New Calculation dialog

Use this dialog to create a new calculation. For example, you might want to analyze the worksheet data in a new way and add a column to the worksheet to do this.

For more information, see:

"What are calculations?"

"Discoverer calculation examples"

"How to create calculations"

"How to create a new calculation using an analytic function template"

What do you want to name this calculation?

Use this field to enter a descriptive name for the calculation item. This name is displayed in calculation lists and on worksheets as the column header of the calculation results column. If you leave this box blank, Discoverer creates a default name for you.

Show

Use this drop down list to display calculations, functions, items and parameters that you can use to build a calculation. To include items in the calculation, paste them into the Calculation field.

Use the Show list options as follows:

• Use the Functions option to display an extensive list of predefined Oracle functions.

• Use the Selected option to display items in the worksheet.

• Use the Available option to display all items in the business area.

• Use the Calculations option to display existing worksheet calculations.

• Use the Parameters option to display existing worksheet parameters. When you add parameters to the Calculation field, the parameter name is prefixed with ':' to indicate that it is a dynamic value set by the worksheet user. For more information about adding parameters to calculations, see "About using parameters to collect dynamic user input".

Paste

Use this button to the add the item currently selected in the Show list to the Calculation. The item is copied into the Calculation field.

Calculation

Use this field to enter the calculation details (for calculation examples, see "Discoverer calculation examples").

To create a calculation, you one or more of the following methods:

• Type the formula directly into the Calculation field.

  Note: If you type an expression in the Calculation field, you must prefix the expression with an equals sign (i.e. =). For example, '=Sales SUM-Costs SUM'.

• Paste items and functions from the Show field into the calculation.

• Click the operator buttons underneath the Calculation field to use them in the calculation.

• Use a template to help you define an analytic function. Click Insert Formula from Template (see Insert Formula from Template field below).

Insert Formula from Template

Use this button to display a pop-up list of templates that you can use to build analytic functions. For example, choose Rank to display an easy-to-use Rank template that helps you create a league table position calculation. For more information about templates available, see "What analytic function templates are available in Discoverer".

Operator buttons [+] [-] [x] [/] [%] [(] [)] [||]

Use these buttons to add operators to the calculation. Operators are copied into the Calculation field.

Note: When you use arithmetic expressions in a calculation, the multiply and divide operators are executed first, regardless of their position in the calculation. If you have more than one operator of the same precedence, they are evaluated from left to right.

For example, the calculation Price - Discount * Quantity is evaluated as Discount*Quantity subtracted from Price. If you use parentheses around the subtraction expression (Price - Discount), the subtraction is executed before the multiplication.

OK

Use this button to validate and save the calculation, as follows:

• If the calculation has valid syntax, the calculation is saved and displayed in the Calculations dialog.

• If the calculation has invalid syntax, an error message is displayed. You must correct any syntax errors before you can save the calculation.

Notes

• The table below shows the functions available in the box beneath the Show drop down list.

  Category	Description
  All Functions	An alphabetical list of all functions.
  Analytic	Advanced statistical analysis, such as RANK, NTILE, CORR.
  Conversion	Converting from one data type to another, such as: RAWTOHEX, TO_CHAR, TO_DATE.
  Database	Optional category that is displayed when user defined functions are available (created using the Register PL/SQL Functions facility on the Tools menu in Oracle Discoverer Administrator).
  Date	Manipulating date items such as ADD_MONTHS, NEW_TIME, SYSDATE and NEXTDATE.
  Group	Aggregate and statistical functions including SUM, COUNT, MAX, MIN, VARIANCE.
  Numeric	Numeric items and floating point such as COS, LOG, MOD, POWER.
  Others	Miscellaneous functions such as LEAST, USER, DECODE, ROWNUM.
  String	Character items, text operations such as INITCAP, LPAD, NLS_UPPER.

• For detailed information about all functions available in Discoverer, see Oracle8i/9i SQL Reference and Oracle8i/9i Data Warehousing Guide.

• For examples of the most commonly used functions, see "Discoverer calculation examples".