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Expressions are usually used for appearance of the data in a report, change properties of the fields, calculate some values and display them in a proper way, compares values between data of fields and then display them.

Types of Expressions

We have 3 types:

  • Globals
  • Operators - Arithmetic, Comparison,Concatenation, Logical
  • Common Functions - Text, Date & Time, Math, Inspection, Program Flow, Aggregate, Financial, Conversion, Miscellaneous

We can see each and every one very deataily

1. Globals

Global expressions executes/works in Page Header and Footer parts only.

ExecutionTime Shows date and time at when report executes
PageNumber shows page number of each and every page but allowed only in page header and footer
ReportName displays name of the active report what name we have assigned to the active report
UserId shows current user name like company/userID
Language displays language like US-English…

2. Operators

Arithmetic

^ power of
*multiplication
/ divides two numbers and returns a floating point result
: divides two numbers and returns a integer result
Mod divides two numbers and returns remainder only
adds two numbers and concatenation for two strings
- subtraction and indicates negative value for numeric values

Comparison

Known operators : < <= > >= <>
Like compares two strings and return true if matched or else returns False.
Ex: =Fields!Title.Value Like Fields!LoginID.Value

Is compare two object reference variables
Ex: =Fields!Title.Value Is Null

Concatenation

+ and & symbols uses for concatenation

Logical

Known: And, Not, Or, Xor

SELECT * FROM users where firstname = 'Larry' XOR lastname = 'Smith'`

AndAlso First condition will check first and if it is true only, goes to next or else it won't need to check. Because our execution time is saving in a logical operation in which more conditions is combined using AndAlso function.
OrElse same like above

3. Common Functions

Text

Asc, AscW returns an integer value represents character code corresponding to a character.
Chr, chrw returns the character associated with the specified character code
Filter =Filter(Fields!Title.Value,"Pr",true,0)
Format=Format(Fields!Price.Value, "#,##0.00"), Format(Fields!Date.Value, "yyyy-MM-dd")
FormatCurrency =formatcurrency(Fields!SickLeaveHours.Value,3)
FormatDateTime =FormatDateTime(Fields!BirthDate.Value,Integer)

Ex:
0 returns 6/3/1977
1 returns Friday, June 03, 1977
2 returns 6/3/1977
3 returns 12:00:00AM
4 returns 00:00

FormatNumber =FormatNumber(Fields!EmployeeID.Value,2), then result is 2.00
FormatPercent ="Percentage : " & formatpercent(Fields!SickLeaveHours.Value)
GetChar =GetChar(Fields!Title.Value,5)
InStr =InStr(Fields!Title.Value,"a")
InStrRev =Instrrev(Fields!Title.Value,"a")
LCase =Lcase(Fields!Title.Value), Change strings into lower case
Left =Left(Fields!Title.Value,4), Returns left side characters from a string
Len =Len(Fields!Title.Value), Finds length of a string
LSet =Lset(Fields!Title.Value,5), Returns some length of a string from left
LTrim =Ltrim(" "&Fields!Title.Value), Trim left side of a string
Mid =Mid(Fields!Title.Value,InSTrRev(Fields!Title.Value,"T")), Returns characters from the mentioned starting position
Replace =Replace(Fields!Title.Value,"a","A"), Replaces one string with another
Right =Right(Fields!Title.Value,10), Returns right side characters from a string
RSet =Rset(Fields!Title.Value,5),Returns some length of a string from left
RTrim =Rtrim(Fields!Title.Value & " "), Trim left side of a string
Space =Fields!Title.Value & Space(5) & Fields!Title.Value, Specifies some spaces within strings
StrComp Returns a value indicating the result of a string comparison
vbBinaryCompare 0 Perform a binary comparison.
vbTextCompare 1 Perform a textual comparison.
string1 is less than string2 -1
string1 is equal to string2 0
string1 is greater than string2 1
string1 or string2 is Null Null
StrConv
=Strconv(Fields!Title.Value,vbProperCase)
=Strconv(Fields!Title.Value,vbLowerCase)
=Strconv(Fields!Title.Value,vbUpperCase)
StrDup =StrDup(3,"M"), Returns a string or object consisting of the specified character repeated the specified number of times.
StrReverse =StrReverse(Fields!Title.Value)
Trim =Trim(" "& Fields!Title.Value & " ")
UCase =Ucase(Fields!Title.Value)

Date & Time

CDate Converts a object into date format
=Format(CDate(Fields!BirthDate.Value),"MMMM yyyy")
DateAdd Returns a datetime that is the result of adding the specified number of time interval units to the original datetime.
=dateadd("m",12,Fields!BirthDate.Value)
DateDiff Find number of days, months and years between two dates
=datediff("d",Fields!BirthDate.Value,Now)
DatePart DatePart(DateInterval.Weekday, CDate("2009/11/13"), FirstDayOfWeek.Monday) returns 5 (Friday)
DateSerial for first day of the month
=DateSerial(Year(Now), Month(Now), 1)
for the last day of the month
=DateSerial(Year(Now), Month(Now)+1, 0)
DateString Returns string value of system date
=datestring()
DateValue Returns current date
Day Returns day value from date
=day(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
FormatDateTime =FormatDateTime(Fields!BirthDate.Value,Integer) Examples: 0 returns 6/3/1977
1 returns Friday, June 03, 1977
2 returns 6/3/1977
3 returns 12:00:00AM
4 returns 00:00
Hour =Hour(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
Minute =Minute(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
Month =Month(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
MonthName =MonthName(Month(Fields!BirthDate.Value))
Now Indicates current month
=Now() or =Now
Second =Second(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
TimeOfDay =TimeOfDay()
Returns a date value containing the current time of day according to your system
Timer =Timer()
Returns number of seconds elapsed since midnight
TimeSerial =TimeSerial(24,60,60)
Returns a date value representing a specified hour, minute and second
TimeString =TimeString()
Returns string value representing the current time of day according to your system
TimeValue Returns a date value set to jan 1 of year 1
=TimeValue(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
Today Returns Current date
Weekday Returns an integer value representing day of week
=WeekDay(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
WeekdayName =WeekdayName(Weekday(Fields!BirthDate.Value))
Returns name of the day of week
Year =year(Fields!BirthDate.Value)
Returns year of specified date

