Configuring Active Technologies Controls in HTML Composer

How to:

Reference:

To add an active control, you need to insert a new control to the layout and configure it as an active control on the Parameters tab. Selecting active report as the control type creates an association between the HTML Composer control and an active report, thereby linking actions to directly affect bound active reports.

Only when there are active reports embedded or referenced in HTML Composer, are active controls applicable. An active control cannot be associated to any parameters in the layout. This type of control can only be associated with an active report in the Layout.

Note:


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Procedure: How to Add an Active Technologies Control to the Layout

Any HTML Composer control can be configured as an active control, but the following controls are the most applicable: Check box, Drop down list, List box, Radio button, and Push button.

Add an HTML Composer control that mimics an active report menu option:

  1. Select the control type (for example, Drop Down List or List Box) from the Components or Controls submenu of the Insert menu.

    The cursor changes into a crosshair.

  2. Drag the crosshair to create a control object and adjust it to the size you want.

The HTML Composer control is added as the active control. You can now configure the control by using the Parameters tab.


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Reference: Properties and Settings Dialog Box (Active Technologies Reports)

The Properties and settings dialog box appears when creating or editing an active report value on the Parameters tab.

The following image is the Properties and settings dialog box with an active report Data type.

Properties and settings dialog box

The Parameters tab contains the following fields and options when active report is selected as the Data type:

Data type

Determines whether values are obtained from a static or dynamic list, an active report, or TOC.

Selecting active report will require you to bind the HTML Composer control to an active report.

Available active reports

The Available active reports list binds active controls to active reports in the layout. At run time, when the Refresh for active reports setting is triggered, the active reports selected in the Available active reports list are modified based on the current state of each active control it is bound to.

Available active reports lists all active reports currently embedded in HTML Composer. No active reports are selected by default.

Menu Option Types

The Menu Option Types determine how active reports are modified when the Refresh for active reports setting is triggered. Menu Option Types configure active controls to sort columns, filter content, and change the active report presentation. Multiple active controls, each with different Menu Option Types settings, can be used in combination to modify the active dashboard.

Menu Option Types presents a list of options to designate which active report menu option an active control inherits. To set the behavior of the current active control, select only one Menu Option Types item.

If no option is selected, the active control has no effect on the active dashboard.

List of columns

At run time, the active control lists all common columns found in each bound active report. When the Refresh for active reports setting is triggered, the data is sorted by the selected column.

If using AS Names for a field in a report, all common columns must have the same name across all reports.

Column value

At run time, the active control lists all unique values found in a specified column, common in each bound active report. When the Refresh for active reports setting is triggered, the active control filters bound active reports based on the column value selected.

The Add "ALL" Option is activated when the Column value option is selected. This adds the option to select ALL data source values to the control.

List of filters

At run time, the active control lists multiple filtering actions. This type of control does not affect bound active reports by itself, but only when used in conjunction with active controls set to Column Value. When the Refresh for active reports setting is triggered, the active control instructs how to filter bound active reports based on the value selected in the Column Valued control.

The available list of filters is: Equals, Not equal, Greater than, Greater than or equal to, Less than, Less than or equal to, Between, Contains, Contains (match case), Omits, and Omits (match case).

Sort order

At run time, the active control lists two sorting actions, Sort Ascending and Sort Descending. When the Refresh for active reports setting is triggered, the active control sorts bound active reports based on the sorting action selected.

By default, the active control sorts the first common column in each of the bound active reports.

Report type

At run time, the active control lists different active report presentation types; Grid, Pie Chat, Line Chart, Bar Chart, and Pivot Table. When the Refresh for active reports setting is triggered, this active control changes bound active reports to the presentation type selected.

Common Columns

The Common Columns list only appears when the Column value Menu Option Type is selected. Common Columns lists all common columns found in each bound active report. Select one field to bind to the active control. At run time, the Column value control lists all unique values across each bound active reports Common Columns field selected.

The Common Column selection can be overridden at run time when the Column Value control is chained to the List of columns Menu Option Type.

Refresh for active reports

Enables active controls to automatically modify current views of bound active reports when you select a new value at run time.

Refresh for active reports is enabled by default when you select an Available active report from the Parameters window.

For more information about the Refresh for active reports option, see Refreshing Active Technologies Reports.

Selected Value

Enter the values to be selected as the default value whenever the procedure is run.

The Selected Value option is only available for active controls when the Column Value Menu Option Type is selected.

Add "ALL" Option

Adds the option to select ALL data source values to the control. Alternate text can be substituted for "ALL" using the text field to the right.

The Add "ALL" Option is available when the Column value option is selected from the Menu Option Types.


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Procedure: How to Configure an Active Technologies Control

Once the active control is added to the layout, you can configure it by using the Properties and settings dialog box on the Parameters tab.

It is important to note that you can only chain List of columns to List of column values.

  1. Select the active control in the layout and click the Parameters tab.

    The Properties and settings dialog box opens.

  2. Select active report as the Data type.

    The active report options appear.

  3. Bind the active control to an Available active report in the layout:
    • Select one or more active reports from the list of Available active reports.
    • When an active report is selected, Refresh for active reports is enabled by default.

    Properties and settings dialog box

    The active reports selected in the Available active reports list are modified based on the current state of each active control it is bound to. Refresh for active reports refreshes current views of bound active reports when you select a new value at run time.

    For more information about the Refresh for active reports option, see Refreshing Active Technologies Reports.

  4. Select the Menu Option Types for the active control to sort, filter, list or select columns, and/or change presentation styles of the bound active report and the associated report and graph objects synchronized to the active report.

    Menu Option Types drop-down menu

    If no option is selected, the active control has no effect on the active dashboard.

    1. Select List of columns from Menu Option Types to list all common columns found in each bound active report. At run time, the bound active report output is sorted by the selected column.

      For example, the following active control shows a list of all the columns in the bound active report.

      active form control list

    2. Select the Column value option from the Menu Option Types to list all unique values found in a specified column, common in each bound active report at run time.

      Note: You can only chain List of columns to Column value. You cannot chain a Column value to another Column value.

      When the Column value option is selected, the active control panel dynamically presents Common Columns in each of the selected active reports in the Available active reports list.

      Select one column from the Common Columns list.

      Common Columns list

      You can also use the Selected Value field to enter the values to be selected as the default value whenever the procedure is run. The Add "ALL" option adds the option to select ALL common column values to the control at run time.

      For example, the following active control shows RATING as the selected common column for the bound active report.

      active form control list

    3. Select List of filters from the Menu Option Types to list multiple filtering actions at run time.

      List of filters is used in conjunction with the Column value. Both controls should be bound to the same active reports. The active control instructs how to filter bound active reports based on the value selected in the Column value control.

      For example, the following active control shows a list of filters in the bound active report.

      active form control drop-down menu

    4. Select Sort order from the Menu Option Types to list sorting options (Ascending or Descending) at run time. The active control sorts bound active reports based on the sorting action selected.

      By default, the active control sorts the first common column in each of the bound active reports.

      For example, the following active control shows list sort order options in the bound active report.

      active form control drop-down menu

    5. Select the Report types option from the Menu Option Types to list different active report presentation types at run time. The active control changes bound active reports to the presentation type selected.

      For example, the following active control shows report type options in the bound active report.

      active form control drop-down menu


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