Use Split, Join, and another function in SSRS - reporting-services

I have a field in SQL Server that contains an comma separated list. Here are 2 examples:
select 'ex1,ex2,ex3' as str union all
select 'ax1,ax2'
In my report, I have to transform all of these values (5 in this case) using a function. In this question I will use Trim, but in actuality we are using another custom made function with the same scope.
I know how I can split every value from the string and recombine them:
=Join(Split(Fields!str.Value,","),", ")
This works great. However, I need to execute a function before I recombine the values. I thought that this would work:
=Join( Trim(Split(Fields!VRN.Value,",")) ,", ")
However, this just gives me an error:
Value of type '1-dimensional array of String' cannot be converted to 'String'. (rsCompilerErrorInExpression)
I can't personally change the function that we use.
How do I use an extra function when dealing with both an split and a join?

You can use custom code to include all the logic (Split->Custom Code->Join).
Make adjustments inside the loop to call your custom function instead of trim
Public Function fixString (ByVal s As String) As String
Dim mystring() As String
mystring = s.Split(",")
For index As Integer = 0 To mystring.Length-1
mystring(index) = Trim(mystring(index))
Next
Return Join(mystring, ",")
End Function
To call the custom code use the following expression
Code.fixString( Fields!VRN.Value )

Related

Index was outside the bounds of the array in SSRS

I have two parameters , let's say P1 and P2. The sample expression I used for P2 is
IIF(P1.Label="string", "null" ,Split(P1.Label," ").GetValue(0))
When the condition is false, the split expression is working fine. But if the condition is true, I'm getting 'Index was outside the bounds of the array' error. If the condition is true, I need to pass the value "null" as varchar type.
Can someone please advice on this?
The problem with the IIF function is that it is a function not a language construct. This means that it evaluates both parameters before passing the parameters to the function. Consequently, if you are trying to do a Split on a parameter that can't be split, you will still get the 'Index was outside the bounds of the array' error, even when it looks like that code shouldn't be executed due to boolean condition of the IIF statement.
The best way to solve this is to create a safe string splitter function in custom code where you can use real language constructs. Also, check that the string is splittable by checking it contains a space instead of checking for a special string:
Public Function SafeSplit(ByVal SplitThis As String) As String
If InStr(SplitThis, " ") Then
Return Split(SplitThis, " ")(0)
End If
Return "null"
End Function
and then use this in your report for the Value expression instead of IIF:
=Code.SafeSplit(Parameters!P1.Label)

Display a column values in Report Header

need to pass one column in Lookupset and I am doing as below
="Billing Code: "+Code.JoinDistinct(LookupSet(Fields!BillingCode.Value, Fields!BillingCode.Value, Fields!BillingCode.Value, "DataSet1"),",")
and the Function is
public shared function JoinDistinct(
dups as object(),
delimiter as string
) as string
dim result as string = ""
system.array.sort(dups)
for i as integer = 0 to dups.length - 1
if i <> 0 then result += delimiter
if i = 0 orElse dups(i) <> dups(i-1) then result += dups(i)
next i
return result
end function
Result
Billing Code: ,,,A,,,,,,
How Can I remove extra commas
What you're trying to do is certainly possible, but requires a bit of a workaround. The Join function is designed to work on an array of values. The column you used, even though it may have multiple rows at that scope, is not an array. You can use the LookupSet function to get the rows as an array and pass them into the Join function. If there may be duplicate values that you want to remove, you'll have to add custom code to handle that.
Here's an example of how to do that: https://stackoverflow.com/a/27141955/2033717
Let me know if this answers your question.

SSIS Convert Blank or other values to Zeros

After applying the unpivot procedure, I have an Amount column that has blanks and other characters ( like "-"). I would like to convert those non-numberic values to zero. I use replace procedure but it only converts one at the time.
Also, I tried to use the following script
/**
Public Overrides Sub Input()_ProcessInputRows(ByVal Row As Input()Buffer)
If Row.ColumnName_IsNull = False Or Row.ColumnName = "" Then
Dim pattern As String = String.Empty
Dim r As Regex = Nothing
pattern = "[^0-9]"
r = New Regex(pattern, RegexOptions.Compiled)
Row.ColumnName = Regex.Replace(Row.ColumnName, pattern, "")
End If
End Sub
**/
but i'm getting error.I don't much about script so maybe I placed in the wrong place. The bottom line is that I need to convert those non-numberic values.
Thank you in advance for your help.
I generally look at regular expressions as a great way to introduce another problem into an existing one.
What I did to simulate your problem was to write a select statement that added 5 rows. 2 with valid numbers, the rest were an empty string, string with spaces and one with a hyphen.
I then wired it up to a Script Component and set the column as read/write
The script I used is as follows. I verified there was a value there and if so, I attempted to convert the value to an integer. If that failed, then I assigned it zero. VB is not my strong suit so if this could have been done more elegantly, please edit my script.
Public Overrides Sub Input0_ProcessInputRow(ByVal Row As Input0Buffer)
' Ensure we have data to work with
If Not Row.ColumnName_IsNull Then
' Test whether it's a number or not
' TryCast doesn't work with value types so I'm going the lazy route
Try
' Cast to an integer and then back to string because
' my vb is weak
Row.ColumnName = CStr(CType(Row.ColumnName, Integer))
Catch ex As Exception
Row.ColumnName = 0
End Try
End If
End Sub

