Using Controls to Display Results :: SAS(R) Visual Analytics 7.3: User's Guide

About Controls

A control is a report object that filters or narrows the scope of the data that you are currently viewing. A control enables you to group your data by a selected category, and then select which group you want to view. When you drag and drop a data item onto a control, the control creates a group based on that data item. For example, you might have a data item called Cars that contains all of the models that a manufacturer produces. When you drag and drop the Cars data item onto a drop-down list, the control groups the car models, and then you can select a car model to use as a filter. Controls can be used in a report with interactions.

Report prompts are controls that are placed in the special area at the top of the canvas. A report prompt automatically filters all of the other report objects as long as the report object uses the same data source as the report prompt control. For more information, see Use a Control to Create a Report Prompt.

Section prompts are the controls that are placed in the special row area below the section tabs at the top of the canvas. A section prompt automatically filters all of the other report objects in the same section, as long as the report object uses the same data source as the section prompt control. For more information, see Use a Control to Create a Section Prompt.

You can place any control in the main area of the canvas below the section prompt row. You must define explicit interactions (using either the Interactions tab or the Interactions view) between these controls (as the source report objects) and one or more target report objects. For more information about interactions, see Overview of Report Interactions.

The text input control, button bar control, drop-down list control, and slider control (single-point only) support parameters. For more information, see Working with Parameters in Reports.

Here are some key points about filtering using controls:

Filters use the AND operator.
Filters are applied as separate steps.
The filter results are impacted by the type of data used in the control.

Specify Control Properties

To specify the properties for a control:

If it is not already selected, select the control in the canvas that you want to update.
In the right pane, click the Properties tab.
Update the general properties for the control. You can update the Name, Title, Format (for the title's font style), and Description.
Update the specific properties for the control. The available properties depend on the selected control.
Here are some details about the properties for controls:
- By default, the Enable selection in the viewers property is not selected for controls. This means that users who use the web viewer or a mobile device cannot select the control, and click to see the control name and any incoming filter information. However, users can still modify values for the control.
- For drop-down lists, lists, and button bars, select the Required property if you want to require users to make a selection in the control. If you select the Required property for a list, at least one check box must always be selected.
- By default, the Allow multiple selection property is selected for lists. If you clear the Allow multiple selection check box, radio button are displayed instead of check boxes and the Required property is applied automatically.
- For button bars and sliders, the Horizontal property is selected by default.
- For sliders, select the Interact on the data in view property if you want to have the control interactively filter the post-aggregated data.
- For sliders, select the Set fixed range property so that you can specify the Minimum and Maximum properties for the slider end points.
  
  Note: You cannot have a filter or rank when the Set fixed range property is selected for a slider.

Specify Control Styles

To specify styles for controls:

If it is not already selected, select the control in the canvas that you want to update.
In the right pane, click the Styles tab.
Update the styles for the control. The available styles depend on the selected control type. For example, for a drop-down list, you can specify Border and Fill, Drop-down Styling, and Text Styling.

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.

Use a Control to Create a Report Prompt

If you use a control to create a report prompt, then the user can select a value to filter the data in the report. For some control types, when the Required property is not selected, the user might need to press Ctrl+click to clear the value in the filter.

You cannot create cascading (or dependent) report prompts. However, you can use a report prompt to cascade filters to section prompts.

To use a control to create a report prompt:

Drag the control icon from the Objects tab in the left pane and drop it onto the area above the tabs on the canvas. (Look for the hint text that says, “Drop controls here to create a report prompt.”) The control appears above the tabs on the canvas.

Note: You can also use a prompt container to create a report prompt.
Drag and drop a category, measure, or parameter onto the control. For example, if you drag and drop a drop-down list control, then you can assign a category like Facility City or Facility State. Then, the drop-down list is populated with the cities or states that are used in that category.

You can also use the Roles tab in the right pane to specify the Category and Frequency roles for the report prompt.
(Optional) Update the general properties for the report prompt. You can update the Name and Description.
(Optional) Update the specific properties for the report prompt. The available properties depend on the selected control.
Here are some details about the properties for controls:
- By default, the Enable selection in the viewers property is not selected for controls. This means that users who use the web viewer or a mobile device cannot select the control, and click to see the control name and any incoming filter information. However, users can still modify values for the control.
- For drop-down lists and button bars, select the Required property if you want to require a user to make a selection in the control. If you select the Required property for a drop-down list, at least one check box must always be selected.
- For sliders, for Value, the Range property is selected by default. Select the Interact on the data in view property to have the control filter only the aggregated data that is currently displayed in the report. If you clear this property, then the detail data is filtered.
  
  Note: If the Interact on the data in view property is not selected, then a slider does not filter crosstabs or time series plots.
- For button bars and sliders, the Horizontal property is selected by default.

If the report prompt uses one data source and the report objects on the canvas use another data source, you can change the data source mappings by right-clicking the control, and then selecting Edit Data Source Mapping. For more information, see Map Data Sources.

Reorder Report Prompts

You can reorder the display of report prompts.

To change the order in which report prompts are displayed:

In the right pane, click the Properties tab.
Select the report name in the drop-down list.
In the Report Prompts area, select a report prompt. Click or to reorder the report prompts.

Use a Control to Create a Section Prompt

The drop-down list, button bar, and text input controls are the only controls that can be used as section prompts.

If you use a control to create a section prompt, then the user can select a value to filter the data. For some control types, when the Required property is not selected, the user might need to press Ctrl+click to clear the value in the filter.

Section prompts can be affected by report prompts.

Note: You cannot create cascading (or dependent) section prompts.

To use a control to create a section prompt:

Drag the control icon from the Objects tab in the left pane and drop it onto the area above the report objects and below the tabs on the canvas. (Look for the hint text that says, “Drop controls here to create a section prompt.”) The control appears below the tabs on the canvas.

Note: You can also use a prompt container to create a section prompt.
Drag and drop a category, a measure, or a parameter onto the control. For example, if you drag and drop a drop-down list control, then you can assign a category like Facility City or Facility State. Then the drop-down list is populated with the cities or states that are used in that category.

You can also use the Roles tab in the right pane, and then specify the Category and Frequency roles.

Tip

If you move a section prompt from one section to another section in a report, you must edit the data source mapping for an interaction to work. Right-click the control, and select Edit Data Source Mapping. For more information, see Map Data Sources.

If the section prompt uses one data source and the report objects on the canvas use another data source, you can change the data source mappings by right-clicking the control, and then selecting Edit Data Source Mapping.

Reorder Section Prompts

You can reorder the display of section prompts.

To change the order in which section prompts are displayed:

In the right pane, click the Properties tab.
Select the section name in the drop-down list.
In the Section Prompts area, select a section prompt. Click or to reorder the section prompts.