New Calculation dialog

Use this dialog to create a new calculation item. 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?"

"Simple calculation examples"

"Oracle8i analytic function examples"

"Oracle9i analytic function examples"

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 your calculation. To include items in the calculation, add them to the calculation box on the right (see Notes below).

Paste

Use this button to the add item currently selected in the Show list into the Calculation. The item is copied into the Calculation box at the right hand side.

Calculation

Use this text box to enter the calculation details. To create a calculation, you can either:

• Type the formula directly into the Calculation box.

• Paste items from the Show box on the left into your calculation.

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

• Use a combination of the above options.

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

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

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 the calculation and save the item.

• 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

• Functions Available

  Category	Description
  All Functions	An alphabetical list of all functions.
  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 Oracle9iAS 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, transcendentals 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
  Analytic	Advanced statistical analysis, such as RANK, NTILE, CORR

• Show list options:
  • Use the Functions option to display Oracle9i's extensive list of predefined 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 box, 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".