SQL Reporting 2008; Check if an Array Contains a String

In SQL Reporting 2008 how can I determine if an Array Contains a String?
Example, I wish the following to return "1":
IIf(Split("a,b,c", ",").CONTAINS("a"), "1", "0")
What may be used in replace of the above CONTAINS function? Is it impossible? This value'd be the FilterExpression for my table. Its purpose is to decide what to show and what to hide.
If you are looking for an answer only in an expression, I am not positive. However, you can write .Net methods and call them just like expressions from a custom dll or a "code" section of the report. If you use built-in code, you can do something like the following:
http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=558440
Creating inline code or referencing an assembly in SSRS:
http://bryantlikes.com/pages/824.aspx
UPDATE:
Example to get your delimited values from your concatenated string:
http://www.dotnetperls.com/split-vbnet
UPDATE:
Here is a function you can use. You put it in the code section of the report:
Public Function Contains(ByVal ItemToCheck As String, ByVal CommaValuesList As String, ByVal delimeter As Char) As Boolean
Dim commaValues() As String = Split(CommaValuesList, delimeter, -1, CompareMethod.Text)
For Each commavalue As String In commaValues
If ItemToCheck.ToLower.Trim = commavalue.ToLower.Trim Then
Return True
End If
Next
Return False
End Function
Use the following syntax to reference it:
=code.Contains(param1,param2,param3)
Let's use MyLettersParameter as a multiselect parameter. To determine if it contains "a" use:
=Array.IndexOf(Parameters!MyLettersParameter.Value, "a") > -1
The above code returns true or false. To return "1" use:
=IIf(Array.IndexOf(Parameters!MyLettersParameter.Value, "a") > -1, "1", "0")

VBA function call

Is there a way to call a function, where the call is stored in a table
**Record 1 task Function call**
124567 Email customer Call function emailcus(a,b,c,d)
434535 AddCost Call function addcost(a,b,c,d)
Cheers
Graham
Yes, you can use the Eval() function for that.
Syntax:
Dim ReturnValue As String
ReturnValue = Eval("MyFunction(1, 2)")
Note that you have to provide the exact function call including parameters.
I'm pointing this out because I'm not sure if the parameters a, b, c, d in your example are only dummy values for your example, or if you expect VBA to fill in the values of some variables named a, b, c, d automatically.
The Eval function does not do this, so if you need variable values as parameters, you would have to do something like this:
Dim ReturnValue As String
Dim EvalString As String
EvalString = "MyFunction(" & Variable1 & ", " & Variable2 & ")"
ReturnValue = Eval(EvalString )
This is a variation on the answer already given by haarrrgh, so if you find it useful be sure to upvote that one as well.
There's another way to deal with placeholders in your DB-stored function calls. First, change your data thusly:
**Record 1 task Function call**
124567 Email customer Call function emailcus([TokenA],[TokenB])
434535 AddCost Call function addcost([TokenA],[TokenB])
Note that the [SquareBrackets] are not actually required syntax in this example, just something that I tend to use in this situation. The important part is to make the parameter tokens something that doesn't appear elsewhere in the string value (including other tokens). You can use as many parameters as you need, just make sure that the calling code knows about how many are expected by each function-call string (I cut it down to shorten my following code).
Then when it's time to call your function, do this:
Dim ReturnValue As String 'or as appropriate for individual the function's return
Dim EvalString As String
EvalString = 'code to fetch from table
EvalString = Replace(EvalString, "[TokenA]", strValueA) 'strValueA passed in?
EvalString = Replace(EvalString, "[TokenB]", strValueB) 'strValueB passed in?
ReturnValue = Eval(EvalString)
In VB6, at least (so I assume it's true in VBA), Replace is faster than concatenation. I also find this more readable, but that may be because I'm used to it from using a similar technique to build SQL commands in code (using Const declarations rather than DB storage, but that would work too).
EDIT
As I reread my "finished" post just after submitting it, I realized that there's a gotcha lurking in there. Because you're doing substitution before submitting the string to Eval, these are actual values that are being put into the string, not variables. The code I presented above works fine if your parameters are numeric, but if they're String type you have to include the quotes, either in your data or in your Replace call. I prefer the former, so change your data to this:
**Record 1 task Function call**
124567 Email customer Call function emailcus('[TokenA]','[TokenB]')
434535 AddCost Call function addcost('[TokenA]','[TokenB]')
This works as tested with a Const. Stored in a DB record, you might need this instead:
**Record 1 task Function call**
124567 Email customer Call function emailcus(""[TokenA]"",""[TokenB]"")
434535 AddCost Call function addcost(""[TokenA]"",""[TokenB]"")
(which also works with a Const...).
The alternative is to leave the data as it is in my first part, & change the Replace calls:
EvalString = Replace(EvalString, "[TokenA]", """" & strValueA & """") 'strValueA passed in?
'or maybe
EvalString = Replace(EvalString, "[TokenB]", "'" & strValueB & "'") 'strValueA passed in?
A couple of other potential gotchas: These must be Functions, not Subs, and they must be declared Public in a module, not in a Form's code.