AX1186

StringList calc method variable

StringList calc method variables prompt users to make a selection from a predefined list. This list is manually defined within the current file—either in the CalcMethodVariables data source itself, or in a range of cells that are then referenced in the data source.

Variable behavior

In the Desktop Client, the variable displays as a drop-down list. The user must use the drop-down to select a value.

Desktop Client: Example StringList variable

In the Web Client, the variable displays as a drop-down list with a searchable entry box. The user can scroll the list and select the value directly, or type into the box to find a particular value.

Web Client: Example StringList variable

Variable properties

This section explains how to complete a variable row in the CalcMethodVariables data source when defining a StringList variable. Some data source columns do not apply in this case and are not discussed here. If any inapplicable columns are present in the data source, they should be left blank on rows that define StringList variable types. For more information on the CalcMethodVariables data source in general, see Defining calc method variables using a CalcMethodVariables data source.

General variable properties

All calc method variables use a common set of general properties such as the variable name, display name, and whether the variable is enabled or required. Any special considerations for StringList variables are noted.

Column Tag	Description
[Name]	The name of the variable. This name identifies the variable row in the data source, and is also used as the variable display name to users if a separate display name is not defined in the `[DisplayName]` column. The name should not contain any non-alphanumeric characters such as question marks or periods. If you want the variable name that displays to users to include non-alphanumeric characters, use the display name. The name cannot be dynamic; it must remain static because it is used to identify the variable. If you are configuring a dependent variable and you need the name to change based on the selection of the parent variable, then you must make the display name dynamic instead of the name.
[DisplayName]	Optional. The display name of the variable. If defined, the display name will be used instead of the name when the variable displays to users.
[VariableType]	Specifies the variable type. Enter `StringList` to allow the user to select from a predefined list.
[RelativeLocation]	The location to place the variable value when the calc method is inserted, relative within the calc method. The location is specified as follows: `<ColumnLetter><CalcMethodRow>`. For example: If the value should be placed in column B of the calc method, within the first row of the calc method, enter the following: `B1`. If the calc method is a single-row calc method, the calc method row is always 1. If the value should be placed in column B of the calc method, but within the third row of the calc method, enter the following: `B3`. The entry for the calc method row must be valid within the context of the current calc method. For example, if the current calc method is a three-row calc method, then the only valid entries for the row are 1, 2, and 3. If you attempt to specify B4 for the three-row calc method, the entry is invalid.
[IsEnabled]	Specifies whether the variable is enabled (True/False). If `True`, then the variable will be included in the Calc Method Variables dialog. If blank or `False`, then the variable will not be included in the Calc Method Variables dialog. This evaluation is determined when the Calc Method Variables dialog is opened. If the variable is flagged as dependent using the `[DependsOn]` column, and the current context is a spreadsheet file in the Desktop Client, then the evaluation will be performed again after a value has been selected for the parent variable.
[SelectedValue]	For calc method variables, the `[SelectedValue]` column is only used for dependent variables. When the calc method is inserted and the user selects a value for the parent variable, the selected value is written back to this field temporarily, in the background. This means you can write formulas that change something about the dependent variable based on the selected value of the parent variable. For more information, see Using dependent calc method variables. This field cannot be used to set a default value for the variable. Calc method variables do not support the ability to define a default value.
[IsRequired]	Optional. Specifies whether the user must enter a value for this variable (True/False). If `True`, then the user must specify a value for this variable in order to insert the calc method. If blank or `False`, then the user can leave the variable blank. The calc method should be configured so that it works as expected if the variable is left blank. The display of required and optional variables depends on the environment. In the Desktop Client, the text (optional) follows the name of optional variables. In the Web Client, required variables that do not yet have a selected value are indicated with a red bar along the side of the variable field.
[DependsOn]	Optional. Specifies that the variable is dependent on a "parent" variable. To make a variable dependent on another variable, enter the name of the parent variable. Some variable types require a parent variable, such as RelatedColumnValue variables. Other variable types can be made dependent as needed. Dependent variables can be updated dynamically in response to the selected value for the parent variable. For more information, see Using dependent calc method variables.
[InsertOnly]	Specifies when the variable should be displayed: If `True`, then the variable is only displayed when a user inserts the calc method. It is excluded from the dialog during all other operations, including change (overwrite) and double-click. If all variables for the calc method are set to Insert Only, then the dialog only displays when inserting. If blank or `False`, then the variable is displayed in all cases.

