Specifications

CHAPTER 24 DataWindow Expression and InfoMaker Functions

Users Guide 693

Return value The datatype of returnexp. Returns the ntop-largest value if it succeeds and –1

if an error occurs.

Usage If you specify range, Large returns the value in returnexp when the value in

column is the ntop-largest value in range. If you specify DISTINCT,

Large

returns returnexp when the value in column is the ntop-largest value of the

distinct values in column, or if you specify expresn, the ntop-largest for each

distinct value of expresn.

For graphs and OLE objects, you do not select the range when you call the

function. The range has already been determined by the Rows setting on the

Data property page (the Range property), and the aggregation function uses

that range. Settings for Rows are as follows:

• For the Graph presentation style, Rows is always All

• For Graph controls, Rows can be All, Page, or Group

• For OLE controls, Rows can be All, Current Row, Page, or Group. The

available choices depend on the layer the control occupies

Max might be faster

If you do not need a return value from another column and you want to find the

largest value (ntop = 1), use Max; it is faster.

You cannot use this or other aggregate functions in validation rules or filter

expressions.

Using an aggregate function cancels the effect of setting Retrieve Rows As

Needed in the painter. To do the aggregation, a report always retrieves all rows.

Examples These expressions return the names of the salespersons with the three largest

sales (sum_sales is the sum of the sales for each salesperson) in group 2, which

might be the salesregion group. Note that sum_sales contains the values being

compared, but

Large returns a value in the name column:

Large(name, sum_sales, 1 for group 2)

Large(name, sum_sales, 2 for group 2)

Large(name, sum_sales, 3 for group 2)

This example reports the salesperson with the third-largest sales, considering

only the first entry for each person:

Large(name, sum_sales, 3 for all DISTINCT sum_sales)