Join Control

Definition

Part of the InfoSet Builder screen. The InfoProviders that are included in the join are displayed in the join control.

Use

In the join control, you define the join conditions. Valid join conditions are a prerequisite for the system to be able to activate the InfoSet. More information: Defining Join Conditions.

The first time you call the InfoSet Builder you can choose between two display modes:

network (DataFlowControl) or tree (TreeControl). While the network display is clearer, the tree display can be read by the screen reader and is thus better suited for visually-impaired users. You can change this setting at any time by choosing Start of the navigation path Settings Next navigation step Display End of the navigation path . The change takes effect the next time you call the InfoSet Builder.

Structure

The same functions are available in both display modes. However, the network display is more commonly used, as it gives a clearer overview. This is why the differences between the tree display and the network display are only briefly addressed here. After this section, only the network display will be described.

Special Features of the Tree Display

The InfoProvider is displayed in a tree structure in the join control. The Time-Dependency Deactivated symbol indicates the option of a time dependency. An existing left outer join is indicated using a flag. You can display a join in the right side of the screen by double-clicking an InfoObject. You can set the join condition with the Selection flag.

Displaying an InfoProvider in the Join Control

InfoProviders are displayed as a table in the join control. A symbol in the header indicates that an InfoProvider is time-dependent. The inactive version of this symbol indicates the option of a time dependency.

Depending on the type of InfoProvider, the following information is displayed in the rows of the table:

For DataStore objects and InfoCubes: A field (key field or data field) for each one, plus a dimension row for InfoCubes
For InfoObjects: the InfoObject itself, plus compound characteristics or an attribute

Note
Since InfoObjects are used to define the fields for DataStore objects, InfoCubes and the attributes of InfoObjects, each row ends with an InfoObject, except for InfoCubes that also have dimension rows.

InfoObjects are described as follows in the columns of the table:

Column	What you need to know
Use Field	Field selection for an InfoSet: If this flag is selected, the relevant field or attribute of an InfoProvider is released for use in reporting. This means that it can be used in BEx Query Designer for defining queries. In the default setting, this flag is selected. You can restrict the number of available fields or attributes from an InfoProvider by deselecting this flag. Note If an InfoObject has the property "exclusive attribute", the checkbox for selecting this field object in the join control is not input-enabled. This is because the respective characteristic can only be used as a display attribute for another characteristic. This restriction does not apply to key figures. In BEx Query Designer, these display attributes are not available for query definition in the InfoProvider directory tree (see Defining a New Query). Note To be able to field objects to queries, you have to deactivate the Attribute Only property in InfoObject maintenance. (See Tab Page: General) This could slow down database access.
Key Field, Additional Field, Dimension	The designates the following: A key field for DataStore objects For InfoObjects, the InfoObject itself or a compound characteristic The symbol designates additional attributes for time-dependent InfoObjects For the start of a valid time interval ( Valid from) For the end of a valid time interval ( Valid to) And for all InfoProviders Key dates The symbol indicates an InfoCube dimension
Technical name
Object type (represented by the corresponding symbol)	Examples:
Description	Long Text Description
Key Date	This column is only filled for D type (date) fields or attributes of an InfoProvider, and for time characteristics, from which a key date is derived (0CALWEEK, 0CALMONTH, 0CALQUARTER, 0CALYEAR, 0FISCPER, 0FISCYEAR). If the indicator is set in this checkbox, the InfoObject is used as a temporal operand. In the default setting, this flag is not selected. If it is selectedt, and a key date can be derived, the additional fields mentioned above are added to the InfoProvider. See Temporal Joins.

The following functions are available from the context menu of a table entry:

Define Time-Dependency

This enables you to define valid time intervals. The appropriate characteristics are offered to you using input help. More information: Temporal Joins.
Request Status

This function is only available for InfoCubes. More information: Special Features of InfoCubes in InfoSets.
Delete Object

Choose this function to delete an object from the join control.
Left Outer Join or Inner Join

For more information on the left outer join operator, see Defining Join Conditions.
Select All Fields

If you choose this option, all fields or attributes of an InfoProvider are released for reporting. The flags are selected in the Use Field column accordingly.
Deselect All Fields

If you choose this option, all flags are deselected in the Use Field column.

Displaying Join Conditions in the Join Control

A join condition is displayed as a line that connects exactly one InfoObject within a row from one object, with exactly one InfoObject within a row from another object.

More information: Defining Join Conditions.

Navigating in the Join Control

Location of the individual objects

The system inserts each object from a fixed, predetermined default size into the join control.

Note

If you want to insert a new object next to a specific table, select the table you want. The system inserts the new object at the same level, to the right of the selected table.

If no table is selected, the system inserts the new object at the same level, to the right of the table furthest away on the right.

You are able to position each DataStore object and each InfoObject freely in the join control. Position the cursor over the header of the object, press the left mouse-button, and keeping the button pressed down, drag the object to its new position.

The positioning of the various objects in the join control has no influence on how the join is processed.

Size of the individual objects

Clicking the Zoom in icon enlarges the view by 10%.

Clicking the Zoom out icon reduces the view by 10%.

The Auto-Arrange function automatically arranges the objects to provide an overview.

Navigator

By pressing Hide/Display Navigator you can access navigation help.

This function can also be called from the context menu for the join control.

Recommendation

The navigator is particularly useful if not all objects are visible at the same time.

If you want to change the section of the screen to be displayed, move the red frame in the navigator.
If you want to change the size of the objects, adjust the dimensions of the frame itself:

Reducing the frame has the same effect as the zoom-in function.

Enlarging the frame has the same effect as the zoom-out function.

Note

You can also call the Zoom in, Zoom out and Show/Hide Navigator function from the context menu for the join control.

Changing Descriptions

The descriptive texts that are used in the metadata repository for the InfoProviders and their attributes are also used in the join control.

If you use InfoProviders or InfoObjects more than once as attributes in the join, it helps if you change the descriptive texts for the purposes of the InfoSet. This enables you to identify the individual objects more easily.

Choose Change Description . An overview of all the texts is displayed beneath the join control. You can change any of these texts.

The following functions are available:

Function	What you need to know
	A selection of the texts for a single InfoProvider in the join all the objects in the join
	Adds the texts to the display in the join control.
	Undoes the changes made to the texts. If you then click , the system re-inserts the descriptions from the metadata repository.

Delete

Select the object(s) that you want to delete from the join and choose Delete .

Saving a Join as a .jpg File

Choose Save as jpg to save your join definition on a PC as a graphic in jpeg format.

To print a copy of your join definition, choose Print .

Show/Hide Technical Names

You can use this function to show alias names for fields and tables / InfoProviders. These alias names are required in InfoSets, to be able to map self joins for example. Field alias names start with F and are followed by a five digit number starting with 1. The names are numbered sequentially. Table alias names start with T and are followed by a number starting with 1. They are also numbered sequentially. In both cases, the highest possible number is 99999.