Paginated Reports with Dynamic Parameters in SSRS
By Tom Nonmacher
When it comes to creating paginated reports with dynamic parameters in SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), it can be a bit of a challenge. The good news is that, with SQL Server 2016, SQL Server 2017, MySQL 5.7, DB2 11.1, and Azure SQL, there are several ways to achieve this. This blog post will guide you through the process.
First, let's understand what we mean by dynamic parameters. These are parameters whose values are populated at runtime, typically from a query. This is useful when the values for the parameters are not known until the user runs the report.
Creating dynamic parameters involves two main steps: creating a dataset for the parameter and setting up the parameter within the report. To create a dataset for the parameter, you would typically write a query that retrieves the values for the parameter. For example, in SQL Server, you might write a query like this:
SELECT distinct ProductName FROM Products
After creating the dataset, the next step is to set up the parameter in the report. This involves specifying the dataset for the available values and setting the value field to the field in the dataset that contains the desired values.
But what about paginated reports? Pagination in SSRS is a feature that allows users to view large reports in smaller, more manageable chunks. This is especially useful in scenarios where a report contains hundreds or thousands of rows.
To create a paginated report with dynamic parameters, you would need to use a combination of SQL Server's row_number() function and the ROWNUM pseudo column. Row_number() assigns a unique row number to each row in the result set, while ROWNUM assigns a unique row number to each row in the table. By using these two functions together, you can create a paginated report that displays a specific range of rows based on the dynamic parameter value.
Here's an example of how you might do this in SQL Server:
SELECT ProductName, row_number() OVER (ORDER BY ProductName) as RowNum
FROM Products
WHERE RowNum BETWEEN @StartRow AND @EndRow
In this query, @StartRow and @EndRow are dynamic parameters that specify the range of rows to display.
In conclusion, creating paginated reports with dynamic parameters in SSRS can be a complex task, but with a good understanding of SQL Server's row_number() function and the ROWNUM pseudo column, it is certainly achievable. Remember, the key is to create a dataset for the dynamic parameter and then use this parameter to specify the range of rows to display in the paginated report.