Using Container Object Types in Reports

About Container Objects

You can use containers to group other report objects. There are these types of containers:
  • Vertical and horizontal containers.
  • Stack containers. The report objects are displayed as if they are in a slide deck. Only one report object is displayed at a time. The stack container has a control bar instead of a scroll bar that lets you move between report objects. You cannot nest stack containers. However, you can place them side by side. When you use precision layout, you can resize the stack container.
  • Prompt containers. These containers group prompt controls. Prompt containers are affected by report prompts, but not by other section prompts. They are not affected by interactions. Report objects inside prompt containers are filtered by the same rules as other objects.
    Prompt containers can be added to the report prompt area and section prompt area on the canvas. This enables you to add control types (for example, list controls) that are not otherwise allowed in those prompt areas.
    Tip
    If a prompt container is open and there are unsaved changes, then the button bar changes. An Apply button is displayed so that you can apply changes.
Note: Stored processes cannot be added to any type of container.

Specify Container Properties

To specify the properties for a container:
  1. If it is not already selected, select the container in the canvas that you want to update.
  2. In the right pane, click the Properties tab.
  3. Update the general properties for the container. You can update the Name, Title, Format (for the title's font style), and Description.
  4. Update the object-specific properties for the container. Here are some details about the properties for containers:
    • By default, the Enable selection in the viewers property is selected for containers. This means that users who use the web viewer or a mobile device can select the container, and click the Information icon to see the container name and any incoming filter information.
    • Update the order in which the report objects appear inside the container.
    • For stack containers, the Navigation control location property changes the location of the control bar, and the Navigation button type property changes the appearance of the control bar. You can reorder the display of the report objects in the stack container using the Objects list.
    • For prompt containers, you can select the Layout and Button text. The Automatically apply values property is selected by default. If you clear the Automatically apply values check box, then you cannot work with any interactions to or from the prompt container until you apply or cancel changes.

Specify Container Styles

To specify styles for containers:
  1. If it is not already selected, select the container in the canvas that you want to update.
  2. In the right pane, click the Styles tab.
  3. Update the styles for the container. The available styles depend on the selected container type. Border and Fill is available for all containers. Prompt containers also have Drop-down Styling and Text Styling options.
    The Button bar color style option for the prompt container enables you to change the background around the Close button.
    Here is an example of a prompt container that has the Background color and Button bar color styles set.
    Example of a prompt container’s background color and button bar color styles
Your custom colors are saved between SAS Visual Analytics sessions. Your custom colors are displayed in the color palette. For an example of the color palette, see A Color Palette in the Designer.