How to trace an 'order by' issue?

Question

I'm working with Report Builder 6.0.8.25.0. I have a report that prints lines on a quote. The report is supposed to order by the line_id in one of the tables involved. The problem is that sometimes it sorts in ascending and sometimes in descending order. I can see the bad sort in the report previewer and after moving the report to the server and running it through the Sales Online module in 11.5.9.
I have spent quite a lot of time trying to figure out where the bad sort is coming from but have thus far failed to identify the culprit.
Is there a way to trace the report while it's running in the report previewer to identify what forces are acting on the sort?
-Tracy

Answer 1

Hi Tracy,
the column attribute >>group by<< take precedence of the >>order by<< in the sql statement when you have more than one group in data model and the group is a control group.
1. Example:
a. SELECT deptno, ename ORDER BY deptno ASCENDING;
b. deptno + ename are both in group --> Group_1
c. depotno --> column attribute >>group by<< = DESCENDING
d. DESCENDING has no effect!
Deptno Ename
10---- JAMES
10---- TURNER
10---- ALLEN
10---- BLAKE
20---- SMITH
20---- ADAMS
20---- JONES
30---- MILLER
30---- CLARK
30---- KING
2. Example:
a. SELECT car_no, colour_no FROM cars ORDER BY cars_no ASCENDING;
b. Group_1 --> car_no --> attribute >>group by<< --> DESCENDING
c. Group_2 --> colour_no --> attribute >>group by<< --> ASCENDING
d. b. having priority of b.
e. c. has no effect!
car_no colour_no
51450- 4
51450- 3
51450- 2
51450- 1
26337- 4
26337- 3
26337- 2
26337- 1
8021-- 4
8021-- 3
8021-- 2
8021-- 1
Now, when you would like to see colour_no in an ASCENDING order, you must change the order by clause in your sql statement as follows:
SELECT car_no, colour_no FROM cars ORDER BY colour_no ASCENDING;
car_no colour_no
51450- 1
51450- 2
51450- 3
51450- 4
26337- 1
26337- 2
26337- 3
26337- 4
8021-- 1
8021-- 2
8021-- 3
8021-- 4
Know, that the arrows to the left of the column only belongs to the attribute changes. It do not show you the ORDER BY sequence of the sql statement.
regards,
Tom
Message was edited by:
Tom Rakete