

Description

Fixed value

Select this option to type a value to use as input for the parameter.

   Select...

Opens the Select Value dialog where you can pick a value available in the selected column element to use as a fixed value. This may be helpful when you are uncertain of which values are valid for the specified information link.

The button will not be available if your information link is parameterized.

If the selected parameter is a date or a datetime column, you will be able to select a date by clicking on the calendar icon instead, .

Property

Select this option to tie the parameter value to a property value. Property values can easily be changed if you add a property control to a text area. See Using Properties in the Analysis for more information.

   Select...

Opens the Select Property dialog where you can specify a property to tie to the selected parameter.

Expression

Select this option if you need to perform some calculation to obtain the desired input parameter value. For example, if the input is to be affected by multiple columns and properties, these can be defined in an expression.

   Edit...

Opens the Edit Expression dialog where you can specify the expression to control the input parameter.

   Base on

Displays whether the calculations will be based on All values, Filtered values or Marked values.

   Settings...

Select this option to define whether to base the calculations on All values, Filtered values or Marked values.

Include empty values

Select this check box to also include rows that do not contain any data for the specified column.

Use distinct values

[Only available for named parameters in a custom query or information link.]

Select this check box to make sure that a value is only used once for the on-demand call when using named parameters or marked items.

For example, when working with external data (like SQL server connections), you could potentially get a lot of duplicate values in the call to the external data source, which has negative impact on performance since the SQL will be larger than necessary. By selecting this check box, duplicate values in the where clause are filtered out and the query is minimized.

If the check box is cleared, the complete data set is used in the call.