topic expand a variable in an alternate state in QlikView

expand a variable in an alternate state

iliyansomlev — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:59:21 GMT

Hi, everyone,

In QV May 2024 alternate state description (https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/May2024/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Alternate%20States.htm), at the end is stated:

If you have a state named MyState, and a variable named vMyVar:

$(vMyVar) expands the variable in the default state.
$({MyState} vMyVar) expands the variable in the MyState state.

I have a Calendar where each date (field Date) has its Year (column Year); I then have a variable vMaxDate = max(Date) and 2 selectors (List Boxes of the field Year) - one in default state and another in a state PY

when I write in a text box ='$(vMaxDate)' it returns 31.12.2025 ; if 2025 is selected from the first selector.

when I write in a text box ='$({PY}vMaxDate)' and select 2024 from the second selector, nothing is displayed (blank), but if I write =max({PY}Date) in the text box, then 31.12.2024 is shown.

Do you know why variable expansion in alternate state is not working as explained?

Re: expand a variable in an alternate state

marcus_sommer — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 15:58:07 GMT

I think the linked documentation with it's examples isn't clear enough to the general logic and behaviour of a variable. Better is the description on this place:

Dollar-sign expansion using a variable | QlikView Help

which makes rather clear that a variable could have always only a single value at the same time. A field could belong to n states which means that parallel to the system-table a state-table is placed but such logic isn't simply applicable to variables because there is only one value whereby the fields have n ones.

This means you need to apply the state within the expression or by using outer sets before the expression and this expression might be within a variable.

Re: expand a variable in an alternate state

rwunderlich — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 22:37:56 GMT

I think the doc is wrong (typo). The state name should be outside the $. Like this:

{MyState} $(vMyVar)

Or in your case,

{PY} $(vMaxDate)

-Rob
http://www.easyqlik.com
http://masterssummit.com
http://qlikviewcookbook.com

Re: expand a variable in an alternate state

iliyansomlev — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:54:59 GMT

Thank you for answering, unfortunately {PY} $(vMaxDate) is not working either.

But it is not working because my variable is Global (defined as =Max(Date))

when I make it local (Max(Date), then it is working (First is alternate state selector on 24/3, second cell is default state on 25/3

={PY}$(vMaxDate) $(vMaxDate)

31.03.2024 31.03.2025