topic Re: Number format in dual expression in QlikView

Number format in dual expression

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:19:17 GMT

Hi,

I'm working on a bar chart where the bar chart expression is something like this dual(int,string).

Here I want to format integer to #.##0 .

I tried following 2 approaches :

1. In number Tab I tried making it integer. Formatting does work but the string in dual function wont be displayed. I mean only number is displayed without string after that.

2. I tried formatting using num function. In this case expression value is formatted and even the text after number is displayed. But the problem is Y-axis value are not formatted.

Can any one please help me to format Y-axis values as well as integer in dual expression result.

Thanks in advance!!!

Re: Number format in dual expression

tresB — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:13:03 GMT

Dual() function returns STRING to the front-end while the qv internally treats it numerically. Therefore, you can't format data numerically of a returned string. Hope this makes sense.

Re: Number format in dual expression

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:15:49 GMT

As I have explained in my 1st approach number is being formatted but the text after it is not displayed.

Re: Number format in dual expression

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:22:33 GMT

dual(s,x) is used in the script and is designed to apply a number representation to a string. s = string and x = number

e.g. dual('January', 1) as Month

(normally you would use a field)

see Help section

Re: Number format in dual expression

tresB — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:26:26 GMT

Well, got you. Can you post a sample. From a single dual, it might not be possible in the front-end. Or, you might want to use DUAL over another DUAL to get what you want, something like:

Dual(Num(Dual(Txt, Expression), '##.00#'), Expression) as Txt_Num_Dual

Note, here the highlighted part would be treaded as text while you will see text and number both.

Re: Number format in dual expression

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:40:07 GMT

I have shown my chart below:

dual(num(Max(salary),'#.##0'), FirstSortedValue(DISTINCT [NAME], -aggr(max(salary),[Date],NAME)))

The above expression is working fine. But you can see Y-axis values(highlighted in oval) are not formatted.

Re: Number format in dual expression

tresB — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:47:42 GMT

What is your dimension?

Re: Number format in dual expression

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:50:09 GMT

Its category. Each category has a list of people. the person having highest salary in each category is displayed as Y-axis value along salary.

Re: Number format in dual expression

tresB — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:55:23 GMT

, Please post a sample. How to prepare example for upload

Re: Number format in dual expression

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:59:17 GMT

My actual qlikview file has expression of 7-8 lines. I tried making it simple and explained above. So my qlikview file has huge data and really big expressions. So there s no sample here.

Re: Number format in dual expression

Fri, 15 Nov 2013 10:19:42 GMT

Hi All,

I found solution to my question.

Here the problem was I cannot use formatting under "Number" as I'm using dual(int string). So what I have done is I have taken one more dummy expression something like num(100000,##,##0) and formatted this expression using "Number" tab. I think because this is my first expression in the chart, Y-axis is formatted with whatever is given in number format. And I have made this expression invisible(not disabled) so that this expression is considered for axes formatting. Now my actual expression which is dual(int,string) is written as dual(num(int,##,##0),string) which formats expression output(not Y-axis value).

By this both Y-axis and expression value are formatted as shown below

Re: Number format in dual expression

christian77 — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 10:34:07 GMT

Hi.

State formats in the expression and then use Expression Default in the number tab.

Salutes.

Re: Number format in dual expression

Fri, 15 Nov 2013 10:43:22 GMT

Hi Cristian,

Whatever you have said wont work in my case. So I have explained my approach. And it works perfectly fine. That is the correct answer for my question.

I'm not sure whether I can accept my own ans as correct ans as I have only posted the question and found ans later. Because there are few discussion forums where we cannot accept our own answer.

Thanks!!!

Re: Number format in dual expression

richard_cioci — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 17:46:45 GMT

Hey Kavi,

I too am having this problem. I was using dimension limited to 18 largest values for my monthyear field, but the problem was that it applies the dimenion limit to the sales rather than the largest dimension. So I had to add an invisible expression equal to monthyear so that it did dimension limits properly, but when I unchecked the line graph option, my axis formatting went to crap, which is such a stupid design flaw from Qlik.

Anyway, the solution is to enable the expression, uncheck the line, or also check invisible, and then check text on pop-up, for some reason it restores the number format (as long as the field is a dual).

I know it's 2 years too late, but hopefully this helps someone.