1. More Hidden Gems in the World of Reporting: Part 5
Walter F. Blood
Director of Product Management
Information Builders

2. Where We Will Look Settings Connections Expressions Sorting
Adding “stuff” to the Hold Master - HOLDSTAT
The catch-all for formatting - PRINTPLUS
When the data doesn’t line up - JOINOPT
Connections
Combining tables based on ranges
Connecting tables with nothing in common
Connect files to create the exact record you need
Expressions
Working with more than one record instance at a time
Writing to multiple files simultaneously
Using SQL friendly user functions
Sorting
Sorting it your way
Uneven grouping

3. Add stuff to the HOLD Master
…In Settings
Add stuff to the HOLD Master
Catch-all for
fomatting
When data doesn’t
line up
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 3 3

4. Switches that affect behavior – scope varies
SET Parameters
Switches that affect behavior – scope varies
You can set at multiple levels
EDASPROF
Group/User Profile
Focexec
Request
Look at the difference in behavior to see when to apply them

5. SET HOLDSTAT= OFF/ON/filename
Automatically add “stuff” to a HOLD Master
Comments at the beginning or the end
DEFINE fields, COMPUTE fields
SORTOBJ objects, FILTER objects, STYLE objects
DBA
Pre-existing HOLDSTAT or other name file
Create dynamically in MFD_PROFILE
Remember
Comment - $
$BOTTOM used to
place stuff at end of
master
$ mystat.err
$ Included comments
$ Can be dynamically created in MFD Profile
$BOTTOM
DEFINE COUNTRY/A5=EDIT(COUNTRY,’9$9$9$9$9$’);,$
END
DBAFILE = filename
$ More comments

6. SET - PRINTPLUS Turning PRINTPLUS ON –
BY field actions are linked with BY field options so they appear together
SET PRINTPLUS=OFF
TABLE FILE CAR
HEADING
"PRINTPLUS=OFF"
SUM SEATS CNT.BODYTYPE
COMPUTE AVE/D6.2 = SEATS/CNT.BODYTYPE;
BY COUNTRY BY CAR BY MODEL
ON COUNTRY SUBTOTAL
ON COUNTRY SUBFOOT
"COUNTRY SUBFOOT - SUBTOTAL <COUNTRY>"
ON CAR RECOMPUTE
ON CAR SUBFOOT
"CAR SUBFOOT - RECOMPUTE <CAR>"
ON TABLE SUMMARIZE
ON TABLE SUBFOOT
"TABLE SUBFOOT - SUMMARIZE"
ON TABLE SET HTMLCSS ON
ON TABLE SET STYLE *
INCLUDE = endeflt, $
ENDSTYLE
END
Paired Actions
Paired Actions
Paired Actions

7. SET- PRINTPLUS Turning PRINTPLUS ON –
BY field actions are linked with BY field options so they appear together
Paired Actions ?

8. SET - PRINTPLUS Turning PRINTPLUS ON –
BY field actions are linked with BY field options so they appear together
Paired Actions !

9. SET - PRINTPLUS Turning PRINTPLUS ON –
Splitting fields linked by OVER onto separate pages no longer occurs
SET LINES=18,PAPER=21
TABLE FILE CAR
SUM RCOST
OVER DCOST
OVER SALES
OVER MPG
BY COUNTRY SKIP-LINE
END
PRINTPLUS OFF
PRINTPLUS ON

10. SET - PRINTPLUS Turning PRINTPLUS ON –
Report SUBFOOT now prints above the footing instead of below it.
TABLE FILE CENTORD
SUM
CENTORD.INVSEG.PRICE
BY LOWEST CENTORD.OINFO.STORE_CODE
BY LOWEST CENTORD.INVSEG.PROD_NUM
BY TOTAL LOWEST CENTORD.OINFO.ORDER_DATE
ON TABLE SUBHEAD
"PRINTPLUS IS OFF"
FOOTING
"This report was created for &DATEMtrYY "
ON TABLE SUBFOOT
"This is the Report Footing for <STORE_CODE"
IF CENTORD.OINFO.STORE_CODE EQ '1003CA' ….
END
FOOTING
REPORT
SUBFOOT

11. SET - PRINTPLUS Turning PRINTPLUS ON –
Report SUBFOOT now prints above the footing instead of below it.

12. SET - PRINTPLUS Turning PRINTPLUS ON –
PAGE-BREAK handled internally - provide the correct spacing of pages
NOSPLIT handled internally
RECAPs in cases where pre-specified conditions are met
FOOTING no longer splits on two pages
Footings and Subfoots - on page with at least one data item
Printing beyond the length of the page no longer occurs
There is no reserved space for conditional output
The order of sort fields is no longer relevant

