PRD Advanced Concepts

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Conditional Hide Report Elements

To hide report elements based on certain conditions, we can define a formula under
'Style' -> 'visible'.
One interesting use case is to hide the labels of the report if no data is returned.
For example, to hide all labels of the report if the field 'field1' has a null value:
Add a sub-band on the report and insert the labels that you want to hide in the subband. Thus we will not have to define the same formula for each label, but rather
only for the sub-band.
Highlight the sub-band and go to 'Style' -> 'visible' properties.
Add the following formula =IF(ISNA([field1]);"False";"True")

We could also hide the report elements based on whether we have entered a value for
a user parameter or not.
Highlight the report element and go to 'Style' -> 'visible' properties

Enter the below formula =IF(LEN([param1])=0;"False"; "True")

where param1 is the parameter name.

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Invisible Consumes Space

If the requirement is that invisible elements on the report should not
consume any space in row or column, use the banding element and the

functionality 'invisible consumes space'.

This function only works with row banding. Use a band element and under
'Style' define the layout as row or block. If you use the 'block' layout in the

band element, then all elements withing the band will be stacked 'on top
of each other'. If one of the elements will be set invisible (e.g. by using a
formula in the 'visible' style element), it will not leave a blank space on
the report.
Same functionality can be used for the 'row' style. In this case the invisible
elements will not consume any space in rows.
If you intend to remove both spaces for invisible elements (in rows and
columns) use two bands one within another, with different layouts 'row'
and 'block'.

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Calculate Date
Sometimes it is very useful to use a calculated earlier date (e.g. yesterday, a
month ago) as a default parameter value on a report. For example, if you

want a report to run every day for the previous day, you might want to
add a calculation of 'yesterday' for the default value of the parameter.

To calculate 'yesterday' in the report designer use the following formula in

the 'default value formula' or 'post processing formula' of the parameter:
=DATEVALUE(DATE(YEAR(TODAY()-1);MONTH(TODAY()-1);DAY(TODAY()-1)))

To calculate '12 month ago' in the report designer use the following formula in

the 'default value formula' or 'post processing formula' of the parameter:

=DATEVALUE(DATE(YEAR(TODAY());MONTH(TODAY())-12;DAY(TODAY())))

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Configure JNDI for Pentaho Report Designer

It is recommended to use JNDI connection on the Pentaho BI server for security purposes and to simplify
the maintenance of the connection details for the reprorts.
For the report to reference the JNDI connection as configured in the Enterprise Console, JNDI connection
needs to be referenced in the Report Designer, before the report is published to the server.
To be able to preview your report in the Report Designer using JNDI connection, you will need to
configure the connection details.

The JNDI connections for the Pentaho Report Designer are configured in the following file:
.pentaho\simple-jndi\default.properties
Add your connection details in this file and you will be able to connect to the data using the JNDI name in
the Report Designer.

As an example, use the following format to define a new JNDI connection

SampleJNDIName/type=javax.sql.DataSource SampleJNDIName/driver=com.mysql.jdbc.Driver
SampleJNDIName/user=SampleUser SampleJNDIName/password=SamplePassword
SampleJNDIName/url=jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/SampleData

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Set parameter value on user log in

In the example below we will determine the value of the
location parameter depending on the user log in. If you
want the user to see a certain report for their location
only, this is the way to do it.
Assuming you are storing the user names and corresponding
locations in a data base table called dim_user (mysql
dump attached)
Add a query to your report to retrieve the location of the
user. To identify the login of the user
${env::username} in your query
select * from dim_user where username=${env::username}

Add a parameter to your report and configure as shown.

Make sure you set the post-processing formula (this is
setting the value of the parameter) and tick "Use first
value if default value formula results in N/A" You can
make this parameter hidden as it does not require any
user input - tick "Hidden".

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Dynamic SQL in Report Designer

We can inject parameters into the SQL query in the Report Designer using
the syntax

SELECT ${param1} FROM ${param2} WHERE field=${param3}

It is also possible to change the SQL statement completely, based on

user's selection.
With this option we can determine the query behaviour based on some

parameterization (i.e. Fields in select statement, sorting/grouping etc)

Lets see an example:

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Dynamic SQL in Report Designer

* Create a table dataset

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Dynamic SQL in Report Designer

* Create a parameter associated to the table dataset

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Dynamic SQL in Report Designer

* Create a JDBC Custom query

... And choose the JDBC

data source

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Dynamic SQL in Report Designer

* Define the dynamic query associated to the master report
First define the template for your query (it will be used to know which
kind of fields are in the report)

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Dynamic SQL in Report Designer

* Define the dynamic query associated to the master report
Then define the query as an expression injecting the name of the
parameter

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