I know this has been addressed a few times on the forums, but none of the solutions there have been what I need. Here is my problem:

I have a dashboard with multiple fex's running. Within my first fex, I need a drill down on a column named STATION that passes that value (example 'IAH') to another HTML page that has multiple reports that use the variable &STN='IAH'.

Things I've tried:
1. I have used the drill down option in Dev Studio for running a fex, but then changed the path to my *.htm. This actually works in that when you click on the hyperlink it takes you to the new HTML page, but it does not pass the field &STN.

2. I have created my HTML page and then exported it to a *.fex. This works in that it passes the &STN variable, but the formatting of my original HTML file is gone (data is right, but looks horrible)

3. I have tried to use the -HTMLFORM BEGIN / END and pasted my HTML code into a fex. This gives the same result as #2.

4. I have tried to use a "LINK" fex that only has the -HTMLFORM app/sir1.htm in it (which opens up the HTML page). This passes the &STN field to the fex, but does not pass it on to the HTML page.

Anyone have any ideas how to pass a variable &STN from one HTML page to another?

1. The likely reason that the variable is not used within your dirlldown HTM page is that the HTML will not interpret the incoming variable for you, you have to code it yourself. This is not like WF where the incoming variable is made available. You could use ASP as your drill down file, but this would make it a server side process (just like WF in fact).

2. This is more likely to be one of your solutions, although you will need to achieve the formatting that you want with careful styling of the fex components. Depending upon how you are displaying your multiple fex outputs you may have a conflict of styling that is affecting the output display. WF generally uses x1, x2 etc. classes of CSS internally, but this would be true of all your fex outputs and therefore your conflict. To counter this you could use the CLASS syntax of the style sheet commands within WF so that you can control your own CSS within your HTML.

3. This is basically the same as 2.

4. This is basically the same as 1.

T

One other item to mention (apart from you updating your signature so that we know what release and platform you use) is that if you turn HTMLCSS OFF, the HTM styling will be applied to the individual HTML tags which may reduce or even eliminate the conflict that I think you have.

However, this would increase the size of HTM file being passed to your browser and if your reports are large then this can become unwieldy.

I still think that your best option is to use the CLASS syntax within your style section and then include your own CSS section within the HTML either by external file reference or by using the < STYLE> tag pairing.

T

Possible solution may be:
1. have your first HTM file drilldown to a fex that picks up your &STN variable.
2. This fex will do nothing, except start your second htm file, using the standard -HTMLFORM filename syntax.
3. Your second HTM file will have to be modified. Wherever the STN variable is required, substitute it with '!IBI.AMP.STN;'. When the page is being processed, this will automatically be translated to the value of your &STN variable that you provide within your fex.
This way, your layout and such will be preserved.

Hope this helps ...

GamP,
I have tried your idea of a linking fex file to an HTM file, That part works and brings up the 2nd HTM file. When I add in the '!IBI.AMP.STN;' instead of &STN it does not work.
What exactly is the context?

Example:
WHERE STATION EQ '!IBI.AMP.STN;'

Also, should I be referencing the fex files in the drill down HTM, or should I be including them?

is this correct?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Tmproff>,

OK, update to anyone else having this problem. I was able to get the !IBI.AMP.STN; variable to work ONLY if you IMPORT the fex into your HTM file. If you reference the file in your HTM, the !IBI.AMP.STN field will not work. Thank you GamP for pointing me in the right direction.

Sounds like you already have this working, so this may be a moot point. However, it seems like you jumped through some hoops that you shouldn't have to... (namely the importing of fex into the html)

Here's my method -- and it's going to sound very similar to what is suggested above. But hear me out -- I just tried this (on 7.1.4) and it works perfectly.

First, you need your first report to drill to a "linking" fex that you're talking about (and as was mentioned previously). It will pass the parameter(s) that you need in the subsequent reports. Your top level report should look something like the following:

-SET &RANDOM = RDUNIF(D5) * 10000;
TABLE FILE CAR
SUM
     RETAIL_COST
BY CAR
ON TABLE SET STYLE *
$
TYPE=DATA,
     COLUMN=N1,
     TARGET='_blank',
     FOCEXEC=app/linking(CAR=CAR RDM=&RANDOM),
$
ENDSTYLE
END

The "linking.fex" should only need one line in it:

-HTMLFORM layout2

In this example, layout2.htm is the filename of the 2nd html layout that you're calling (that has the other reports on it).
Here are examples of the 2 reports that reside on layout2.htm:
report1.fex

TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT
     BODYTYPE
     DEALER_COST
     RETAIL_COST
     SALES
HEADING
"&CAR "
WHERE CAR EQ '&CAR';
END

report2.fex

TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT
     COUNTRY
     HEIGHT
     WEIGHT
     MPG
HEADING
"&CAR "
WHERE CAR EQ '&CAR';
END

On my layout2.htm page, I added 2 frames (one for each report), I added a button that would actually execute the report, but you could do this probably as autoexecutes or whatever. Then I added a dropdown list of CARs as the parameter for the two reports. I can run the layout in standalone mode and it works fine -- both frames populate with their respective reports for the passed parameter. Now, here's the beauty. Because I named all of my variables the same thing -- I don't have to even use the '!IBI.AMP.xxx;' logic AT ALL. Now, having said that, if your variables weren't named the same throughout, then you would need a little javascript to put the value of that amper variable into a javascript variable -- and then I would probably set the dropdown list value to that variable.

Something like this could go in the javascript onload event -- but keep in mind, in my example I didn't even need to do this:

var myparm = '!IBI.AMP.CAR;'; //get the amper variable into a javascript variable.
combobox1.value = myparm;  //set the value of the combobox (dropdown listbox) to that variable.
OnExecute(button1);//execute the IBI routine to run the reports

You might even be able to combine those first 2 lines of code into one. I didn't test that little snippet, but the concept should be there.

Back to my original example, the ONLY other thing I had to do, because I was using a button, was to simulate the button was clicked in the onload. You could call the onclick function, or you could call the "OnExecute" function directly (which is what I did).

WHEW, that's sort of a long-winded answer, but I hope it makes a little sense. My point is, it really is a pretty straightforward idea and is especially easy if you use the same amper name throughout the process. Let me know if any of that doesn't make sense -- worst case, I could potentially email you my files and let you try it yourself.

Good luck!!