Input Controls provide a convenient, easily accessible way to filter and analyze report data.
You can define input controls using standard windows controls, such as lists or entry fields text boxes, and associate them with one or multiple elements, such as tables, sections, and charts, or with all the elements in a document. When you select values in the input control, you filter the values in the associated report elements by the values you have selected.
You can use input controls to analyze different scenarios by changing the value of variables. For example, you can assign a slider input control to a variable with a constant value. If the variable is part of a formula, you use the slider control to examine different formula results based on the variable value.
Create an Input Control
Input Control Parameters
You can choose from several input controls to filter data.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Entry field | For any type of object, you can use the entry field input control on a report object where you want to be able to directly type a value name into a text box. |
| List | For a dimension object, you can use a list widget that displays all available values. |
| Calendar | For a (dimension) date object, you can pick a value that appears with a manual entry text box or a calendar icon. If you click the calendar icon, you can then select a date from a pop-up calendar. |
| Spinner | For a measure object, you can have an arrow-activated, spinning list of values. |
| Simple slider | For a measure object, you can have a slider bar to navigate to a specific value. You must set interval bounds and a default value. |
| Tree list | For a dimension object, you can have a list of hierarchy values. |
| Double slider | For a measure object, you can have a slider list based on a measure object from which you can select two values from an interval. |
The available properties are determined by the control type.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | The name of the input control. |
| Description | The description of the input control. |
| Operator | The operator that the input control uses to filter the associated report elements. |
| Use restricted List of Values | If you define a custom list of values for the report object, this setting filters the data in the report element you assign to the input control based on this list of values. Even when no values are selected in the input control, any values not present in the restricted list are excluded from the report element filtered by the input control |
| Sort List of Values | This option allows you to sort a list of values dynamically and decide which values should be visible in priority in the list according to your business needs. |
| Allow selection of all values | This option allows you to show or hide the All Values option in an input control. For example, you may want to hide the All values option when the aggregation of the values makes no sense. |
| Allow selection of null values | For the Combo box, Radio buttons, List box, and Check boxes input controls, you can allow users to select null values. |
| Reset on refresh | This options allows you to reset the default value of the input control automatically when refreshing the document. |
| Default values | The default values that the input control uses to filter the associated report element. |
Procedure: Create an Input Control
Follow these steps to create an input control:
- In the Analyze section of the toolbar, choose Show Filter Bar.
- Open the Manage Filters list.
- Select New Input Control.
- Configure the input control.
