making specific value as default in a parameter ssrs(rdl) - reporting-services

iam using visual studio 2017 and make an rdl report
and i have a parameter (drop down)that takes it's values from the query
select column1 from table1
suppose that there are five elements A,B,C,D,E in column1 of table1
how to set first value which appears form available values
to be selected as default in order to not obligate the user to select a value
i mean i don't want to see the phrase instead i want first value to be selected

For single select values this is the default behaviour.
For multi select you can create another dataset using TOP and set it as the dataset for the parameter default values
select TOP(1) column1 from table1

Related

In a VS Report Server Project can I retrieve and save Parameter values?

We have a company website where BI reports are hosted. For one particular report (and possibly for others, if this can be made to work), there is a requirement to:
a) retrieve saved values for report parameters
and
b) to save any changed values for report parameters
I know that parameter values can be retrieved from data by setting the Default Values to "Get values from a query".
However, what I would like to do is when the user presses View Report that the values that [s]he has selected should be saved to a database so that these will then form the default values for the next user.
Can this be done? There doesn't seem to be any way "out of the box".
This is quite simple.
Lets assume you had a table of Countries that drive your parameter's available values and that this table myCountryTable has two columns CountryID and CountryName.
You available values dataset would be something simple like
SELECT * FROM myCountryTable
CountryID would be the parameter value and CountryName would be the parameter label.
OK so you will have probably done all the above already.
Now, in your main dataset query simply add an INSERT statement before you main query runs.
So, if you dataset query looks like this..
SELECT * FROM SomeBigTable WHERE CountryID in (#CountryID)
you would change it to something like
INSERT INTO myLogTable
SELECT CountryID, CountryName FROM myCountryTable WHERE CountryID IN (#CountryID)
-- original query follows
SELECT * FROM SomeBigTable WHERE CountryID in (#CountryID)
Note: If you cannot change your main dataset query for whatever reason, you can do this in a separate dataset but there are a few things you will have to do
First: Change the sql so that it returns a value at the end, anything will do e.g.
INSERT INTO myLogTable
SELECT CountryID, CountryName FROM myCountryTable WHERE CountryID IN (#CountryID)
SELECT 1 as myReturnValue
Second: You must bind this dataset to something on the report such as a table or list, this is to make sure the query only executes when the report is executed, not when parameters are changed.
You could store parameters and their values every time the report is executed.
Note: Some of these integrated SQL functions maybe do not exist on your server, which depends on the server version. If that is the case, it is easy to find alternative, or even create your own function.
For example, at the end of every stored procedure that is used by report place this part of SQL query that uses newly created table dbo.ReportParameterValuePairs:
INSERT INTO dbo.ReportParameterValuePairs
(ReportName, ParameterValuePair, ExecutionDateTime)
VALUES(
'MyReport',
'$$$parameter1$$$: ' + #parameter1 + ',' +
'$$$parameter2$$$: ' + #parameter2,
GETDATE())
Later on will be clear why are these data stored and why in this way.
Nest step would be creating procedure which will retrieve value of some parameter during the last execution of report:
CREATE PROCEDURE spRetrieveReportParameterValue
#parameter NVARCHAR(100),
#report NVARCHAR(100)
AS
BEGIN
-- this is an example
DECLARE #parameters NVARCHAR(MAX) = '$$$parameter1$$$: value1, $$$parameter2$$$: value2'
-- in reality parameter-value pairs will be retrieved from database
--DECLARE #parameters NVARCHAR(MAX) =
-- (SELECT TOP 1 ParameterValuePair
-- FROM dbo.ReportParameterValuePairs
-- WHERE ReportName = #report
-- ORDER BY ExecutionDateTime DESC)
--SELECT #parameters
DECLARE #parameterValuePair NVARCHAR(200) =
(SELECT * FROM STRING_SPLIT (#parameters, ',')
WHERE
VALUE LIKE '%$$$' + #parameter + '$$$%')
--SELECT #parameterValuePair
DECLARE #value NVARCHAR(100) =
(SELECT * FROM STRING_SPLIT (#parameterValuePair, ':') WHERE value NOT LIKE '%$$$%')
SELECT TRIM(#value) AS ParameterValue
END
Parameters of the procedure are: parameter which value is needed, report that is executing.
Parameter-value pairs are stored in a single string. To access that data search table dbo.ReportParameterValuePairs for currently executing report. Order data by date and time of execution, starting from the latest.
Parameter-value pairs string will be split using ,. The result of this split is a table that consists of parameter-value pairs. Distinction between parameters and their values is $$$ mark. Because of that the condition in query is VALUE LIKE '%$$$' + #parameter + '$$$%'.
Variable #parameterValuePair now stores desired parameter and its value.
After another one split, this time using : because it separates value from parameter name, the result of split will be two rows. One contains parameter and $$$ marks ($$$[parameter]$$$) and the other contains the value. Using condition WHERE value NOT LIKE '%$$$%' parameter's value will be stored to #value variable.
Last step of the procedure is to trim the value in case there are empty spaces at the end and at the beginning of the #value and return it as ParameterValue.
In order to retrieve this value to report create DataSet for every report parameter. This DataSet will supply parameter with default value:
right click on DataSets
choose Add Dataset
choose tab/card Query
name DataSet
select Data source
for query type choose Text
enter spRetrieveReportParameterValue 'parameter1', 'MyReport' where parameter1 is name of parameter which last value will be retrieved
click Refresh Fields
The last step is to set default value to the parameter:
right click on parameter
select Parameter Properties
choose card/tab Default Values
choose option Get values from a query
for Dataset choose newly created dataset
for Value field choose ParameterValue
This should be the result:

In MS SQL Server mgt studio, is there a way to format select results like mysql \G

I would like to have the results of my query (that returns one row) to be displayed in text like this:
columnA: value
columnB: value
columnC: value
as happens in mysql when using
select * from tablename \G
Is there a way to do this? The reason for this is that it is helpful to be able to print out one record with columns and values for example data or to share a record from a table that has many columns and which would be hard to view across the screen.
It's not quite so simple as your MySQL example, but you can do an unpivot to get what you want.
---------------
-- TEST SCHEMA
---------------
declare #tablename as Table(keyvalue varchar(2), dataColA varchar(2), dataColB varchar(2), dataColC varchar(2))
insert into #tablename select '01', '02', '03', '04'
---------------
-- UNPIVOT
---------------
select dataColumns, dataValues
from #tablename
unpivot
(
dataValues
for dataColumns in (keyvalue, dataColA, dataColB, dataColC)
) u;
The easiest way to accomplish what I want is to
execute the query to a results grid, limit to top 1 if necessary to ensure only one row is returned,
right-click in top left corner, Copy with Headers
open Excel, paste
select what was just pasted and copy again within Excel
go to blank area of workbook or new worksheet and Paste Special, Transpose
This will create one row per database query column with column name in column A and value in column B.

Trying to use update query to only update fields that are blank in Microsoft Access

I am trying to use an update query to update fields from one table to another for fields but only if the fields in the table that i am updating into is blank. If they contain information, I do not want to overwrite the existing data
e.g
Field: Name
Table: Table 1
Update to: [Table2.][Name]
Criteria:
I am unsure of what to put in the criteria. I tried, 'Is Null', Like "".
Here is an example:
UPDATE MyTable SET MyTable.FieldB = "MyNewValue" WHERE (((MyTable.FieldB) Is Null));
Looking at the Query from within Access, you can switch to SQL view. You just need to put Is Null in the criteria column: UPDATE MyTable SET MyTable.FieldB = "MyNewValue" WHERE (((MyTable.FieldB) Is Null));
Furthermore, you can just write Is Null on alternate lines and it will count as OR.

How to allow blank values for multitple parameters

I have multiple parameters for a report in SSRS Report Builder. I want all the parameters to allow blank values if no selection is necessary, but when I try to run the Report, the first parameter will allow a null/blank value and it will prompt me for the rest of the parameters. Is there any way around this?
Set Allow Blank Value(and/or Allow NULL Values) for all the parameteres.
If the Available values are set, make sure your available values for the parameter brings Blank(and/or NULL) values.
If it comes from query. Update your query something like this:
SELECT FieldX FROM Table1
WHERE blah=blah
UNION
SELECT ''
UNION
SELECT NULL
If it is specify values then specify Blank and NULL values
Set the Default values to pull the blank(OR NULL) depending on your requirement. For Blank leave the value as empty.
Final thing your query which produces the data can handle Blank(and/or NULL) values.

SSIS Inserts not inserting the computed columns

I am using SSIS to insert a Excel file into a Sql Server Table. I believe it uses the Bulk insert, and as a result it doesn't insert into the 'CreationDate' and the 'ModificationDate' columns (both of which are computed columns with getdate() as the default).
Is there a way to get around this problem?
Also, just to be clear - both these date columns are not a part of excel. Here is the exact scenario:
My excel has two columns - code and description. My SQL Server table has 4 columns Code, Description, CreationDate, ModificationDate.
So, when the SSIS copies the data, it copies Code and Description, but the CreationDate and ModificationDate (which are SQL Server Computed Columns) are both empty.
You should use a normal column with a default constraint if you want to log creation
A computed column defined as GETDATE() will change every time you query it.
It is also impossible for a computed column to not be populated
So, assuming you mean "normal column with default", then you need stop sending NULL from SSIS which overrides the default
This is all demonstrated here:
CREATE TABLE #foo (
bar int NOT NULL,
testCol1Null datetime NULL DEFAULT GETDATE(),
testCol1NotNull datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT GETDATE(),
testCol2 AS GETDATE()
);
INSERT #foo (bar, testCol1Null) VALUES (1, NULL);
SELECT * FROM #foo;
WAITFOR DELAY '00:00:00.100';
SELECT * FROM #foo;
WAITFOR DELAY '00:00:00.100';
SELECT * FROM #foo;
DROP TABLE #foo;
Assuming you are using the Bulk Insert Task in SSIS, then you need to set "Keep nulls = off/unchecked" in the options page
You should have a default constraint on the column(s) that specifies get
col1 datetime default getdate()
There should also be an option for the bulk insert KEEPNULLS which should be turned off.
From Bulk Insert on MSDN:
Specifies that empty columns should retain a null value during the bulk-import operation, instead of having any default values for the
columns inserted. For more information, see Keeping Nulls or Using
Default Values During Bulk Import.
KEEPNULLS is also documented: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187887.aspx
Put in a Derived Column in your dataflow and populate the two missing columns with the values you want.
The value on a computed column doesn't physically exists on the database, it is calculated every time SQL Server needs to access it, that's why you can't inform a value to it on a insert.
What you need is a default column, which is a column that has a default value that's inserted if you don't inform any other value.
CreationDate datetime default getdate()
ModificationDate datetime default getdate()