topic Get expression value not working in Create Report Context in Qlik Automate

Get expression value not working in Create Report Context

110 — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 15:35:15 GMT

Hopefully a simple question! Thanks in advance for any advice forthcoming!

In other systems (Shader graphs, Unreal Engine Blueprints , Houdini Nodes ) there's a logical assumption that prior nodes in a structure will the affect the subsequent nodes.

It seems that in Qlik Automations, this is not the case?

For example - I can have a node tree with :

(1) Create Report AppID=A -Reference App

(2) Add Selection To Report SiteID =123 - Select single Item from Field

(3) Get Expression Value Count(SiteID) - Reference App Again, and Expression on Field

(4) Output Get Expression Value - Display the output of Count(SiteID)

My Expected output of Count(SiteID) on node (4) should be 1, as I've selected / applied a filter to the report for just one site.

Instead, when queried, the GetExpressionValue returns the full, unfiltered set.

Is this by design , a bug, or is there another node I should use?

Re: Get expression value not working in Create Report Context

JandreKillianRIC — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 13:44:15 GMT

Hi @110

I tried this and it is working, However I needed to add a "=" in my expression.

See below

Regards Jandre

Re: Get expression value not working in Create Report Context

110 — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:35:32 GMT

Thanks @JandreKillianRIC - the main issue was having to reference the app ID twice, as there's no inheritance from the nodes above , for example :

Step 1 :- I first create a node for report:

Qlik Reporting Connector > Create Report

and set my App ID reference

Step 2 : Filter a field for a specific value

Qlik Reporting Connector > Add Selection To Report

Step 3 : I create a Variable node to store the result of the getExpression

Basic > Variable

Step 4 : I then add a node to get my value

Qlik Cloud Services > GetExpression node, I have to set a reference to the App a second time.

The issue -

Because Qlik Cloud Services nodes don't interact / inherit AppID / Selections from Qlik Reporting Connector nodes, GetExpression returns unfiltered results as if the selections are not applied by the prior node.

The workaround -

I have to add an additional node "Qlik Cloud Services > Select Field Value" , apply the selection again, and then I get the correct value from GetExpression node.

So, the work-around is to basically apply the same filter to the same field twice across two nodes.

Hopefully there's future development planned for Automations for some quality of live enhancements, particularly more control / transparency on how nodes interact ( or don't ) .

If any of the devs have seen how Blender ( 3d modelling app ) uses nodes for Shaders / Geometry - a similar unified system would be very welcome within the Qlik automations process.