2 Multi-Select Dashboard Prompts Feature in Release 10.1.3.3

This new feature enables users to analyze data more easily with an easier to use and more powerful screen for specifying dashboard prompts. For example, users can now use multi-select to specify prompt values, and a more powerful search facility.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Section 2.1, "Overview of Multi-Select Dashboard Prompts"

• Section 2.2, "Configuration for the Multi-Select Dashboard Prompts Feature"

2.1 Overview of Multi-Select Dashboard Prompts

Prior to this release, a multi-select dashboard prompt with a large number of values could become difficult to work with. A new search feature adds the ability to better navigate and select values from a multi-select prompt when there are many (possibly hundreds or thousands) of values. Modifications to the existing multi-select dashboard prompt now allow the user to search through the available values using four matching schemes: begins with, ends with, contains, and is Like (Pattern Match). Wildcards such as the percent sign (%) can also be used in the query. A more sophisticated paging mechanism is also now present that allows the user to page ahead according to a configured search set size as needed. A plus sign following the "Choices Returned" number and the "More..." button indicate additional values have not yet been shown. Configurations for the search set size are described in the following paragraphs.

As with the previous multi-select prompt, to add values to be filtered, choices are selected and moved using the shuttle buttons to the left pane. A single mouse click selects a single value. Multiple values can be selected by clicking while holding down the Ctrl key. Range selection is done by holding down the Shift key while clicking. Buttons then allow the user to move single values, these sets of values, or all visible values to or from the "Selected" pane.

Once in the "Selected" pane, the collection of values can be edited by clicking on the Edit button. This action displays an editable dialog where new values can be typed in or lists of values can be copied and pasted in or out of the prompt. A list of values in Excel, for example, can easily be pasted in and thus "imported" into the prompt. This edit dialog interprets sequences of values separated by carriage returns or line feeds, tab delimiters, and pipe (|) characters. Note that while manually typing in values, only carriage returns/line feeds and "|" can be used as value separators. Tab is a valid value separator only when the user copies and pastes values that are tab-separated.

2.2 Configuration for the Multi-Select Dashboard Prompts Feature

To configure this feature, edit the instanceconfig.xml file to specify the number of values returned per search set. Add the <Prompts> and <MaxScrollValues> elements within the <ServerInstance> node, as shown in the following example:

<Prompts>
<MaxScrollValues>20</MaxScrollValues>
</Prompts> 

See the "Making Oracle BI Presentation Services Configuration Changes" section in Oracle Business Intelligence Presentation Services Administration Guide for complete information on editing the instanceconfig.xml configuration file.