Single Date Parameter, but using a date range for selection

Question

Post Author: fireman204
CA Forum: Formula
I'm fairly new to Crystal Reports, so be gentle with me.  I have a report that has 4 parameters.  The report asks for data for a specific month, the YTD data to the end of the selected month, and the same data from the previous year.  It seems there should be a way to enter a single parameter (ie., 2007-4-1), and off that date select all the data for the month, the current year to the end of that month, and then the data from the previous year for the same period.  I know this will be a formula field needed to select the data, but not sure how to get there from here.  Any ideas?  Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Post Author: SKodidine
CA Forum: Formula
It should be possible for you to create just one parameter to have the user input a single date and then create formulae to create the begin and end dates for the month, YTD and PYTD.  You can then use these formulae for record selection criteria.
For example, if the user inputs a date of 2007-04-01 for the single parameter then create formulae such as:
beginmonth
datevar beginmonth;
beginmonth := date(year({?My Parameter}),month({?My Parameter}),01);
endmonth
datevar endmonth;
endmonth := cdLastDayOfMonth ({?My Parameter});
To use the cdlastdayofmonth function, In the formula workshop window, click on "Repository Custom Functions" then under CRYSTAL and DATE right click on cdlastdayofmonth and click on ADD TO REPORT.  Once that is done, then create the above "endmonth" formula.  You should see this new function in your formula workshop window in the FUNCTIONS window under CUSTOM FUNCTIONS.
beginytd
datevar beginytd := date(year(currentdate),01,01);
endytd
datevar endytd;
endytd := cdLastDayOfMonth ({?My Parameter});
beginpytd
datevar beginpytd := date((year(currentdate)-1),01,01);
endpytd
evaluateafter({@endytd});
datevar endytd;
datevar endpytd;
endpytd := date(year(endytd)-1,month(endytd),day(endytd));
In your record selection criteria, you can use the above formulae like this:
in {@beginmonth} to {@endmonth}
or
in {@beginytd} to {@endytd}
or
in {@beginpytd} to {@endpytd};
This is one way of doing it, perhaps others might pitch in with a more efficient way.