Math

Abs=Abs(-2.36)

Returns the absolute value

BigMul =BigMul(2,3)

Returns multiplication value of two specified numbers

Ceiling =Ceiling(2.67)

Returns next highest value

Cos=Cos(2.33)

Returns cos value for specified number

Cosh=Cosh(2.33) Returns hyperbolic cos value

DivRem=DivRem(23,2,5)

Fix=Fix(23.89)

Returns integer portion

Floor=Floor(24.54)

Returns largest integer

Int=Int(24.78)

Returns integer portion of a number

Log=Log(24.78)

Returns logarithm value

Log10=Log10(24.78)

Returns the base 10 logaritm value

Max=Max(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns larger value in the specified values

Min=Min(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns smaller value in the specified values

Pow=Pow(Fields!EmployeeID.Value,2)

Returns power of value for specified number

Rnd=Rnd()

Returns a random number

Round=Round(43.16)

Returns rounded value to the nearest integer

Sign=Sign(-34534543)

Sin=Sin(Fields!EmployeeID.Value) Returns the sin value

Sinh=Sinh(Fields!EmployeeID.Value) Returns the hyperbolic sin value

Inspection

IsArray =IsArray(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns a boolean value indicating whether the specified object is array or not

IsDate =IsDate(Fields!BirthDate.Value)

Returns a boolean value indicating whether the specified object is Date or not

IsNothing =IsNothing(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns a boolean value depends on specified object is Nothing or not

IsNumeric =IsNumeric(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns a boolean value depends on specified object is Numeric value or not

Program Flow

Choose =CHOOSE(3, "Red", "Yellow", "Green", "White")

Returns a specific value using index in a list of arguments

IIf =IIF(Fields!EmployeeID.Value>10,"Yes","No")

Returns any one value depends on condition

Switch =Switch(Fields!EmployeeID.Value<10,"Red",Fields!EmployeeID.Value>10,"Green")

Evaluates list of expressions

Aggregate

Avg =Avg(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns average value for all specified values

Count =Count(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns count of all specified values

CountDistinct =CountDistinct(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns count of all distinct values

CountRows =CountRows()

Returns count of rows

First =First(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns first for all specified values

Last =Last(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns last for all specified values

Max =Max(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns max for all specified values

Min =Min(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns min for all specified values

StDev =StDev(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns standard deviation value

StDevP =StDevP(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns Population standard deviation value

Sum =Sum(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns sum of all values

Var =Var(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns variance of all values

VarP =Var(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns population variance of all values

RunningValue =RunningValue(Fields!EmployeeID.Value,sum,nothing)

Returns running aggregate of the specified expression

Financial

DDB DDB (Double Declining Balance) method computes depreciation of an asset for a specified period.

Syntax: DDB (Cost, Salvage, life, period, factor)

FV FV (Future Value) of an investment based on periodic, constant payments and a constant interest rate.

Syntax: FV (rate, nper, pmt, pv, type)

IPmt IPmt (Interest Payment) for a given period for an investment based on periodic, constant payment and a constant interest rate

IPMT (rate, per, nper, pv, fv, type)

IRR IRR (Interest Rate of Return) for a series of cash flows represented by the numbers in values.

IRR(values,guess)

MIRR MIRR ( Modified internal rate of return ) for a series of periodic cash flows

MIRR(values,finance_rate,reinvest_rate)

NPer Returns the number of periods for an investment based on periodic, constant payments and a constant interest rate.

NPER (rate, pmt, pv, fv, type)

NPV Calculates the net present value of an investment by using a discount rate and a series of future payments (negative values) and income (positive values).

Syntax: NPV(rate,value1,value2, ...)

Pmt Calculates the payment for a loan based on constant payments and a constant interest rate.

PMT(rate,nper,pv,fv,type)

PPmt Returns the payment on the principal for a given period for an investment based on periodic, constant payments and a constant interest rate.

PPMT(rate,per,nper,pv,fv,type)

PV Returns the present value of an investment. The present value is the total amount that a series of future payments is worth now. For example, when you borrow money, the loan amount is the present value to the lender.

PV(rate,nper,pmt,fv,type)

Rate Returns the interest rate per period of an annuity. RATE is calculated by iteration and can have zero or more solutions.

RATE(nper,pmt,pv,fv,type,guess)

SLN Returns the straight-line depreciation of an asset for one period.

SLN(cost,salvage,life)

SYD Returns the sum-of-years' digits depreciation of an asset for a specified period. SYD(cost,salvage,life,per)

Conversion

CBool Convert to boolean

CByte Convert to byte

CChar Convert to char

CDate Convert to date

CDbl Convert to double

CDec Convert to decimal

CInt Convert to integer

CLng Convert to long

CObj Convert to object

CShort Convert to short

CSng Convert to single

CStr Convert to string

Hex =Hex(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns a hexadecimal value of a number

Int =Int(43.44)

Returns integer portion of a number

Oct =Oct(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns a octal value of a number

Str =Str(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns string value of a number

Val =Val("32.43")

Returns numeric value in string format

Miscellaneous

Previous =Previous(Fields!EmployeeID.Value)

Returns the previous value