Checkbox usage in Community Edition Reports

Introduction: In this blog we are going to explain how to use checkbox in multi select parameters in Community Edition Reports. Here we are creating a sample report which shows travel medium wise cost.

Please make sure you have gone through the blog “Introduction to Community Reporting Interface.”

Steps to create pie chart using filter type : checkbox

1. Data Source
2. Dashboard Layout
3. Parameter
4. Report

1.Data source :

Create data source connection.

Here we are using connection type : managed

In the configuration of data source, provide the details as shown below.

Note : You can choose other kind of data sources. The rest of the steps are the same as others.

2.Dashboard Layout :

In the dashboard layout we basically specify the layout of the reports, dashboards and input parameters which we are creating. All the divs are specified here within which they get rendered.

Here we are creating 2 divs:report

Input Parameter div is:travel_medium

Report div is:report

When you click on dashboard layout a layout similar to below will appear:

In the above screen shot we find two options (left side) HTML and CSS.

If you click on HTML/CSS the place holder for respective component will be displayed and highlighted in the Dashboard layout panel.

We can place the code related to HTML, CSS for dashboard layout and styling.

Dashboard layout:

<b>HTML</b>
<div id="travel_medium"> Travel Medium </div>
<div id="report"></div>

CSS

#travel_medium{

width :30% 
}

3.Parameters :

Parameter are used to filter the report data. These parameters can be single select, multiple select, date range, slider, data picker etc. We can create multiple parameters for the single report/dashboard.

When you click on add button, the parameter is created with default name parameter1. We can rename the parameter name with the help of edit icon and keep as “travel_medium”

We should place the code for Parameter configuration, parameter query in their respective place holders.

Click on apply button to save all the configurations.

Choose ‘connection’for parameter.

In this sample we are creating multi select parameter named “travel_medium”

Note :

1. In this parameter configuration we are using parameter type : checkbox
2. Checkbox is applicable for multi select parameters only and not for single select parameters

1.travel_medium : (multi select)

Choose connection as “connection1”(previously created in data sources)

Here “travel_medium” is a multi-select input control, so we need to choose input type as “Collection” as shown in below image. By default it is always “String”.

Note : For all multi select parameters we should select “Collection” irrespective of parameter datatype. If it is single select parameter we choose the type based on datatype of parameters

Configuration :

var dashboard = Dashboard;
dashboard.resetAll();
dashboard.setVariable('travel_medium',['Bus']);

var travel_medium = {
    name: "travel_medium" ,
    type:  "checkbox",             
    parameters:["travel_medium"],
    options:{
        multiple: true,             // it can be true or false
        display : 'travel_medium',
        value : 'travel_medium',
        placeholder: 'select value'
    },
    htmlElementId : "#travel_medium",              
    executeAtStart: true,            // it can be true or false
    map: 3,
    efwd : {
        file: '__efwd_file_name__'
    },
};

SQL :

select distinct travel_medium from travel_details

Note: If you do not have any parameters please make sure that you will have to add below code in the “Report”configuration as shown in below.

var dashboard = Dashboard;
dashboard.resetAll();

In case if you delete first parameter then also you need to provide above code in “Report” configuration.

4.Report :

We can configure different visualizations to render in different divs in the dashboard layout.

When click on add report button, the layout will appear as show below :

In the left panel we find report, SQL, Visualization related options.

Click on configure, on the right side we can see the place holders for report configuration, SQL, Visualization. Place the respected code apply click on apply.

Here we need to choose chart type as “Pie” , connection as “connection1” and parameter (travel_medium ).

Report Configuration :

var report1 = {
    name: "report1",
    type:"chart",
    listeners:["travel_medium"],
    requestParameters :{
   travel_medium : "travel_medium"
    },
    vf : {
        id: "1",
        file: '__efwvf_name__'
    },
    efwd : {
        file: '__efwd_file_name__'
    },
    htmlElementId : "#report", // provide report id here
    executeAtStart: true  // it can be true or false
};

SQL :

	select * from travel_details where travel_medium in (${travel_medium}) limit 10

Visualization :

<Dimensions>travel_medium</Dimensions>
<Measures>travel_cost</Measures>

Note: After placing the configuration , SQL , Visualization then click on apply or (control+s)

After completing all the steps save the community edition report :

In the back end server location the following files will be generated

1. Efw (report view in the front end)
2. Efwce (editable file in the front end)
3. Efwvf
4. Html
5. Efwd

In the front end file browser we can see the below file types:

Right click on the report view file (with the extension efw) and choose open in new window. The report will appear like below. The other file with the extension EFWCE can be used to edit the created report/dashboard again.

Report with checkbox parameter report View :

Note : In this checkbox parameter we can select parameter values one by one, select all or deselect all

For more details on EFWCE reporting refer the documentation :

EFWCE method of reporting in Helical Insight

For further assistance, kindly contact us on support@helicalinsight.com or post your queries at Helical Insight Forum