13. When the retrieved data values don’t line up correctly
SET - JOINOPT
When the retrieved data values don’t line up correctly
TRAIN ROUTES
Route Number
Origin Station
Dest Station
TRAIN ROUTES
ORIGIN STATIONS
Orig Station
Orig City
Orig State
DESTINATION STATIONS
TRAIN ROUTES
Dest Station
Dest City
Dest State
JOIN TR TO OR - UNIQUE
JOIN TR TO DS - UNIQUE
1:M

14. When the retrieved data values don’t line up correctly
SET - JOINOPT
When the retrieved data values don’t line up correctly
TRAIN ROUTES
TABLE FILE ROUTES PRINT TRAIN_NUM
OR_STATION OR_CITY
DE_STATION DE_CITY
END
ORIGIN STATIONS
DESTINATION STATIONS
TRAIN_NUM OR_STATION OR_CITY DE_STATION DE_CITY
NYC NEW YORK ATL
BOS BOSTON BLT ATLANTA
DET DETROIT BOS BALTIMORE
CHI CHICAGO DET BOSTON
BOS BOSTON STL DETROIT
BOS STL ST. LOUIS
TRAIN ROUTES
TRAIN ROUTES

15. When the retrieved data values don’t line up correctly
SET - JOINOPT
When the retrieved data values don’t line up correctly
TRAIN ROUTES
TABLE FILE ROUTES PRINT TRAIN_NUM
OR_STATION OR_CITY
DE_STATION DE_CITY
END
SET JOINOPT=GNTINT
ORIGIN STATIONS
DESTINATION STATIONS
TRAIN_NUM OR_STATION OR_CITY DE_STATION DE_CITY
NYC NEW YORK ATL ATLANTA
BOS BOSTON BLT BALTIMORE
DET DETROIT BOS BOSTON
CHI CHICAGO DET DETROIT
BOS BOSTON STL ST. LOUIS
TRAIN ROUTES
TRAIN ROUTES

16. Connect files based on a range of values
Connections
Connect files based on a range of values
Connect files with NO apparent connection
Connect files to create the exact record you need

17. Connections Based on Equality
EMPLOYEE ID
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
HIRE DATE
CURRENT SALARY …
Employee
TAX YEAR
TAX RATE
MINIMUM SALARY
MAXIMUM SALARY
Tax Rate
Standard JOIN based upon EQUALITY comparison
JOIN field IN file TO ALL field IN file AS name

18. Connections Based on Equality

19. Connections Based on Range of Values
EMPLOYEE ID
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
HIRE DATE
CURRENT SALARY …
EMPLOYEE
TAX YEAR
TAX RATE
MINIMUM SALARY
MAXIMUM SALARY
Connection can also be based upon range comparison -
LE, LT, GE, GT, NE or FROM /TO
JOIN FILE file AT field TO ALL FILE file AT field AS name
WHERE condition

20. Connections Based on Range

21. Insurance Rates – Listing
Problem: Selecting the correct insurance rate based upon age from a table with ranges---
Minimum Maximum
Age Age Insurance Rate
$ 8.00
$ 9.00
$10.00
$11.00
JOIN FILE EMPDATA1 AT BIRTHDATE
TO ALL FILE RATES AT AGE AS J1
WHERE EMPDATA1.AGE GE RATES.MINAGE;
WHERE EMPDATA1.AGE LE RATES.MAXAGE;
END

22. JOIN? Connect files that have NO apparent connection Employee New Car
Connections
Connect files that have NO apparent connection
Employee
Salary
History
New Car
Finance
Packages
JOIN?

23. Connections

24. Connections
Employee
Salary
History
New Car
Finance
Packages
JOIN?

25. Connections – Conditional Join
Conditional Join Considerations:
Based upon Cartesian product
WHERE condition controls selection – True/Select, False/Reject
Complex WHEREs supported
Multiple WHERE conditions supported
At least one WHERE must contain fields from both files
Remove WHERE – true cartesian product
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 25 25

26. Sort Merge Creating the exact record you need! Connections - MATCH
HOLD
OLD
NEW
BYs and Verb control structure of output record
AFTER MATCH HOLD
controls selection of data being placed in the output record

27. Connections - MATCH Using BY fields
Control both column order in record as well as connection
To “MATCH” - must have same name in request – use AS
MATCH up to 16 levels in a single MATCH request
MATCH keys do not have to be the same!
Matching keys - output in 1 column
Non-matching keys – distinct columns
Output record created based upon common keys
Keys plus associated verb objects
OLD to NEW for non-MATCHING key objects

