Specifying how custom group elements are displayed

Steps to specify how a custom group element is displayed

A custom group is made up of an ordered collection of components called custom group elements. Each element contains a set of filtering or banding qualifications. Each set of qualifications resolves into a list of attribute elements after the report is run.

You can choose how to display each element of a custom group. The options, which affect how the SQL is generated and how the result is presented, are:

Show only the element names on the report: Displays only the element names on a report. This is the default option.

For example, if you have a Ranking custom group, the top-level element is Sales, which can be separated into the elements Top Cities, Average Cities, and Bottom Cities. Each element can be further divided into individual items such as San Diego and Berlin. If this option is selected, only the element names (in this case, Top Cities, Average Cities, and Bottom Cities) are displayed.
Show only the individual items within this element: Displays only the individual items within an element on a report.

Using the example in the first bullet, only San Diego and Berlin appear on the report.
Show only the individual items within this element and also, expand these individual items if possible: Displays only the individual items and expands them, if possible.

Using the example in the first bullet, San Diego and Berlin are displayed and expanded to show the top sales center within each city.

This option is only available for banding.
Show element names, individual items within this element and also, expand these individual items if possible: Displays the element names, individual items within the element, and expanded individual items.

Using the example in the first bullet, Top Cities, Average Cities, Bottom Cities, San Diego, and Berlin appear on the report, and the items are expanded to show, for example, the top sales center within each city.

For hierarchical display to work, either of the last two options must be selected for at least one element in the custom group.

For more information and examples, see the Custom Groups and Consolidations chapter in the Advanced Reporting Help.

Prerequisites

This procedure assumes that you have created a custom group that contains a custom group element. For instructions, see Creating custom groups.

To specify how a custom group element is displayed

Open the custom group in the Custom Group Editor. (How?)
Right-click the custom group element header in the Custom Group Definition pane, then select Show Display Options. The Choose a display option dialog box opens.

You do not have to create an entire element before selecting its display options. You can set the display options as soon as the default custom group element name appears.
Choose a display option from the alternatives described below. For an example, see Specifying how custom group elements are displayed.
- Show only the element names on the report, the default option, displays only the element names on a report.
- Show only the individual items within this element displays only the individual items within an element on a report.
- Show only the individual items within this element and also, expand these individual items if possible displays only the individual items and, if possible, in expanded view. This option is only available for banding.
- Show element names, individual items within this element and also, expand these individual items if possible displays the element names, individual items within the element, and expanded individual items.
For hierarchical display to work, either of the last two options must be selected for at least one element in the custom group.
Click OK.
Save the custom group. (How?)