SSRS - Empty value

Question

I have a parameter @Destinataire in SSRS that has a list of values plus an empty string

I've created a query that I set as available values, which gives me the drop down list

SELECT code_name FROM tableA UNION ALL SELECT ''

When running the reports with the empty string, I have no results

I tried to set the parameter as text box and it does not do anything too

Yet when running the sql query I'm using to run this report, things are fine as I have all my rows retrieved (see query below)

DECLARE @DateCmt DATE = '05/09/2015',
        @DateFin DATE = '05/09/2016',
        @Restriction INT = 1,
        @Destinataire VARCHAR(5) = ''
        --
        ;

--SELECT @DateCmt,@DateFin

 SELECT DISTINCT 
CFE_EDI.IU_LIASSE
,CFE_EDI.ETAT
,CFE_EDI.DATHRMAJ -- nouveau
,CFE_EDI.ESP_APPLI
,CFE_EDI.NOM_RS
,PARTENAIRES.LIBEL
,PARTENAIRES.CODE_INSEE
,CFE_EDI.DATHR_ENV -- nouveau
,CFE_EDI.DATHR_MEF -- nouveau
,CFE_EDI.DATHR_PRE -- nouveau
,CFE_EDI.DATHR_OUV -- nouveau
--,CFE_EDI.DATEHR_DEPOT-- mettre l'heure
,CFE_EDI.GESTDEL
--,CFE_SERVICE_DEST.IU_DEST
--,CFE_SERVICE.IU_LIASSE
,CASE WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT = 'MEF' THEN 'En Attente le'
     WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT = 'PRE' THEN 'Préparé le' 
     WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT = 'ENV' THEN 'Envoyé le'
     WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT = 'OUV' THEN 'Réceptionné le'
     WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT = 'NRM' THEN 'Non remis le'
     WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT = 'NAQ' THEN 'Non acquitté le'
     END AS ChampEtat
,CASE WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT = 'OUV' THEN 'Date d''envoi : ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_ENV,103)
END AS Date_Envoi,
CASE 
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='MEF' THEN  CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_MEF,103) 
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='PRE' THEN  CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_PRE,103) 
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='ENV' THEN  CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_ENV,103) 
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='OUV' THEN  CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_OUV,103) 
ELSE CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_DEPOT,103) END AS DateMaj ,
CASE
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='MEF' then CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_MEF,108) 
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='PRE' then CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_PRE,108) 
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='ENV' then CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_ENV,108) 
WHEN CFE_EDI.ETAT='OUV' then CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_OUV,108)
ELSE CONVERT(VARCHAR,CFE_EDI.DATHR_DEPOT,108) END AS HeureMaj,
PARTENAIRES.LIBEL + '(' + CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE + ')' AS LibelDestinataire
--,CASE WHEN @Restriction = 1 THEN '1'
--     WHEN @Restriction = 0 THEN '0' END AS Restriction
,CASE WHEN @DateCmt != @DateFin AND @DateCmt <  @DateFin THEN 'Diffusion Xml du ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,(@DateCmt),103) + ' au ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,(@DateFin),103) ELSE 
'Diffusion EDI Xml du ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR,@DateCmt,103) END AS Plage_Diffusion
-- INTO 
 FROM   
 (PARTENAIRES 
 INNER JOIN dbo.CFE_EDI ON PARTENAIRES.CODE_INSEE = CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE) 
INNER JOIN dbo.CFE_SERVICE ON CFE_EDI.IU_LIASSE = CFE_SERVICE.IU_LIASSE
INNER JOIN dbo.CFE_SERVICE_DEST ON (PARTENAIRES.IU_PART = CFE_SERVICE_DEST.IU_PART_CFE)
WHERE 
case when @Restriction = 1
              then case when CFE_EDI.ETAT in('ENV','OUV') then 1 else 0 end
           when @Restriction = 0
              then case when CFE_EDI.ETAT not in('ENV','OUV') then 1 else 0 end
           else case when CFE_EDI.ETAT <> '' then 1 else 0 end
       end = 1
AND 
CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE IS NOT NULL AND CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE != '' 
    AND    CASE --WHEN CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE IS NOT NULL AND CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE !=''
           --THEN CASE 
           WHEN @Destinataire != '' AND (@Destinataire) IS NOT NULL
              THEN CASE WHEN CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE = @Destinataire THEN 1 ELSE 0 END
           ELSE CASE WHEN CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE = PARTENAIRES.CODE_INSEE 
                    AND cfe_edi.dathrmaj > @DateCmt AND cfe_edi.dathrmaj < @DateFin 
                    AND CFE_EDI.GESTDEL = '1' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END  
           END = 1

First question would be to know if there is way to setup the parameter without using my stupid trick.

Second question is why the query with parameter with an empty string does the trick and once you use SSRS, nothing.

Thanks in advance for your help

Update I tried to set the WHEN LEN(@Destinataire) > 0 with the @Destinataire = '' but no luck on that one.