28. Connections - MATCH Using PRINT or SUM SUM:
Aggregates verb objects included in level
Aggregation level based upon BYs at that level
Output sequence controlled by order of request and BYs, and MATCH levels
PRINT:
Includes detail records for verb objects selected in level
Grouped and sorted based upon BY fields
Output sequence controlled by order of request and BYs , and MATCH levels

29. Connections - MATCH Holding Patterns CONTROL THE MISSING!
OLD-OR-NEW – All RECORDS, both files (DEFAULT)
OLD-AND-NEW—Common RECORDS only
OLD-NOT-NEW – RECORDS in OLD missing in NEW
NEW-NOT-OLD - RECORDS in NEW missing in OLD
OLD-NOR-NEW - Combo of OLD-NOT-NEW NEW-NOT-OLD
OLD – RECORDS in OLD with RECORDS in NEW
NEW – RECORDS in NEW with RECORDS in OLD

30. Working with more than one record instance at a time
Expressions
Working with more than one record instance at a time
Writing to multiple files simultaneously
Using SQL friendly user functions

31. LAST Working with more than one record instance at a time THE FUNCTION
Expressions - LAST
Working with more than one record instance at a time
LAST
THE FUNCTION
Available in COMPUTE, DEFINE, WHERE
References the field value in the previous record
Works with real and virtual fields

32. Expressions - LAST
LAST

33. Expressions - LAST
LAST
Select LAST
Get Fieldname

34. Expressions - LAST
LAST
In DEFINE

35. Expressions - LAST
LAST
In COMPUTE

36. LAST In WHERE Expressions - LAST
CAR.ORIGIN.COUNTRY NE LAST CAR.ORIGIN.COUNTRY
In WHERE

37. LAST Using LAST: Detecting value changes of data in ordered sets
Expressions - LAST
LAST
Using LAST:
Detecting value changes of data in ordered sets
Nested IF…THEN…ELSE
Create new sort-able select-able groups
Creating identifiers based on ordered fields
DEFINE - BY / WHERE
COMPUTE - BY TOTAL / WHERE TOTAL
Creating running values on any fields
Totals, Averages, Margins, Any calculation
Holding preceding data values for calculation
In DEFINE
In COMPUTE
In WHERE

38. LAST LAST Considerations: The order the data is processed is critical
Expressions - LAST
LAST
LAST Considerations:
The order the data is processed is critical
You may need to presort data to a hold file
Limited optimization to relational databases
Test DEFINES with WHERE
Test COMPUTES with WHERE TOTAL
In DEFINE
In COMPUTE
In WHERE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 38 38

39. Expressions - PUTDDREC
Writing to multiple files simultaneously
To create a log of specific data values read
Which critical customers placed orders?
To create of record of calculated values
Will I go out of stock on any these orders today?
To create additional output
In this catalog what page number will this item be on?
PUTDDREC

40. Expressions - PUTDDREC
PUTDDREC syntax:
PUTDDREC(ddname, dd_len, record_string, record_len,
outfield)
ddname - ddname assigned by filedef to output file
dd_len length of the ddname
record_string - string of characters to write to file or field containing that string
record_len - length of the string to be included
outfield - return code
Output file must be filedef’d
DEFINE/COMPUTE field format always I1
Handles open, write and close

41. PUTDDREC in Action Expressions FILEDEF PUTDD1 DISK putdd1.dat
TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE
PRINT EMP_ID CURR_JOBCODE AS 'JOB' CURR_SAL
COMPUTE SALA/A12 = EDIT(CURR_SAL); NOPRINT
COMPUTE EMP1/A50= LAST_NAME|FIRST_NAME|EMP_ID|CURR_JOBCODE|SALA;
NOPRINT
COMPUTE OUT1/I1 = PUTDDREC('PUTDD1',6, EMP1, 50, OUT1);
BY LAST_NAME BY FIRST_NAME
END

42. Expressions - PUTDDREC
LAST_NAME FIRST_NAME EMP_ID JOB CURR_SAL OUT1
BANNING JOHN A17 $29,
BLACKWOOD ROSEMARIE B04 $21,
CROSS BARBARA A17 $27,
GREENSPAN MARY A $9,
IRVING JOAN A15 $26,
JONES DIANE B03 $18,
MCCOY JOHN B02 $18,
MCKNIGHT ROGER B02 $16,
ROMANS ANTHONY B04 $21,
SMITH MARY B14 $13,
RICHARD A $9,
STEVENS ALFRED A07 $11,
Report Created

