Report Studio

Create active report variables to allow controls in a report to interact with each other. Active report variables pass information from one control to another control.

You can also create active report variables when you define connections between controls. However, you may want to modify these variables, such as changing the name or defining default values.

In addition, active report variables allow active reports inserted in a workspace in IBM Cognos Workspace to interact with each other. For example, selecting a product line in one active report causes another active report to show the data for the selected product line. In addition, variables allow check boxes and sliders in a workspace in Cognos Workspace to drive active reports in the workspace.

Active report variables must meet the following criteria to work in Cognos Workspace:

• The variables must be public.
• For active reports to listen to each other in a workspace, each report must have a public variable with the same name.
• for a Cognos Workspace slider to drive an active report, a range variable must be defined in the report.
  
  The data item of the slider and the range variable in the active report must have the same name.
  
  Two variables are used to define the minimum and maximum values of the range variable. The two variables are used to defined the minimum and maximum values of the slider.

To create and manage active report variables:

1. Click the Active Report Variables tab.
2. Create a variable:
1. Click Create a New Variable.
2. In the Name box, type the name of the variable.
3. Click the Data Type drop-down menu and click the type of variable that you want to create.
4. To make the variable public, select the Public (External) box.
5. If you want to specify a default value for the variable, click Set Default Value(s) and define the values that you want.
   Note: Define multiple default values when you want more than one item selected in a control that allows multiple selections, such as a check box group.
3. To modify an existing variable right-click the variable or click Edit Variable.
4. To add a default value, click Set Default Value(s).
   To change a default value, click the name of the current default value specified for the variable.
5. Create a range variable:
1. Create the variables that will defined the minimum and maximum values of the slider.
   The variables must have the number data type.
   Note: Range variables are automatically set as public variables. Do not make the variables that are used to defined the minimum and maximum values of the slider public.
2. Click Manage Ranges.
3. Click the New icon.
4. In the Name box, type the name of the range variable.
5. Click the Minimum Variable list and select the variable that will be used to set the minimum value of the slider.
6. Click the Maximum Variable list and select the variable that will be used to set the maximum value of the slider, then click OK twice.
   Note: If you later delete the minimum or maximum variable, the range variable is also deleted.

Define a connection between controls to link them together. When you link controls, an action performed on one control affects the behavior of the other control.

Related Topics:

• Active Reports—About Report Studio active reports.
• Active Report Variables—About active report variables.
• Defining a Connection Between Controls—About defining a connection between active report controls.

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