Using a formula to populate an array

Question

Post Author: GPMichal
CA Forum: Formula
I need some help creating an array for use in a {table.field} In ["value1", "value2", "value3"......] formula (we'll refer to it as {@supression}) which will be used as conditional supression for groups  .  I would like to populate the above array box with unique values in a record set.  I want a formula (we'll refer to it as {@array}) to look at all the records in the record set and return each unique value and put them in the array box between the " ".  The field values will be unique, duplicates and/or null.  I will group and sort the record set by the field value intended to fill the array box so that all the null values will show up after the unique or duplicate values.  For example, the record set might look like this:
Code      Type
Code1       A
Code2       A
Code3       B
Code4       C
Code5       C
Code6       Null
Code7       etc............
Using the above record set, {@array} would populate the array box of {@supression} so it would look like this: {table.field} In ["A", "B", "C"].  I realize that I will probably have to have {@array} return just "A", "B", "C" first so I could insert it into {@supression} so it would look like this:
{table.field} In [{@array}]
I assume the only way to accomplish this is to use some type of loop formula like "Do...While", "While...Do", "For....Next", etc. but I'm not sure.  If there's an easier way please tell me.  Otherwise, can someone give me an example of a loop formula that would do the trick?
Thanks,
Gary

Answer 1

Post Author: GPMichal
CA Forum: Formula
Thanks for your input.  I will admit that I'm learning as much as I can about CR and I do have much more to learn.
I'll try to explain the issue without going into a lot of detail if I can.  It may not be possible without the detail though.
Basically, I have a main report and two closely related subreports.  The main report groups budget item records by type.  A subreport located in the same group lists related cost records only if the cost CATEGORY matches the budget TYPE.  The 2nd subreport groups cost records by CATEGORY and only needs to show them if the CATEGORY is NOT already listed along with a matching budget TYPE above.  In order to do this, I had to develop a way for the report to scan the budget TYPES already listed in the detail of the main report and arrange them horizontally in field for use in a conditional flter formula.  Originally I was referring to this horizontal value as an array but that was probably the wrong assocation to use.  I finally figured out how to do this on my own and this is what I did:
I created a manual running total based on the budget type string field but did so in such a way that it would not include duplicates:
If OnFirstRecord Then
Shared StringVar BudgetType:= ' " ' + table.budgettype + ' " '
Else If Previous(table.budgettype)=table.budgettype Then
"duplicate"
Else
BudgetType:=BudgetType + ' " ' + table.budgetype + ' " ';
Which produced a result like something like this: "AL""GR".......etc.
I then used Shared StringVar BudgetType in the Group Name  conditional filter for the 2nd subreport like this:
NOT(table.costcategory IN SharedStringVar BudgetType)
So using the above results, if a cost category was equal to either "AL" or "GR" the group wouldn't be listed in the 2nd subreport.
Clear as mud???