topic Re: Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections() in App Development

Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections()

Felix_Koch — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:07:43 GMT

Hi Qlik Community

I have used a variable for selection of current year in an application: '=Year=$(vCurrentYear)'

vCurrentYear is defined in the data load editor: 'set vCurrentYear = year(today());'

I have a number of KPI's that rely on which year is currentyly selected. I use GetFieldSelections(Year) for this. However, when the default bookmark is applied the KPIs don't work, as the set analysis then returns a string for GetFieldSelections(Year).

Is there a smart way to have the current year automatically selected by the default bookmark but also being able to reference the year that's currently selected in the Year filter?

Br.

Felix

Re: Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections()

Or — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 12:08:37 GMT

I'm not sure I followed that correctly, but if I did, perhaps Coalesce(GetFieldSelections(Year), $(vCurrentYear))? This will use a selection if one exists, and otherwise use whatever is in the variable.

Re: Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections()

Felix_Koch — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:18:21 GMT

Hi Or

I didn't know that function, really cool!

However, I think the issue remains the same. Coalesce(GetFieldSelections(Year), $(vCurrentYear)) returns '=Year=$(vCurrentYear)' when the abovementioned bookmark is applied. Apparently a strings is still recognized as a "valid non-NULL representation" for the 'Coalesce' function.

Re: Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections()

Or — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:22:13 GMT

I am a tad confused here - a default bookmark is applied before any user selections can be made, so how would the field selections even come into play in this regard? Shouldn't you just use =Year=Year(Today()) for the bookmark?

Re: Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections()

Felix_Koch — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:35:32 GMT

Maybe my explanation is just a bit unclear, I'll give it another go based on your point regarding the bookmark.

There is a default bookmark that selects the current year: =Year=Year(Today()).

Then there's a number of KPIs. Most of the KPI's show changes in amounts relative to Dec-PreviousYear. In order for the KPIs to understand which year is the previous year, they need to understand which year is currently selected (2022 should be compared to dec-2021 and 2021 should be compared to dec-2020). That part works when a year is manually selected, but when the bookmark is applied, the value returned for Year is =Year=Year(Today()) instead of 2022.

Hopefully the problem makes a bit more sense now. Otherwise please let me know 🙂

Re: Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections()

Or — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:59:07 GMT

Based on that explanation, shouldn't your KPIs just refer to Year directly? It seems that you require a single year to be selected, so you could just refer to the field rather than look at the selection (or you could use Only(Year) if you want to be explicit)...

Re: Variable used in bookmark returns string when using GetFieldSelections()

Felix_Koch — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:34:32 GMT

Yay, looks like only(Year) did the trick for me!

Thank you!