Variable-specific properties

The following additional properties apply to StringList variable types:

Column Tag Description

Column Tag	Description
[ListChoices]	Defines the list of values for the variable. Enter one of the following: A comma-separated list of values to display in the list. For example: `Yellow, Red, Blue`. (Alternatively, semicolons can be used as the delimiter.) NOTE: This list can contain cell references in brackets. The value for the list will be read from the designated cell. For example, you can enter: `Yellow, [List!B5], Blue`. If List!B5 contains the value Red, then the list will be: Yellow, Red, Blue. If List!B5 contains a cell range, then the values within that range will be added to the list. A cell range, in brackets. For example: `[List!B10:B20]`. The list of values will be read from this range. When using a cell range, the range must be one dimensional—meaning either one column wide and several rows tall, or several columns wide and one row tall. If the range is a block, it is ignored.
[PlaceholderText]	Optional. Specifies placeholder text to display within the variable box until a value is selected. If blank, then the default text "Select..." is used. For StringList variables, this property is only supported for use in the Web Client. In the Desktop Client, the variable box is blank if no value has been selected.
[AutoQuoteString]	Optional. Specifies whether the string value is placed in single quotation marks when it is written to the calc method location (True/False). If omitted or blank, the default setting is False, which means the string value is not quoted. This option is intended to make it easier to create filters based on the selected value, when the selected value is a string and therefore must be wrapped in single quotation marks. For example: `Dept.VP='Smith'`. This option is not commonly used in calc method variables. NOTE: All values in the list are considered strings and will be quoted if this option is enabled, even if the list values are actually numbers.

[ListChoices]

Defines the list of values for the variable. Enter one of the following:

A comma-separated list of values to display in the list. For example: Yellow, Red, Blue. (Alternatively, semicolons can be used as the delimiter.)

NOTE: This list can contain cell references in brackets. The value for the list will be read from the designated cell. For example, you can enter: Yellow, [List!B5], Blue. If List!B5 contains the value Red, then the list will be: Yellow, Red, Blue. If List!B5 contains a cell range, then the values within that range will be added to the list.
A cell range, in brackets. For example: [List!B10:B20]. The list of values will be read from this range.

When using a cell range, the range must be one dimensional—meaning either one column wide and several rows tall, or several columns wide and one row tall. If the range is a block, it is ignored.

[PlaceholderText]

Optional. Specifies placeholder text to display within the variable box until a value is selected. If blank, then the default text "Select..." is used.

For StringList variables, this property is only supported for use in the Web Client. In the Desktop Client, the variable box is blank if no value has been selected.

[AutoQuoteString]

Optional. Specifies whether the string value is placed in single quotation marks when it is written to the calc method location (True/False). If omitted or blank, the default setting is False, which means the string value is not quoted.

This option is intended to make it easier to create filters based on the selected value, when the selected value is a string and therefore must be wrapped in single quotation marks. For example: Dept.VP='Smith'. This option is not commonly used in calc method variables.

NOTE: All values in the list are considered strings and will be quoted if this option is enabled, even if the list values are actually numbers.

The following properties do not apply to StringList variables: ColumnName, AdditionalColumns, ColumnFilter, AllowMultiSelect, DataSourceName, DisplayFormat, Hierarchies, MinDate, MaxDate, TooltipColumn, PrimaryTable, LimitColumn, MinValue, MaxValue, StepFrequency.

Example data source

The following screenshot shows a couple of StringList variable examples. The first example uses a comma-separated list, while the second example reads the list from a cell range.