The Query Limits component manages the gathering of limits and the processing of queries. It enables you to process the dashboard without having to deal with variable limits individually in sections.
After the component is merged, it can be used to:
Configure component properties at design time (See Configuring the Query Limits Component)
Gather limit values and execute queries in the dashboard at runtime (See Using a Runtime Release of the Query Limits Component)
The Query Limits component conceals the complexity of having to provide identical answers multiple times to different limits. For example, a dashboard can contain separate structures (or databases) for costs and sales information, or it may require multiple appended queries to produce a consolidated revenue report from various types of revenue-oriented transactions.
Typically the time period of interest is identical in all query structures.
Specifying the time frame for a query only once, is a practical and time saving feature. Having the dashboard developer configure a mechanism to apply an identical time frame to the remaining limits, saves you having to repeat the answer for each limit.
The related-limits mechanism relies on two requirements:
similar data type
common name prefix
Two variable limits share a name prefix, if they fall in one of these categories:
identical names
names contain two periods (..) with identical information on the left of the two periods
Table 27. Query Limits Name Prefix Examples
Data Model | Regular Query 1 | Regular Query 2 | Appended 1 | Appended 2 | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | |||
Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | See Note 1 |
Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter..2 | See Note 2 |
Acct No | Acct No | Acct No | Acct No | Acct No | See Note 1 |
Acct No | Acct No | Acct No | Acct No | Acct No..2 | See Note 2 |
Note 1. The scheme does not work, as attempts to manage limits with common names in appended queries have no effect.
Note 2. The scheme is the workaround to the problem described in Note 1.
For example, selecting quarter at runtime displays a list of quarters to choose from. Clicking OK applies the selected value to the five locations shown in the table, subject to Note 1 and Note 2.