Modifying Prompts

For each prompt you create, you can modify its properties by specifying values in the Properties pane.

For example, you can

Some properties you set for a prompt may be overridden under some conditions. For example, some properties set for the filter associated with a prompt may override the corresponding prompt property.

Change the Prompt Control Interface
By default, when you create a prompt, IBM Cognos Report Studio selects the prompt control interface. You can change the prompt control interface depending on the type of prompt you created. For example, for a value prompt, you can choose a drop-down list, a list box, or a radio button group.
Specify That a Prompt Requires User Input
You can specify that a prompt requires user input before the report can run.
Allow Users to Select Multiple Values in a Prompt
You can allow users to select more than one value in a prompt. For example, you have a prompt for which users must select a product line. You can modify the prompt so that users can select more than one product line.
Show or Hide Prompt Status
Each prompt you create in a report provides dynamic validation when the report is run. Validity checks are performed to ensure that the data is correct and that required values are supplied. For example, a star appears next to each required prompt. An arrow appears next to a prompt if you must select or type a value. If you type an incorrect value, a dotted line appears. You can choose whether to show the star and arrow for each prompt.
Specify a Default Selection for a Prompt
You can specify a default selection for a prompt so that users do not have to select or type a value when they run the report.
Customize Prompt Text
You can customize the instructional text that appears around prompts. For example, a value prompt with multiple selections includes a Select all link below the choices that you can customize to text other than Select all. You can also specify translated text in many languages for international report users.
Specify Prompt Values
You can provide your own values in a prompt instead of the default values that come from the database.
Add a Prompt Button
Add prompt buttons so that users can submit selected items, cancel reports, or navigate between pages.
Create a Cascading Prompt
Create a cascading prompt to use values from one prompt to filter values in another prompt. For example, a report contains the columns Product line and Product type. You create prompts for these columns, and you specify that the Product type prompt is a cascading prompt that uses Product line as the source. When users select a product line, they see only the product types related to the selected product line.

Parent topic: Adding Prompts to Filter Data