Creating a filter for use in queries on an information object
A predefined filter restricts the data returned by a query built from an information object. Set a column’s Filter property to Predefined to create a predefined filter on the column. Actuate Query lists this filter as a predefined filter that users can set. In report designers, the filter is listed as a dynamic filter in Information Object Query Builder and becomes an ad hoc parameter in the report design. For more information about Actuate Query, see Working with Actuate Query. For more information about Information Object Query Builder, see Using Actuate BIRT Designer Professional or Using Information Object Query Builder with BIRT Designer Professional.
Use Prompt editor to specify the filter’s display control type, list of values, and default value. You create a list of values by specifying the values or by typing an Actuate SQL query that retrieves the values. You can specify the filter values as well as the values displayed to the user. If you type a query, the query must meet the following requirements:
*
SELECT DISTINCT custID, customName
FROM "MyInformationObject.iob"
ORDER BY 2
The first column contains the filter values and must be of string data type. The second column contains the values displayed to the user. The information object or map must reside in the same volume as the IOB from which the user launches Actuate Query. If you use a relative path to reference the information object or map, Actuate Query interprets the path as relative to the IOB from which the user launches Actuate Query. If the information object or map defines a parameter, you must provide a value for the parameter, for example:
SELECT DISTINCT custID, customName
FROM "MyInformationObject.iob" ['CA']
ORDER BY 2
*
The filter values are interpreted as QBE expressions. Certain characters, for example, the comma (,) and the pipe sign (|), are interpreted as operators in a QBE expression. For example, the QBE expression:
16M x 1 Dynamic Ram, 3.3 volts
is interpreted as:
WHERE description LIKE '16M x 1 Dynamic Ram%' OR description LIKE '3.3 volts%'
If you want these characters to be interpreted literally, enclose the strings in four single quotation marks ('''') as shown in the following Actuate SQL queries:
*
SELECT '''' || description || ''''
FROM "MyInformationObject.iob"
*
SELECT '''' || description || '%'''
FROM "MyInformationObject.iob"
|| is the concatenation operator.
The values returned by the query appear when a user specifies a value for the ad hoc parameter in Actuate Query. The values do not appear, however, when a report developer specifies a value for the ad hoc parameter when running a report in a report designer.
For more information about QBE expressions, see Using Information Console.

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