43. Expressions - PUTDDREC
Sequential File Created
BANNING JOHN A
BLACKWOOD ROSEMARIE B
CROSS BARBARA A
GREENSPAN MARY A
IRVING JOAN A
JONES DIANE B
MCCOY JOHN B
MCKNIGHT ROGER B
ROMANS ANTHONY B
SMITH MARY B
SMITH RICHARD A
STEVENS ALFRED A

44. PUTDDREC Considerations:
Expressions
PUTDDREC Considerations:
Create fixed data file to fit a specific Master file
Create comma-delimited data file for loading
System and User &variables are available
&MDYY, &FOCCPU, &FOCUSER, etc
Write control at any point or multiple points
Write to multiple PUTDDREC files in a request

45. Expressions - PUTDDREC
Creating an Index in PDF with PUTDDREC
Create a filedef for the index output file.
Create request that you want to index.
Including HOLD to PDF
Including all styling required
Add NOPRINTED COMPUTEs that –
Test for a change of sort break
Use PUTDDREC to put values in file
&TABPAGENO
Sort Break Value
Create index formatting request using index output
Run original request as compound pdf, followed by index request, creating single pdf.

46. SQL Friendly User Functions
Expressions
SQL Friendly User Functions
CHARACTER
CHAR_LENGTH (string)
DIGITS (number, out length)
LOWER (string)
LPAD (string, out length, pad char)
LTRIM (string)
POSITION ( pattern, string)
RPAD (string, out length, pad char)
RTRIM (string)
SUBSTRING (string, position, length)
TOKEN (string, delimiter, number)
TRIM_ (where, pattern, string)
UPPER (string)
NUMERIC
ABS (number)
CEILING (number)
EXPONENT (power)
FLOOR (number)
INT (number)
LOG ( number)
MAX (num1, num2,…numn)
MIN (num1, num2,…numn)
MOD (dividend, divisor)
POWER (base, power)
SQRT (number)

47. SQL Friendly User Functions
Expressions
SQL Friendly User Functions
DATE/DATETIME
DTADD (date, component,increment)
DTDIFF (enddate, startdate, component)
DTPART (date, component)
DTRUNC (date, period)
GEOGRAPHIC
GIS_GEOMETRY (geotype,wkid, geometry)
GIS_IN_POLYGON (longitude, latitude, polygon_definition)

48. Sorting
Sorting it Your way
Uneven Grouping

49. Sorting – ROWS/COLUMNS
Sorting it your way
Sorting is done based on the collation sequence in the codepage in effect on your system
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
BBBBBBBBBBbBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

50. Sorting – ROWS/COLUMNS
Sorting it your way
But what if you have a better way to do it!
BY <field> ROWS <value> OVER <value>…
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
ACROSS <field> COLUMNS <value> OR <value>…
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
BBBBBBBBBBbBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

51. Sorting – ROWS/COLUMNS
Sorting it your way
BY <field> ROWS <value> OVER <value>…
But what if you have a better way to do it!
ACROSS <field> COLUMNS <value> OR <value>…
Implicit selection –
only values mentioned are retrieved
Each value can have an AS phrase – relabeling
Will affect SQL optimization

52. Sorting – ROWS/COLUMNS
Sorting it your way

53. Sorting – PLUS OTHERS Uneven grouping
When you only need the top 5 values –
SUM SALES
BY HIGHEST 5 SALESREPS
And you want a total for all the other values?
SUM SALES
BY HIGHEST 5 SALESREPS
PLUS OTHERS

54. Sorting – PLUS OTHERS Uneven grouping TABLE FILE CAR PRINT
CAR.BODY.DEALER_COST
CAR.COMP.CAR
BY HIGHEST 2 CAR.BODY.SALES PLUS OTHERS AS 'Others'

55. Sorting – PLUS OTHERS Uneven grouping TABLE FILE CAR PRINT
CAR.BODY.DEALER_COST
CAR.COMP.CAR
BY HIGHEST 2 CAR.BODY.SALES PLUS OTHERS AS 'Others'

56. More Hidden Gems - Where We Looked
Adding “stuff” to the Hold Master
Catch-all for formatting -PRINTPLUS
When the data doesn’t line up
Combining tables based on ranges
Connecting tables with nothing in common
Creating the exact record you need
Working with more than one record instance at a time
Writing to multiple files simultaneously
Using SQL friendly user fuunctions
Sorting it your way
Uneven grouping
Questions? 56