Specifications

CHAPTER 24 DataWindow Expression and InfoMaker Functions
Users Guide 759
Return value Double or decimal if the arguments are decimal. Returns the variance for
column. If you specify group,
Var returns the variance for column within range.
Usage If you specify range, VarP returns the variance for column within range. If you
specify DISTINCT,
VarP returns the variance for the distinct values in column,
or if you specify expresn, the variance of the rows in column where the value
of expresn is distinct.
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 include the following:
• For the Graph or OLE 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.
Estimating variance or calculating actual variance
VarP assumes that the values in column are the values in all rows in the column
in the database table. If you did not select all the rows in the column in the
SELECT statement, use Var to compute an estimate of the variance of a sample.
Not in validation rules or filter expressions
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 examples all assume that the SELECT statement retrieved all rows in the
database table.
VarP is intended to work with a full set of data, not a subset.
This expression returns the variance of the values in the column named salary:
VarP(salary)
expresn
(optional)
One or more expressions that you want to evaluate to determine
distinct rows. Expresn can be the name of a column, a function, or
an expression.
Argument Description