Free SQL Help for Devs, DBAs, and the Curious

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a robust tool for building, deploying, and managing reports. In this post, we will delve into a couple of aspects that can significantly enhance your reporting capabilities, namely the use of hidden parameters and conditional visibility. These features allow you to create more interactive, user-friendly reports that provide information in a clear, concise, and easy-to-navigate manner.

Hidden parameters in SSRS are used primarily to control the behavior of the report but are not visible to the end user. They can be used to store values that you don't necessarily want the user to see or change. For instance, you might use a hidden parameter to store a connection string or a query that should always be executed when the report is run.

-- T-SQL example
DECLARE @HiddenParam VARCHAR(255)
SET @HiddenParam = 'SQL Server 2016'
SELECT @HiddenParam

To set a parameter as hidden in SSRS, you simply need to go to the Report Data pane, right-click on the parameter you want to hide, click on Parameter Properties, and then set the Visibility option to Hidden.

Now, let's talk about conditional visibility. This is a feature that allows you to hide or show report items based on certain conditions. For instance, you might want to hide a table if it has no data, or show a message to the user if a certain condition is met. This is done by setting the Hidden property of the report item to an expression that evaluates to true or false.

-- T-SQL example
IF EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM dbo.MyTable)
BEGIN
    -- Show the table
    EXEC sp_set_table_visibility 'dbo.MyTable', 0
END
ELSE
BEGIN
    -- Hide the table
    EXEC sp_set_table_visibility 'dbo.MyTable', 1
END

Conditional visibility can be used in conjunction with hidden parameters to create complex behaviors. For instance, you could use a hidden parameter to store the result of a query, and then use that result to control the visibility of a report item. This allows you to create dynamic reports that respond to the data they're displaying.

In conclusion, hidden parameters and conditional visibility are powerful tools that can enhance your SSRS reports. They allow you to control the behavior of your reports in a flexible way and create interactive, user-friendly experiences. By properly utilizing these features, you can create reports that not only present data, but also guide the user through the data in a clear, concise, and intuitive manner.