Update 2 My aim now is to have a solution that will retrieve all the datas, in case the @Destinataire is equal to '' or NULL. However, thinking about it, this solution is equivalent to having all the values populated in @Destinataire. So one way or another, I would say.

Final update I've recreated everything from scratch and oh! magic, the grouping or the everything option worked as wish. I still don't know what was wrong but I'm fine with the results. Many thanks for your help and support.

Answer 1

There is a hybrid option, where you can keep your visible parameter just as you have it, but then use a hidden cascaded parameter to reference in the query. So if you really are having trouble with formulating your query with blank or null values as a parameter, this will work around that. Here are the steps:

• Create a new dataset.

A slight catch, you do need to make sure that the changing the selection always adds a new value to force a refresh of the cascaded parameter, but that's easy to do:

SELECT code_name FROM tableA WHERE @Destinataire='' OR @Destinataire=code_name
--Dummy value needed to force update of parameter value in some cases:
UNION SELECT 'zz' + @Destinataire AS code_name

• Set up a new parameter, @MultiDestataire. Allow it to accept multiple values and use the new dataset as its available and default values. Set its visibility to Hidden.

Running the report before hiding the new parameter shows how it works:

• Edit the query to use the new multivalue parameter in its WHERE clause.

From here on, this is just altering the query to use the IN statement, which should look like this:

CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE IS NOT NULL AND CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE != '' 
AND CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE IN (@MultiDestinataire)
...

Attempting this may end up being an intermediary step if you've got some other issue in the query that's responsible for unexpected results, as you should be able to test for an empty value there.

Answer 2

This is just my two cents, basically you have two options here.

Multivalue parameter Option

Define your parameter to allow multivalues, use the same dataset in Available values and Default values properties. So when your user doesn't select any value the parameter will be populated with all values. Otherwise your parameter will be populated only with values your users select.

In this case you will have to use IN operator since your parameter represent multiple values seleted or not by your user.

...
WHERE CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE IN (@Destinataire)
...

When you use Default values property all drop down list values are selected by default and your report run without any filter being applied (at least if your user doesn't select any value or values).

Additional, I'd avoid use '' (blank), it is uninformative and your user might think it is some kind of error or your parameter was not populated properly.

Why use a single value parameters when you want to show data from more than one value (in your case all)?

Single value Option (No sense IMO)

In order to this works you have to set your parameter to Allow blank value ("") and Allow null value. Your query should look like this:

WHERE
  CASE WHEN @Destinataire = '' OR @Destinataire is null THEN 1 ELSE 0 END = 1
  OR
  CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE = @Destinataire

In your query I think it could be something like this:

WHERE  CASE 
         WHEN @Restriction = 1 THEN 
           CASE 
             WHEN cfe_edi.etat IN( 'ENV', 'OUV' ) THEN 1 
             ELSE 0 
           END 
         WHEN @Restriction = 0 THEN 
           CASE 
             WHEN cfe_edi.etat NOT IN( 'ENV', 'OUV' ) THEN 1 
             ELSE 0 
           END 
         ELSE 
           CASE 
             WHEN cfe_edi.etat <> '' THEN 1 
             ELSE 0 
           END 
       END = 1 
       AND cfe_edi.code_insee IS NOT NULL 
       AND cfe_edi.code_insee != '' 
       AND ( CASE 
               --WHEN CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE IS NOT NULL AND CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE !=''  
               --THEN CASE   
               WHEN ( @Destinataire = '' 
                       OR @Destinataire IS NULL ) 
                    AND cfe_edi.code_insee = partenaires.code_insee
                    AND cfe_edi.dathrmaj > @DateCmt 
                    AND cfe_edi.dathrmaj < @DateFin 
                    AND cfe_edi.gestdel = '1' THEN 1 
               ELSE 0 
             END = 1 
              OR cfe_edi.code_insee = @Destinataire )  

Also consider this evaluation AND cfe_edi.code_insee = partenaires.code_insee, is it necessary even if your JOIN operator is forcing to meet the condition? INNER JOIN dbo.CFE_EDI ON PARTENAIRES.CODE_INSEE = CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE

A third option could be use a hidden parameter to clean the null and '' option of the user to produce a parameter populated with all values. Try the options above before get involved with hidden/internal parameter approach.

Let me know if this helps.

Answer 3

looking at your query and where you pass @Destinataire you should be able to pass a null value according to the where clause and get the same effect as passing ''

 CASE --WHEN CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE IS NOT NULL AND CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE !=''
       --THEN CASE 
       WHEN @Destinataire != '' AND (@Destinataire) IS NOT NULL
          THEN CASE WHEN CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE = @Destinataire THEN 1 ELSE 0 END
       ELSE CASE WHEN CFE_EDI.CODE_INSEE = PARTENAIRES.CODE_INSEE 
                AND cfe_edi.dathrmaj > @DateCmt AND cfe_edi.dathrmaj < @DateFin 
                AND CFE_EDI.GESTDEL = '1' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END  
       END = 1

I would try to just set that particular paramter to allow nulls in the ssrs report which can be found as a checkbox in your parameter settings window.